November 7, 2023
By Hadas Kuznits as published in KYW Newsradio
The 43rd annual Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media Fall Fest will take a different tone than in previous years, as the Israel-Hamas war rages on.
Due to the rise in antisemitic incidents since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, festival organizers have reinforced security measures, but Executive Director Kristen Arter hopes fear won’t keep people from attending this year’s festival in person.
“Collectively our community coming together, feeling that we have others to commune with and know that people aren’t alone right now,” she said.
The festival was, of course, curated prior to Oct. 7, and it features a variety of themes.
“There’s comedies, there’s documentaries. We have a shorts program, which probably has the most diverse lineup that we have as far as Jewish stories and perspectives,” said Arter. “There are films that talk about the Holocaust. There are films that talk about abortion issues.”
Arter said storytelling helps break down preconceived notions of what it means to be Jewish. And these days, she said, it’s more important than ever to tell Jewish stories.
“We are seeing such horrific history repeating itself and the rise of antisemitism worldwide. We need to keep telling stories about our varied history and what life looks like for all kinds of different Jews in present-day here.”
The festival runs from Nov. 11 to 18. A pre-festival event takes place on Nov. 8 at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.