A Powerful Double Bill at Jewish Film Festival Draws Irish Audience
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
VANCOUVER - The 17th annual Vancouver Jewish Film Festival at the Norman Rothstein Theatre included two films of special interest to the Irish community this year. John Cheevers, the Irish Consul for British Columbia, attended the double screening on April 17 and introduced Shalom Ireland which followed Sister Rose’s Passion.
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AT THE SCREENING of Shalom Ireland at the Norman Rothstein Theatre at the Jewish Community Centre in Vancouver are: (L-R) John Cheevers, the Irish Consul for British Columbia, Valerie Lapin Ganly, Director of the documentary and Phil Sanderson of the Vancouver Jewish Film Festival.
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Valerie Lapin Ganly the director of Shalom Ireland was also present at the event. Lapin Ganly has both Irish and Jewish roots and she spoke afterwards about her background, and the research of the Jewish community in Dublin.
Many in the Irish community will be familiar with Robert Briscoe – the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin – and his historic visit to New York. What many may not know is how the Jewish community of Ireland participated in the creation and development of both the Republic of Ireland and the State of Israel.
Shalom Ireland chronicles the history of Irish Jewry, while celebrating their unique culture created by blending Irish and Jewish traditions. It was a most informative documentary and I’m sure there were many who will be curious to visit the Jewish areas of Dublin on their next visit.
Sister Rose’s Passion is the powerful narrative of Sister Rose Thering, a fesity activist in the fight against anti-Semitism in the Catholic Church. She had an active part in Vatican II which lead to many reforms in the Catholic Church, and was a strong component in denouncing Church doctrine which blamed the Jews for the death of Jesus.
The film is a compelling and inspirational story about overcoming prejudice and fighting centuries old beliefs. It’s easy to see why the film was the winner of the Best Documentary Short Film at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival and nominated for a 2005 Academy Award in the Documentary Short Subject.
The Norman Rothstein Theatre is an impressive state of the art theatre located in the Jewish Community Centre on Oak Street in Vancouver. The whole facility is a great credit to the Jewish community and I couldn’t help thinking that this is exactly what is lacking in the Irish community of Vancouver. The Celtic Heritage Society of Canada is working to create such a facility in Burnaby, but maybe what’s needed for that extra push is the energy and foresight of another Robert Briscoe to bring this dream to fruition.
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