JudaismJudaism films have had and continue to have an impact on the film industry. Many different factors, ideas, and values ​​are incorporated into films based on the Jewish religion. For over a century, the engagement of Judaism in film has begun to become more prominent and has given audiences a different perspective on the Jewish religion and how that religion fits into American society. By focusing on the film Fiddler on the Roof and the text Judaism, written by Melanie J. Wright, we can see different ways in which the Jewish religion is incorporated into films. Additionally, we will analyze how certain factors discussed in Wright's text are seen throughout Fiddler on the Roof, and how these concepts have influence. One of the main characters, Teyve, explains that his "people" have many traditions that must be followed. . Some of these include traditions for working, eating, and even sleeping. In the text, Wright discusses screen images of Hasidic Jews. In her text, she writes: “…an increasing number of films depict the more observant or “ultra-orthodox” forms of Judaism, particularly Hasidism (Wright, 100). This is evident in the first scene of Fiddler on the Roof, where Teyve himself shows signs of being "ultra-orthodox". What first caught my attention was his beard. When Jewish men are Orthodox, they often have beards that closely resemble Teyve's. Additionally, in the Jewish religion there are traditions that must be followed, but they are only to be followed more specifically in Orthodox situations. For example, many Jews do not follow kosher law exactly, but those who are Orthodox must follow this tradition precisely and respect it fully. Although Wright mentions that not all images of Hasidic Jews are positive, those depicted throughout Fiddler on the Roof are positive, as they focus on the journey of a hard-working Jewish man and his underclass, despite the fact that it was before the revolution. After the Holocaust, Jews were still treated poorly and were often considered members of the lower class of society. Wright mentions in the text “…it depends on negative stereotypes about Jews, in which are implicated aspects of the material culture of Judaism and assumptions about Jewish character linked to prejudices about Judaism” (Wright, 94). This is clearly demonstrated throughout Fiddler on the Roof. Teyve and his family are lower class and possess much of the stereotypical Jewish material culture. At the beginning, Teyve mentions that he always keeps his head covered and wears a prayer shawl. These two objects represent one of the many traditions followed by the Jewish people. As the film progresses, we learn more about Jewish traditions. At one point, the village is shown, allowing viewers a glimpse of even more traditions being practiced. These include young boys attending Hebrew school, women preparing challah for the Friday night Seder, the rabbi praying in the synagogue and much more. With all of these traditions shown throughout the film, it gives viewers a better understanding of the traditions followed by the Jewish people. Instead of watching this movie and becoming anti-sematic towards the Jewish people, they could better understand the beliefs and values ​​of the Jewish people and be