Watch Surviving Skokie

Surviving Skokie is a 2015 documentary film directed by Barry Avrich and produced by Melbar Entertainment Group. The film delves into the lives of a group of Holocaust survivors who settled in Skokie, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, in the 1950s and 1960s. The film follows their experiences and struggles as they rebuilt their lives after the atrocities they faced during World War II.

The documentary opens with some of the survivors recounting their memories from their time in concentration camps. Some of the survivors described the horrors they witnessed and how they lost their families in the concentration camps. These recollections are intercut with black and white archival footage from concentration camps and wartime newsreels.

The film then shifts its focus to Skokie, Illinois, a quiet suburb that became embroiled in controversy in 1977 when a group of neo-Nazis announced their intention to stage a parade in the town. Surviving Skokie takes us back to that time and explores the aftermath of the neo-Nazi march, as the town struggled to come to terms with the event.

The film follows several survivors who lived in Skokie at that time as they reflect on their experiences. Many of them express their fears and anxieties about the march, as they felt that the neo-Nazis were trying to threaten and intimidate them.

One of the central subjects of the film is Jack Adler, a Holocaust survivor who settled in Skokie with his family. Adler was instrumental in organizing protests against the neo-Nazi march, and the film follows his journey as he confronts his past and tries to come to terms with the trauma of his experiences in the Holocaust.

The documentary also includes interviews with a number of other Skokie residents, including Jewish community leaders and civil rights activists who were involved in the protests against the neo-Nazis. These interviews provide a broader context for the events in Skokie and shed light on the ways in which the community came together to resist the hate speech of the neo-Nazis.

Throughout the film, Surviving Skokie explores the ways in which the survivors' experiences of the Holocaust influenced the way they responded to the neo-Nazi march. Some of the survivors saw the march as a direct threat to their safety, while others saw it as an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of fascism and bigotry.

Overall, Surviving Skokie is a powerful and moving documentary that sheds light on a small but significant moment in American history. By exploring the experiences of a group of Holocaust survivors living in Skokie, the film provides a window onto the ways in which trauma and tragedy can shape individual lives and communities. Through its sensitive and insightful exploration of the aftermath of the neo-Nazi march, Surviving Skokie is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of community to stand up to hate and bigotry.

Surviving Skokie is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 4 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.1.