Though the Summer Olympics are sadly not taking place this year, the Museum is using this moment of pause to reflect on previous Olympics and stories of Jewish athleticism. Join us for a film screening* and discussion about the film “Watermarks” with co-writer and film director Yaron Zilberman and Professor Raanan Rein of Tel Aviv University.
“Watermarks” tells the story of the champion women swimmers of the legendary Jewish sports club Hakoah Vienna. Hakoah was founded in 1909 in response to the notorious Aryan Paragraph, which forbade Austrian sports clubs from accepting Jewish athletes. After the Anschluss in 1938, the Nazis shut down the club, but the swimmers managed to flee the country before the war broke out. Sixty-five years later, director Yaron Zilberman meets members of the women’s swim team in their homes and arranges for them to have a reunion in their old swimming pool.
This program is co-presented with The Office of Cultural Affairs, Consulate General of Israel in New York and Kino Lorber.