Hiding and Seeking

[gardenmoma]

Hiding and Seeking a PBS television program, discussed in the general boards, first ran on August 30, 2005 at 10PM. Here is a brief synopsis:
Is it possible to heal wounds and bitterness passed down through generations? An Orthodox Jewish father tries to alert his adult sons to the dangers of creating impenetrable barriers between themselves and those outside their faith. He takes them on an emotional journey to Poland to track down the family who risked their lives to hide their grandfather for more than two years during World War II.

At the PBS link www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/hidingandseeking/ it is possible to read a longer synopsis, watch the trailer, see and download pictures from the program, and read what others have to say about the program.

You can keep checking the PBS link for rebroadcasts or order your own tape or DVD (U.S. and Canada complient only) from PBs.

However, you might find that your local library system owns a copy and you can check it and watch for $0.00 Our system owns one DVD of the program and I've put in a request for it.

Is there anyone who has seen the program that would like to comment upon it?

GM

[gardenmoma]

Well, it has taken a long time, but my interlibrary DVD loan of this program finally came through. The video first came out in 2004 shortly after the principle people's trip to Poland.

It was very interesting and filled some holes in my education about Poland by the telling of this very personal story. It is an intensely personal story that results from the doggedness of the (middle generation) father. He wants - desires to help his sons (Orthodox Jews) shake off resentment and the desire to insulate themselves and families from gentiles/ goyem (Christians), etc.

The program starts very slowly. One starts to think...when are we going to get to Poland? However, what the people involved wanted to do was lay some ground work. The program is about 85 minutes long and about half is used "laying the ground work."

Ah...but once they get to Poland on their search the interaction between the two sons and father is so similar to what I could expect between myself and three adult children. I could only laugh ;D

Would I light memorial candles? I certainly would I light candles in churches all over Europe. Why not a few in desecrated synagogues and cemeteries?

It is a video well worth seeing...very compassionate and I admire the father for his doggedness and vision. The ending will surely surprise you.

There is a web site devoted to the program [http://www.hidingandseeking.com/]

So...it is worth a trip to your library to order it and two more trips; one to pick it up, the other to return it

[suzanne]

GM,
I saw this program several weeks ago on PBS as a rerun and was completely drawn in by it. Such an amazing personal story that skilfully blended the various issues going on: the reconnection with the Polish couple who sheltered the father's parents during WWII and the history of Polish Jews who had lived in the area, the spiritual journey that this represented for the father himself, the changes that took place within the sons, and the interactions between the father and his grown sons. At the risk of sounding hokey, the whole program was such a beautiful, human story. Definitely worth watching.

And, I have to add, here in MA, you don't even have to go to the library to order it via interlibrary loan; you can do it online now!

[gardenmoma]

S...

Yes, I usually do all my own ordering from home via the internet...unless the item I want is in a source to which I do not have access. Then I need to ask the librarian to order it for me.

Husband and I volunteer one night per week at our local library...patrons are always surprised when they learn that not only can they order items through interlibrary loan, but if they have internet access can "do it themselves."

Wonderful, wonderful tool! World at your fingertips