PBS Specials

A Life Apart: Hasidism in America (1998x3)

Air date: Aug 25, 1998

A Life Apart: Hasidism in America relates the absorbing, dramatic story of the creation of the post-Holocaust communities in the U.S. The film presents the tensions and confusions that Hasidim experienced when they arrived here after World War II, decimated and grieving. Our story focuses on the transformation of the broken remnant of Holocaust survivors into a vital if insular community. Ironically, the Hasidic rejection of America’s popular culture and education has resulted in goals deeply desired by many Americans: stable families, strong communities and lives infused with meaning. In return, Hasidim pay a price most Americans would find too high: they adhere to strict rules of behavior; they live in a traditional society with clearly defined and prescribed roles for each member; and, within the Hasidic world, individualism is suppressed for the sake of community. These tensions are at the heart of our film.