From Toledo to Jerusalem

A very odd 1988 film that is part documentary, part travelogue, part musical, and part personal history (and happens to be narrated in an esoteric language—Ladino, the medieval dialect spoken by the Iberian Jews who were expelled from the Spanish peninsula in 1492—presented with the option of English or Hebrew subtitles), From Toledo to Jerusalem is hosted by Yehoram Gaon, an affable Sephardic singer. Gaon's tour begins in Spain, before proceeding to other areas where the Jewish communities fled after the expulsion, including Amsterdam, Venice, Salonica, Sarajevo, and Istanbul. In each locale, Gaon offers some historical background before segueing into a romancero song (occasionally a solo but often with choral support). In the segment dealing with Sarajevo, Gaon turns to his own personal history (his father hailed from the city), which ultimately takes him to Auschwitz, where the vast majority of the Balkan Jews perished during the Holocaust. The last section brings Gaon to Israel, where he and others endeavor to maintain the Sephardic cultural heritage. Although this program will be of greatest interest to Jewish (particularly Sephardic) viewers, general armchair travelers may also find it intriguing. DVD extras include a “making of” featurette (in Hebrew, without subtitles unfortunately). Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)