The Ciesla Foundation mourns the passing of civil rights activist Julian Bond, whose speech twelve years ago at the Hebrew Center at Vineyard Haven inspired me to make this film on Julius Rosenwald. As a consultant Julian guided me every step of the way about who to interview, where to look for materials, what the story line was, what photo to use in the poster, and most of all how important Julius Rosenwald was to African American history. He always guided me with humor and kindness.
Julian not only inspired me in the making of Rosenwald, he delivered one of the best lines in the film that was edited towards film’s closing.
“You can look at the people who got grants from Julius Rosenwald, and say, these are the predecessor generation to the civil rights generation that I’m a part of. And I’m a predecessor generation to the Obama generation that resulted in the election of the first black president of the United States.”
When we appeared together to speak after the film, Bond loved to tell the story about his father, who was working for the Rosenwald Fund. His father, Horace Mann Bond, was once driving in the South when his car suddenly got stuck in a hole filled with mud. Julian’s father assumed that someone had put the mud there just so they could charge him money to be pulled out. Two African American men came out from behind the bushes and noticed that he was wearing nice clothes and was driving a nice car. When they asked whom Julian’s father was working for, he replied, “I work for the Rosenwald Fund”. The men responded, “Oh you work for Captain Julius? There’ll be no charge”.
Aviva Kempner and Julian Bond speaking at the Washington Jewish Film Fesitval. Photo credit: Aryeh Schwartz, Washington Jewish Film Festival
What I am most grateful is that Julian Bond and his beloved wife Pamela Horowitz became dear friends during the twelve years it took to finish the film. We were all looking forward to taking ROSENWALD all over the country to show how Julius Rosenwald’s vision for a better America was so needed today. Am happy that Julian, Rabbi David Saperstein and myself presented the film at the NAACP convention in Philadelphia on July 14 and he was able to hear the warm response to the film.
From now on all my introductions to the film will be dedicated to Julian Bond’s bravery and legacy. The country lost a great hero today and his legacy made for a better America.
On August 14th, Rosenwald had it’s opening night in NYC at the Sunshine Theater. The premiere was attended by many relatives of Julius Rosenwald. Also in attendance were Aviva Kempner and editor Mariam Hunter.
The premiere was proceeded by a lovely party hosted by Peter and Lucy Ascoli, who were in from Chicago.
(left to right): Annette Insdorf, Eva Fogelman, Editor Marian Hunter, and Aviva Kempner
The Rosenwald grandchildren: Elizabeth Varet, Nina Rosenwald, and Peter Ascoli
While the Sunshine Theater (located on East Houston Street in Manhattan) opened December 21, 2001, the building has been around since 1898. In the past, the building as operated as the Houston Hippodrome Motion Picture Theater, a Yiddish vaudeville house, and a hardware warehouse. It’s restoration as a movie theater can be attributed to Landmark Theaters- their renovations have brought the theater into the 21st century with stadium seating, surround sound, and gourmet concessions. The theatre also offers attractions such as a Japanese rock garden and a viewing bridge that offers breathtaking city views from the third story spectacular glass annex. The restoration was a team effort—floor plans by TK Architects and interior design by architects Tony Pleskow and Tom Rael of Pleskow + Rael.
The Historic Sunshine Theater
The area surrounding the theater played host to a variety of great Jewish restaurants, including Ross and Daughters, Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery, and Katz’s Delicatessen.
Upon return to the East Coast the film was shown at the Stamford beautifully renovated Avalon movie theatre in Connecticut.
After Connecticut, Aviva spent her time in New York, promoting Rosenwald before its opening on August 16th at Landmark’s Sunshine theatre by attending various preview screenings and giving talks throughout the area.
After a screening of the film at the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan, Dr. Annete Insdorf held a discussion with filmmaker, Aviva Kempner and interviewee Elizabeth Varet (Julius Rosenwald’s granddaughter) on August 11th.
Elizabeth Varet (Julius Rosenwald’s granddaughter) in front of the Old Broadway Synagogue in Harlem
During trip Aviva and Elizabeth talked about the film at the historic Old Broadway Synagogue in Harlem. Although the building has undergone several renovations, it is still in need of more. You can help the Synagogue by donating here.
Today, August 12th, would have been Julius Rosenwald’s 151st birthday, and coincidentally The Rosenwald Schools production received a “gift” today from the National Center for Jewish Film: some moving images of J.R. we hadn’t seen before in a 1914 film about the Agro-Joint, a program supported by Rosenwald that economically empowered Jews who were facing discrimination in Russia and other countries.
It was on this day in 1912 that Rosenwald first started becoming a prominent philanthropist. On his birthday of that year, he announced gifts totaling $687,500 to various Chicago institutions (the West Side Charities, the University of Chicago, a social workers “Country Club”) in a move that was reported on in newspapers across the country, including the two New York papers pictured below.
1. Front page, New-York Tribune, Aug 12, 1912, LOC
2. Page 7, The Sun, Aug 13, 1912, LOC
As part of his birthday gifts, J.R. also made a $25,000 donation to Tuskegee Institute for Booker T. Washington to disburse as he saw fit. That money ended up going towards the pilot program for the Rosenwald Schools, a school-building program that would last until 1930 and result in over 5,000 rural schools for African American chidren.
At the outset of his career as a philanthropist (which began, unlike some other notable figures, while he was still heavily involved with Sears operations) Rosenwald seems to already have the clear philosophy of giving that would govern his philanthropy until he died. As he says in The Sun article above: “I do not believe in the practice of giving money away after death. I believe in seeing the money that is not necessary being used for the help and betterment of others. It is a great satisfaction… We should give while we live and not when we are gone.”
Aviva Kempner took a trip to California during late July and early August to promote Rosenwald, screening the film at various theaters throughout the area to many wonderful crowds.
First, a preview screening of Rosenwald was held at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, CA on July 27th where it was warmly received in a packed house. The event was held in collaboration with the NAACP Hollywood Bureau and TheWrap. After the show, Sharon Waxman, journalist and founder of TheWrap, interviewed the director Aviva Kempner. Among those in the audience were actor Shelly Berman, who has a brief appearance in the film and director Arthur Hiller, former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with his family.
Pictured: Sharon Waxman (left) and Aviva Kempner (right)
On July 31st, Aviva Kempner returned to the Castro Theatre in San Francisco to screen her fourth film at the wonderful San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Started as the first Jewish Film Festival in the world in 1980, the festival has gone on for over 35 years, where it has continued to be one of the largest Jewish film festivals.
In 2009, Aviva Kempner was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award from the San Francisco Film Festival for her work on Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg!
After the screening of Rosenwald, Aviva Kempner and Julius Rosenwald’s grandson, Peter Ascoli, were welcomed to the stage to answer questions by a standing ovation. In the audience were a dozen West Coast members of the Rosenwald family who enthusiastically embraced the movie.
The Marquee of the Castro Theatre in San Francisco
After the screening at the San Francisco Film Festival, on August 2nd Aviva headed over to the Official screening of Rosenwald for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The screening was followed by a Q&A with Aviva, moderated by Patt Morrison (LA Times). Among Academy members was Kempner’s favorite European actor, Armin Mueller Stahl.
The following day, Aviva attended a preview screening of the film for Reel Talk at the Landmark Theater in Los Angeles. The screening was also followed by a Q&A- moderated by Reel Talk host, Stephen Farber. Kempner’s favorite American actor, Ed Asner in the audience.
Aviva Kempner was joined by Elizabeth Varet and Ed Asner
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