In an abundance of caution and in light of rapidly changing information about COVID-19, the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies will be postponing our upcoming events through April 22, 2020. We will reevaluate other upcoming spring events as the situation evolves.  When we have rescheduled dates we will reach out to you and honor your current ticket options. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to iijs@columbia.edu.

Join us for a film screening of The Pawnbroker followed by a Q&A with Maura Spiegel, author of Sidney Lumet: a Life.

Rod Steiger (In the Heat of the Night) earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his stunning performance in this powerful story of hope and empathy from celebrated director Sidney Lumet (Dog Days Afternoon). Steiger plays Sol Nazerman, a survivor of a WWII Nazi death camp where his wife, parents and children were murdered. His soul robbed of hope, he takes refuge in misery and a bitter condemnation of humanity while managing a Harlem pawnshop subjected to an endless parade of prostitutes, pimps and thieves. Jamie Sanchez (The Wild Bunch) plays Ortiz, Sol’s underprivileged and idealistic assistant who dreams of a better life. Two of the film’s best features are the gorgeous black-and-white cinematography by the great Boris Kaufman (On the Waterfront) with a memorable trumpet score by the legendary Quincy Jones (The Getaway). (116min)

Supported by the generosity of the Kaye and Radov families and an anonymous donor.

 Co-sponsored by Columbia University’s Department of English and Comparative Literature.