For the first 30 years of Hollywood, women ran the movie industry. They wrote the screenplays, produced them, directed them, and sometimes starred in them. In fact, it was a woman who created the first movie that was a narrative. Movies were considered a low-class form of entertainment, attended only by the poor and those new to this country.

When the movies improved, more middle and upper-class people started to attend. When men saw there were profits to be made, they decided to enter the business. The talkies entered the industry and that was truly the end of the women’s roles. Jewish men, from Eastern Europe built all the major Hollywood studios. From Paramount to Warner Brothers, from Universal to Columbia pictures, and Metro Goldwyn Mayer to Fox Films, created these behemoth industries. Find out what they shared, how this came to be and what eventually caused their demise.

Facilitator: Barbara Ressin is a graduate of Towson University with a B.S. in education. She taught 3 years in the Baltimore City School System and 25 years at the Beth Tfiloh Day school in the secular division. Barbara’s experiences teaching adults in lifelong learning settings include the CCBC campuses at Owings Mills, Hunt Valley and Essex, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University, the Renaissance Academy for the Florida Gulf State University, Oasis in Montgomery County under the auspices of The Johns Hopkins University, Food For Thought Lectures, Kaleidoscope at Roland Park School, The Lecture Group, Western Howard County Senior Center, Friends of the Pikesville Library, North Oaks Retirement Community, Women’s Club of Roland Park and SPICE.

Registration Information:
Registration fee is $50.88 for HSOSC members and $63.60 for non-members.

All SPICE courses must be registered for and paid for in their entirety. Due to a MD sales tax regulation, we are required to charge 6% sales tax on all continuing education courses delivered electronically. This has been added to course prices shown.

Until otherwise noted, all SPICE courses will be presented on Zoom. If you are unable to attend a session, all SPICE courses will be recorded for your convenience. SPICE fees are per head, not per household, with a 50% off fee for second registrants within the same household. A minimum of 15 enrollees per course are required in order to hold the course. If a course must be cancelled, those registered will be notified and a SPICE credit will be issued.

Reservations may be made via email to sboxerbell@gmail.com or by telephone to Sherri Bell, SPICE Chair at 410-303-2483.

Payment may be made in one of three ways:

1. Check

Mail it to Sherri Bell

1 Clifton Court

Pikesville, MD 21208

Your check should be made payable to Har Sinai-Oheb Shalom Congregation with SPICE and the course name written on the memo line.

2. Credit card

Please note that the synagogue charges a 3.1% credit card use convenience fee.

3. Bill your synagogue account

Members only.