Helmar lerskis film awodah from 1934- 357

This landmark documentary celebrates the pioneering labors of early Jewish settlers in Palestine. With striking visual compositions and a remarkable soundtrack by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, the film records the technological and agricultural accomplishments of the pioneers and extols the idea of a socialist Jewish state.

Footage includes shots taken at the Jaffa port, in Tel Aviv, and on various kibbutzim of the time; Strasbourg-born director Lerski’s expressive style creates an almost mythic image of the Jew in Palestine, toiling and triumphing amidst the sweeping desert landscape.

QUOTES

"The opening sequence shows a young man wandering through barren and dry land in Palestine. This is followed by a longer sequence in which the everyday life of Jews and Arabs in the British mandated territory of Palestine is shown. Central to the film is the development of the water-supply in Palestine. Traditional methods of obtaining water for farming are sho