Dec. 8 Screening of "The Pawnbroker" Revisits Early Directorial Work of
Sidney Lumet, Oscar-nominated Performance by Rod Steiger

Highland Park , New Jersey – November 4, 2007 – Having numbed himself against the lingering horrors of the Holocaust, can a survivor re-connect with his fellow human sufferers? Highland Park Conservative Temple – Congregation Anshe Emeth will revisit a film classic as it screens "The Pawnbroker" on Saturday, December 8th at 8:00 P.M. The film, which is rated R for adult content and brief nudity, runs 116 minutes and will be shown at the synagogue, 201 South Third Avenue in Highland Park .

Rod Steiger gives a mesmerizing Oscar-nominated performance as the embittered survivor of a Nazi death camp who cannot escape the ghosts of his past. Now a Harlem pawnbroker, Sol Nazerman condemns the dregs of society who pass through his shop and ridicules his idealistic assistant, Ortiz. Only when Ortiz puts his life on the line for him does Sol learn the ultimate truth about hope and humanity. Under the brilliant direction of Sidney Lumet, Steiger's first starring role was among the finest of his career.

A talk and audience discussion will immediately follow the screening, led by Rabbi James S. Diamond, lecturer in Comparative Literature, Near Eastern Studies, and Judaic Studies at Princeton University . Rabbi Diamond will examine the significance of Christological imagery in this film, as well as the film's treatment of guilt, expiation, and redemption in an urban universe wracked by issues of race, religion, and class.

This film screening and talk are open to the public at no charge, with a $5 donation suggested, but not required. Additional screenings in the series include "James' Journey to Jerusalem " (Saturday, January 5, 8:00 P.M. ), "Only Human" (Saturday, February 2, 8:00 P.M. ), "Close to Home" (Saturday, March 1, 8:00 P.M. ), and "Strange Fruit" (Saturday, April 5, 9:00 P.M.).