On February 25, the Jewish Committee’s meeting featured a discussion with Dr. Rebecca Erbelding, the author of Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe, and the upcoming book, Shelter on the Lake: 982 Holocaust Refugees and an American Small Town.
In a conversation moderated by DGA Jewish Committee Co-Chair, Director David Semel, Erbelding spoke about her work as a historian at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the important role it plays in documenting, studying, and interpreting Holocaust history as a memorial to the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust. She focused the discussion on Hollywood in the 1930s and noted how censorship became a tool in controlling narratives about Germany and the rise of Nazis in Europe. She also discussed how the war impacted what movies were being made and how they were distributed in international markets. Members were able to ask questions and engage in a thoughtful dialogue about how the entertainment industry navigated such a consequential moment in time.
About the Jewish Committee:
In February 2024, the DGA National Board granted provisional status to a new committee to address various issues of concern to the DGA’s Jewish members, including issues related to employment and rising anti-Semitism in the workplace and its impact on film and television. Members wishing to join the Jewish Committee will need to self-identify via their account settings. They may also opt to receive email about the events and meetings for any of the Guild’s Diversity Committees by updating their email addresses and subscription preferences as part of Email Settings in the personal account.
For more information about the Jewish Committee, contact DGA DEI Executive, Breannah Oppenhuizen at (310) 289-5377 or email baoppenhuizen@dga.org.