Closing Night Sponsors: Jeffrey Lance; Ilse & John Lang

Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello, just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, is an iconic symbol of American democracy and freedom. Designed by Jefferson himself, Monticello was his retreat during his presidency, his home throughout his retirement, and the place of his death on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which he had authored five decades earlier.

Jefferson died heavily in debt, leaving his heirs no choice but to auction off many of his possessions and, ultimately, to sell Monticello itself. The first owner abandoned the property after only a few years. And in 1834, it was purchased by Uriah Levy, a career U.S. Naval officer who fiercely admired Jefferson for his views on religious liberty. Levy, along with his nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy, ultimately would own Monticello for nearly a century – far longer than Jefferson and his own descendants.

The story of the Levy family and their critical role saving Monticello from dilapidation and ruin during an era in which the concept of historic preservation was all but non-existent in the United States is remarkable. In addition to its focus on the Levy family, the film also takes a broader look at the strains of anti-Semitism that have existed in the United States from its earliest days right up to the present.

This film is the first of our Closing Night Double Feature. It will be immediately followed by Commandment 613. Following the films, there will be an interview originally conducted and recorded by the 2022 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival featuring Steven Pressman, the Director and Producer of The Levys of Monticello.