Saul and Ruby, Polish Holocaust survivors, in this scene from the documentary, “Saul and Ruby’s Holocaust Survivor Band” achieve their dream of playing at Auschwitz and Warsaw in memory of “the six million (Jewish) people that perished.
SCHENECTADY–“Saul and Ruby’s Holocaust Survivor Band” has been set as the next installation of The Schenectady Jewish Community Center (SJCC) Film Festival. The documentary will be screened at the Center, 2565 Balltown Rd. on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. Following the film, David Posner, CEO of the Albany and Schenectady J.C.C.s, his wife, Amy Posner, interim executive director and chief advancement officer, HVCC Foundation and their daughter Eliana Lape, senior program officer, Claims Conference, will lead a discussion following the film.
The film relates the story of Saul Dreier and Ruby, Reuwen (“Ruby”) Sosnowicz, who like many Holocaust survivors after World War II, made their way to America. They marry, work and grow older in the U.S. and eventually as seniors start a klezmer band, which they name the Holocaust Survivor Band. They were inspired by the lively tunes of their youth in Poland. The film follows Saul, a drummer who founded the band, and Ruby, an accordion player, and their band playing cozy gigs in retirement homes and small Jewish community venues to playing stages across the nation, including the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.
Tickets for the film are $7 for Center members and $13 for guests. Information and registration may be obtained at www.schenectadyjcc.org/Jewish-Film-Festival.
The Film Festival is supported by the JCC Friends of the Arts, the Epstein Jewish Cultural Fund, Meyer and Mary Kurland/Gebell Fund, Jonas and Edith Flemiberg Jewish Cultural Fund, The Jewish World, and a grant from the Schenectady County Legislature through its County Initiative Program
