from Boston.com

Jewish film fest thrives in slump

This has not been a stellar year for Jewish nonprofits, thanks to the tanking economy and to Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, which hit a number of local Jewish philanthropies.

But one that seems to be flourishing is The Boston Jewish Film Festival, judging from a recent administrative change to prepare the festival for “dynamic growth,” according to board chair Judy Ganz. “We intend to grow and enliven our programming.”

…Against the ever-expanding landscape of Jewish film festivals – there are now more than 110 of them around the world – Boston’s is considered to be in the top tier, respected not only for the range and quality of its programming but because it operates independently. “And that’s an important distinction,” said Peter L. Stein, executive director of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, the country’s oldest and largest, with ticket sales of around 30,000. “It’s not under the aegis of another entity, whether a museum or Jewish community center or community organization that would have different and sometimes competing missions.”