One of the best Yiddish movies, The Dybbuk (Poland, 1937), unites a detailed portrayal of Jewish folkways in the shtetl with universal themes of love, longing and the spiritual. Chonen and Leah are destined for each other, but after Chonen's early death, his spirit enters Leah's body as a 'dybbuk'. This presentation, including film clips, will explore some of the folkloric motifs in the film and reflect on why it continues to have universal appeal.
