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Lights, Camera, Action – It’s Schmoozerama
By
Shoshana Cenker
Enter Temple B’nai Israel in Little Rock, Ark., on certain Saturday nights and the buttery smell of popcorn deliciously wafts up to greet you. So grab a bag, and Action! Let’s go to the movies.
“Schmoozerama includes films of Jewish interest that we would probably not otherwise get in Little Rock,” says dedicated film enthusiast and professional film reviewer, Amos Lassen, who started the project in May 2009. “Once a month we invite the community to screen a movie before it is released. We have Havdallah; people schmooze, enjoy a potluck dinner and watch the movie.
“Our attendees bring so much food for the potluck,” he exclaims. “We’ve had pizza, fried chicken, salads, desserts…no one ever goes home hungry!”
Amos acquires movies that the average Joe likely couldn’t. “As a film reviewer and writer I have access to films long before the theaters,” he explains. He writes for various publications and Web sites including eurekapride.com and Amazon.com, where his reviewer’s rank is #81. “When I began three years ago with Amazon, I was all the way back at 693,000!”
Amos has one basic rule for selecting the films the group watches. “The movies are not available from Netflix or Blockbuster. I make sure that they are of interest to our attendees, whether it’s comedy or drama.”
Films the group has screened include “Blessed is the Match,” a documentary on Hannah Senesh; “My Mexican Shiva,” a hilarious dramatic comedy; “The Debt,” a new Israeli film; “The Troupe,” an Israeli musical about the performing unit of the IDF; “Four Seasons Lodge” and “Yoo Hoo Mrs. Goldberg.” They also had the premiere viewing of “Ajami,” the Israeli film nominated for an Oscar this year.
After watching a Holocaust movie in honor of Yom HaShoah, Amos expanded the program a bit to include a guest speaker.
He already has the next several months of screenings ready to go with “Three Mothers,” “The History of Israeli Movies” and an evening of Jewish shorts including “V’ahavta.” about a religious man coming to terms with his homosexual desires; “Women at the Wall,” a documentary about women praying at the Western Wall; “Shiva,” an Israeli film about a death in the family and “Nachamu,” a new Israeli film made by the sister-in-law of one of the Temple’s congregants.
Because Amos is so passionate about film and his new Schmoozerama venture, he selflessly acts as his own one-man show setting up and clearing for movie nights. He has also donated 400 films of Jewish content to the Temple’s library. The generosity he shows is seen throughout Little Rock’s Jewish community.
As the program nears its one-year anniversary, Amos has big plans in store. “For July, we’re working on a viewing, day-long symposium and discussion on the movie “A Serious Man” and how it relates to the Job story in the Torah,” he says.
“Everyone loves the Schmoozerama,” says Amos. “Attendance has been wonderful; we average about 75 people for each showing. I’ve gotten nothing but positive feedback. We are going stronger and better than ever. In these tough financial times, we are providing a free place to get together and hang out – it makes for a great cheap date!”
And cut!
Amos would be glad to share any of the films with other congregations. Contact him at alassenamos@yahoo.com.
Shoshana Cenker was born and raised in Memphis, graduated from White Station High School in 1998 and from Indiana University in Bloomington in 2002 with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Hebrew and Jewish Studies. She studied abroad at Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. She is the Director of Communications at Greenfield Hebrew Academy. She and her husband Dovid, live in Atlanta, GA.
PHOTOS: Top to Bottom
Amos Lassen sets up for Schmoozerama.
Marie Spitzberg and Debbie Luckom enjoy delicious potluck treats.
Give ‘em food and they will come.
George and Ellie Wolfe and friends enjoy a meal before the screening.
Havdallah – Rabbi Gene Levy, Charlie Freidman, Andy and Jo Lawton and Rita Fagen.
Tracie Spivey, administrator, and Amos Lassen in front of the Schmoozerama Library at Temple B'nai Israel in Little Rock, Ark.
