Within this archive it contains a collection of Judaica jewelry and other Jewish cultural media documented in a short film. The juxtaposition from object to object is significant since one half represents Russian American Jewish culture which tends to be more flamboyant and recognizable and the other half represents European Holocaust survivors which due to their fear made their religion less visible and assimilated more to American culture. Putting two sides of a culture next to each other provides a unique look into how xenophobia and anti semitism affected American Jews. These cultural artifacts exemplify the distinct styles, but also show the viewer how they illustrate opposing sides of Jewish heritage.
Showcasing this archive through film is important to show each object associated with each other since it allows artifacts of different mediums to be viewed at the same time such as traditional music being played over an image of Wedding china evokes the feeling of celebrations. Digging deeper expresses how incorporating American traditions like buying wedding china was an attempt to feel a sense of belonging during a deeply religious event like a wedding. A film also allows for other pieces of filmed material to be included. The connections to these objects from daily use and ceremonial practice is clear from the way that they are presented. I’m excited to find out more about this cultural heritage and history contained in these objects.