What makes a movie Jewish? Is it the creator, the characters, the themes—or something deeper?
In this episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel explore the profound influence Jews have had on Hollywood and American culture. Drawing on a recent essay by author and professor David Mikics, they examine how Jewish immigrants helped build the movie industry, why explicit Jewish stories were often absent from early Hollywood films, and how generations of filmmakers shaped America’s cultural imagination.
Together, they discuss iconic figures such as Louis B. Mayer, Samuel Goldwyn, Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, and Ben Hecht, while wrestling with larger questions about identity, representation, and artistic responsibility. They also consider the changing cultural climate after October 7, the challenges facing Jewish artists today, and whether Hollywood’s golden age has given way to an algorithm-driven entertainment landscape.
From The Jazz Singer and Casablanca to superhero movies and streaming platforms, this conversation explores how Jewish history, creativity, and values continue to shape the stories we tell—and the stories we choose not to tell.
David Mikics:
https://www.tabletmag.com/contributors/david-mikics
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove:
https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove
https://x.com/RabbiCosgrove
Park Avenue Synagogue:
https://www.pasyn.org
https://www.instagram.com/parkavenuesyn/#
Jon Frankel:
https://www.instagram.com/skifrankel
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