SLCene Suggest: Jewish Arts Festival at Jewish Community Center

A film, food feast and fine photography–sounds like a pretty good night out, right? That’s just the launch party of the SLC Jewish Community Center’s Jewish Arts Festival. This year’s event is focused on the work of photographer Rudi Weissenstein, and the efforts of his wife Miriam and grandson Ben Parker (pictured) to protect his life’s work. A film about the relationship between Miriam and Ben called Life in Stills is the winner of an Israeli Oscar for Best Documentary, and it shows their efforts to protect Rudi’s shop and his nearly one million photo negatives documenting massive moments in Israel’s history. The film shows at 7 p.m. Saturday, as well as 1 p.m. Sunday and Monday at the JCC (those showings are just $7.50), and Parker will be on hand for a post-film Q&A. Before the movie, though, there is a feast catered by Mazza and a cocktail hour, during which you can peruse some of Rudi’s photos in a gallery on site, in a show called Your Fortunate Eyes that is free and open to the public through Dec. 22.