A Father’s Kaddish: Film Viewing and Discussion with Artist Steven Branfman

Sunday, November 17, 9:30 am – 11:00 am

Register: t-b-s.me/kaddishfilm

Join us for a viewing of the film A Father’s Kaddish. The film tells the poignant story of how one father uses art to grieve the loss of his son. 

In 2005, Jared Branfman died of brain cancer at the age of 23. A week after his death, his father, Steve Branfman, a potter and teacher, went into his studio, took some clay and made a chawan, a Japanese style tea bowl. Each day for one year, he made one chawan - they were the only pots he made. Steve’s daily chawan made at his wheel was his own personal Kaddish (the traditional Jewish prayer of mourning). 

For almost a decade, these 365 bowls sat unfinished on shelves in his studio. After nine years of mourning, Steve glazed and fired the chawans, bringing them to life with color and sheen. According to filmmaker, Jen Kaplan, “It was like Steve was finally able to start a new chapter in his grief process. As a filmmaker, I felt humbled to capture his heart wrenching process.” Steven Branfman who lives in Newton, is the founder of a studio in Needham (Gorse Mills Studios) and teaches at Thayer Academy in Braintree. 

To view the trailer and learn more about the film, please visit the film's website here.  Steven will bring some chawan for display, handling, and purchase for those who are interested. 

A Father’s Kaddish was created by Jen Kaplan, a local filmmaker and daughter of Rabbi Dan Kaplan, who served Temple Beth Shalom from 1962-1970. Questions? Contact Jessica Baim.