Film Series on Jewish, Muslim Youth Reviews 'Praying with Lior' Documentary

 

Praying with Lior

"Praying with Lior" will be the next film presented in the series: Knowledge is the Beginning: A Film Series on Jewish and Muslim Youth, at The College of St. Scholastica. The showing will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 15, in Room 249 of Burns Wellness Center. There will be a discussion about the film with facilitators Linda Eason and Andrea Gelb, of Temple Israel. The event is free and open to the public.

"Praying with Lior" follows the family of Lior Liebling, whose first name means "my light," as he approaches his bar mitzvah, the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony. Lior lost his mom when he was six, has Down's syndrome, loves being Jewish, and loves to pray. Everyone agrees Lior is closer to God, but he's also a burden, a best friend, an inspiration, and an embarrassment, depending on which of his family members is speaking. Told with intimacy and humor, this is an engrossing, wrenching and tender documentary.

The College's Oreck-Alpern Interreligious Forum is hosting the series. The series explores how children are indoctrinated into religious belief, practice and culture with an entire spectrum of results.

The Oreck-Alpern Interreligious Forum is directed by Elyse Carter-Vosen, assistant professor in the Department of Languages and International Studies at St. Scholastica. The Forum promotes understanding, respect and peace among the diverse faith communities in the Northland through sustained cross-cultural discussion and collaborative projects and events.

The final film in the series is listed below. For more information, visit the Spotlight Box Office at spotlight.css.edu or call (218) 723-7000. Spotlight@css.edu is St. Scholastica's one-stop shop for arts and lectures information and tickets.

"Knowledge is the Beginning," Sunday, April 29

A story of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, where young Arabs and Jews perform and live side by side. It is a film about what music can do: the way it can transcend cultural barriers, defeat prejudice and overcome religious and political differences.