JEWISH FILM SERIES
RAISE THE ROOF
Thursday, May 26 at 7:30 pm
Special Guest: Elisha Katz, Brandeis University Arts Honors student who participated in this remarkable project
$10 Members | $15 Public – Includes post film discussion and reception
An international team chases an improbable dream to reconstruct one of the magnificent lost wooden synagogues of Poland in this remarkably uplifting documentary about craftsmanship, teamwork and a hands-on approach to accessing Jewish history.
Rivaling the greatest wooden architecture in history, the synagogues of 18th-century Poland inspired artists Rick and Laura Brown of Handshouse Studio to embark on a 10-year pursuit—to reconstruct the elaborate roof and painted ceiling of the Gwozdziec synagogue. Leading over 300 students and professionals from 16 countries, the Browns grapple not just with the echoes of World War II when these buildings were destroyed by the Nazis, but also with warped timbers, tricky paints, and period hand tools. By the end of the project, they have done more than reconstruct a lost synagogue: they have recovered a lost world. In 2014, the Gwozdziec roof was unveiled as the centerpiece of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. (USA/Poland, 2015, 85 min., DCP | Dir. Yari Wolinsky) http://www.polishsynagogue.com/
Elisha Katz, who participated in Poland in the realization of the “Raise the Roof” project, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art with Honors from Brandeis University. Since then, Elisha has taught fashion design, studied digital arts, and now works at Penguin Random House and paints freelance. You can view her artwork at behance.net/elishakatz . Co-curated with Dr. Jud Newborn
