Untitled - Memorial University of Newfoundland

I also spoke with Howard and Sara. a thirty-something couple. also after the
opening night film. Previous 10 this moment in the conversation. Howard and Sara both
identified Fiddler on the Roo/as a favourite Jewish movie. even though a non·Jew
directed the film.
Mikel: ... what makes a film Jewish? Ifnon-Jews can make Jewish films. ­
Howard: Soul
Mikel: Soul? Ok. [Howard laughs]
Sara: What does that mean?
Howard: I don't know (Howard and Sara. personal interView, 9701).
This conversation between Howard, Sara and myself begins to confirm that there is some
ineffable quality which the practitioner intuitively knows is emergent, the Jewish "soul:'
but is unable to put into words. According to Labov and Hymes, Howard can repon. bUI
not necessarily interpret.
Howard and Sara. and Pam and Janis are all able to identify when something is
keyed "Jewish." and they are able report its manifestation within texts. but the
interpretation dimension is not of relevance to them. Rather than seeing such cultural
practitioners as non-competent. within the sociolinguistic definition. this ineffable
identification of the "Jewish Soul" suffices for those who operate within this context.
Still. even at this early stage of Iheoretical emergence. my infonnants have cited
two films. which happen to be the two most cited films by my expert practitioners.
Schindler's List and Fiddler on the Roof, as significant Jewish movies. Although I shall
hold offon my textual analysis ofthesc films until a later chapter. their role within Jewish
film culture is significant. Both films arc historically oriented. They deal with Jewish
roles in recent history. the Holocaust in Schindler's List and the tum ofthe century shtell
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