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Conversation Is Interruption

15:48 minutes

"There are qualities that have been ascribed to the stereotype of Jews that are also ascribed to the stereotype of women who step out of line and it's about being loud, it's about being strident, it's about wearing bright colors. It boils down, I think, to making yourself obvious in a place where you're not supposed to be and if you are, you should at least have the decency to shut up and wear beige."      -Judith Arcana, Interviewee

This short documentary explores the culture clash Jewish women sometimes encounter in the largely gentile community where they live and work. The filmmakers interview ten Ashkenazi women in Portland, Oregon - aged 36 to 63 - to explore how qualities often perceived as "aggressive, "interruptive," and "argumentative" may more accurately reflect a difference in a communication style based in Jewish culture. This film considers the traditions of Talmudic debate, shtetl life and the role of struggle in Jewish life. In true Jewish form, it includes discussion and, in some cases, debate that takes place in individual interviews and during a dinner party. The participants identify common cultural traits and traditions, while also questioning the validity of ascribing any common qualities to any one group.

Interviewees:

Judith Arcana, Writer
Karen Belsey, Workforce Development Manager
Cami Berkowitz, Elementary School Teacher
Rachael Duke, Affordable Housing Policy Manager
Ruth Heller, Civil Rights Investigator
Beth Kaye, Affordable Housing Policy and Communications Manager
Natasha Rosenblatt, Data Systems Consultant
Rebecca Shine, Community Development Consultant
Rabbi Ariel Stone, Congregation Shir Tikvah
Amanda Yampolsky, English as a Second Language (ESL) Assessment Specialist

Credits:

Producer: Rebecca Shine
Director: Anne Galisky
Cinematography: Anne Galisky & Rebecca Shine
Editing: Anne Galisky & Rebecca Shine
Music: JD Kleinke

Screenings:

Short Documentary Premiere at Crush in Portland, June 2006
Short Documentaries at the Mission Theater in Portland, December 2005