Image Before My Eyes - A History of Jewish Life in Poland Before (1981)

A stunning commemoration of Jews in Poland before the two World Wars IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES pays homage to the dynamic and vibrant society of 3.5 million people that was destroyed during the Holocaust.Unearthing the stories of Jewish villagers aristocrats socialists Zionists and artists who fashioned a thriving civilization with a 900-year history this triumphant films draws on the sacred and rare artifacts of a crushed world-home movies forgotten song recordings and the evocative memories of survivors-to recreate Jewish Poland. Tracing the subtle contours of Jewish Diaspora IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES visits people as varied as a former mayor of Scarsdale New York describing his youthful Polish patriotism and a Brooklyn housewife who touchingly sings the Yiddish songs of teachers tradesmen and beggars she learned as a child in Warsaw.From the bucolic traditional shtetls of the countryside to the freewheeling cultural revolution in the cities led by freethinkers award-winning director Josh Waletzky (Partisans of Vilna) masterfully memorializes a proud culture that still inspires hope and reverence.System Requirements:Running Time 88 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 767685972533 Manufacturer No: NVG-9725 Product Description

Meaningful and heartfelt

it is sad to think that this culture and people are gone forever, just a mere 60 years ago. April 28, 2008

Important Film

I first saw this film at the SF Jewish Film Festival and was very impressed by the production qualities and the manner in which it depicted the impact of the disporia in Poland. A must see for WWII junkies. August 7, 2007

A poignant look at a vanished world

Image Before My Eyes: A History of Jewish Life in Poland combines historical footage, still photographs, and live interviews for an in-depth reminiscence of Jewish life in Poland from the beginning of the 20th century until the Holocaust.

It features a deeper look at the rise of many social and religious movements such as socialist groups and Zionism, rural and urban Polish Jewish life, and the flourishing of Yiddish culture through literature, theater and music.

The documentary was released over twenty years ago, so the video interviews are obviously dated (late 1970's), and some of the archival footage is in poor condition, but Image Before My Eyes restores us to a vanished world -- the vibrant cultural legacy of Poland's 3.5 million Jews that was nearly wiped out by the Holocaust.

The DVD includes a commentary with director Josh Waltzky, an illustrated study guide with discussion questions, and scene selection.
February 27, 2007

a look into the past

The images speak to one. This compilation of pre world war II Jewish Polish daily life is gripping. This is a DVD that we will watch over and over. February 8, 2007

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