Street Cinematheque

It began simply enough. Pizmon, a New York based  Jewish a-cappella group with students from Columbia, Barnard, and the Jewish Theological Seminary, was embarking on their yearly outreach tour. In honor of Israel’s 60th, the group planned free concerts in 19 locations around the country.

One of the planned stops was in Asheklon, with a performance sponsored by the local Masorti congregation. Due to safety concerns, the concert was re-located to Omer with other congregations joining in support. Residents of Sderot were bussed in; the concert was recorded; and in conjunction with KBY Congregations Together, a CD is now in publication.

All this brings us to Sderot’s Street Cinemateque, where a small amount of money raised from the concert, a larger number of volunteers, and a relatively calm summer (through the cease-fire) led to showing films in parks throughout the city. Working in conjunction with the local youth department, which had a similar, but smaller program planned for July, an expanded program was planned for August with three showings a week for children and youth and a second movie at the new Cinematheque plaza for young adults and adults. The program kicks off today with the screening of “Kite Runner”.

You can read more here, support future projects in Sderot and receive the concert CD as a thank-you.

The big lesson here, think innovatively – you never know what may develop.

image: renditions of events in Sderot, by local children, on display at their Community Center