Virginia Film Festival

After his death in 1826, Thomas Jefferson left behind a mountain of personal debt, forcing his heirs to auction off most of his possessions and sell off his iconic home of Monticello. In 1834, Monticello came under the unlikely ownership of Uriah Levy, a Jewish U.S. naval officer and deep admirer of Jefferson’s scholarship and dedication to religious liberty. The Levy family would go on to own Monticello for nearly a century – far longer than Jefferson and his descendants and are credited with saving the property from dilapidation. This remarkable historical documentary uncovers the incredible legacy of the Levy Family while confronting the racism and anti-Semitism that remain part of the narrative surrounding the national landmark.
Introduction by Leslie Greene Bowman (Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello)
Discussion with director Steven Pressman, and subjects Niya Bates, Marc Leepson, and Phyllis Leffler, moderated by Susan Stein (Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello)

This film is part of the Jewish and Israeli Film Series presented by Congregation Beth Israel.