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Sunday, June 21, 2009

Need a Hasid for Your Film? Call Rabbi Elli - He'll Hook You Up 

If you're setting a film or television program in New York City, and are casting background actors, you're probably going to need a few good men...specifically, Hasidic Jews. These ultra-Orthodox Jews are part of the NY landscape, and--from television shows like "Law & Order" to movies like "Ghostbusters" and "Men In Black," just to name a few-- there are always a few who pop up for either comic or authenticity's sake. But those who know Hasidic Jews know that the depictions aren't always accurate in terms of dress or behavior. A beard's not enough--and how a coat is buttoned, if a belt is tied a certain way or a hat is a certain style, it indicates a certain subsegment of Hasidic culture that central casting isn't necessarily aware of.

But Rabbi Elli Meyer, an actor who has Chabad Hasidic ordination as a rabbi, is aware of the subtleties of casting authentic Hasidic background actors:

[H]e made sure the guys he brought with him showed up on time, brought their customary garb, and stayed as long as necessary, but in return, he began demanding help back from producers: kosher food on sets, early wraps on Friday evenings, days off for holidays. "I have two goals," he said. "I want to make sure actors who are frum are able to work and are afforded the same rights on set. And second, accuracy--I want to make sure Hasidim are portrayed accurately, not as buffoons or fanatics.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/idolchatter/2009/06/need-a-hasid-for-your-film-cal.html

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