Echoes from a Ghost Minyan
Echoes From A Ghost Minyan is a 1998 documentary film about the once vibrant Jewish community of South Philadelphia.
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Release date | 1998 |
Running time | 47 min. |
| Language | English |
Plot summary
On February 22, 1882, the S.S. Illinois docked at the foot of Federal Street on the Delaware River in South Philadelphia. Among the passengers on board were 225 European Jewish refugees, most of whom settled nearby. By the close of World War I, a little over 40 years later, South Philadelphia was home to over 100,000 Jewish immigrants, making it the second largest Jewish neighborhood in the United States. However, the thriving community didn't last long. Soon after World War II, the Jews began moving to other parts of the city and surrounding suburbs. By the beginning of the 21st century, the Jewish community of South Philadelphia had almost completely vanished.
Using a mix of interviews, archival photographs, home movies and present day footage, Echoes from a Ghost Minyan documents a once thriving neighborhood by illuminating the lives and perceptions of those who once lived, worked and worshipped there, including the filmmakers themselves.
Filmmakers
Echoes From A Ghost Minyan was Directed and Produced By Joseph Van Blunk and Gustave Rosanio, and written and narrated by Joseph Van Blunk.
Film Festivals, Awards, Screenings and Broadcasts
- 1997 Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Screening.
- 1999 International Jewish Film Festival and Video Competition, Berkeley, California, Honorable Mention, Documentary Category.
- 1999 Philadelphia International Film Festival, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Finalist, Documentary Category.
- 2000 FirstGlance LA Film Festival, Los Angeles, California, Finalist, Documentary Category.
- 2001 FirstGlance Philadelphia Film Festival, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Best Documentary.
- 2003 Cape May New Jersey State Film Festival, Cape May, New Jersey, Screening.
- 2007 Wildwood By The Sea Film Festival, Wildwood, New Jersey, Screening.
- WHYY TV 12, Public Television, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Broadcast.
- WHYY Public Television, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Broadcast.
- National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Screening.
- Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Screening.
- University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Screening.
- The Jewish Channel, Cable Broadcast.
- Shalom TV, Jewish Television, Cable Broadcast.
See also
Other similar Jewish documentaries:
- A Home on the Range
- Pushcarts and Plantations
- Island of Roses