The Believer: Confronting Jewish Self-Hatred

Book Summary

"The Believer" relates the disturbing and provocative story of a Jewish skinhead from Brooklyn, and calls into question fundamental assumptions about faith, belief and ethnic identity. The Believer relates the disturbing and provocative story of a Jewish skinhead from Brooklyn. Screenwriter Henry Bean (Internal Affairs, Deep Cover) was inspired by an actual case to write an original script exploring issues close to his own Orthodox Judaismand then to direct what became the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Everywhere The Believer has been shown it has provoked passionate debate about fundamental assumptions of faith, belief, and ethnic identity. The Believer: Confronting Jewish Self-Hatred is intended to provide a context for the discussion sparked by this controversial film. In addition to the script with an explanatory essay by the filmmaker, The Believer will include additional essays on related topics from such authorities as Cornell Professor Sander Gilman (Anti-Semitism in Times of Crisis), Northwestern Professor Lester Friedman (The Jewish Image in American Film), and Professor of the Talmud and Rabbinics at Jewish Theological Seminary David Kraemer. The Believer will feature the script of the award-winning film and also be punctuated by shorter reactions to the film and its topic solicited from pivotal opinion-makers. Henry Bean is a big talent and The Believer is his most courageous and thought-provoking work yet Spike Lee

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