On February 8, in honor of Black History Month, residents from both the Jewish Home & Rehab Center and Frank Residences gathered for an exclusive film screening of the critically acclaimed documentary, “This is National Wake,” followed by a Q & A with the film’s director, Mirissa Neff. “This is National Wake” is a profound documentary that follows the rise of the multi-racial 70’s punk band National Wake and their fight against apartheid. The band consists of both Black and white South Africans, including a Jewish South African member. National Wake released just one album, in 1981. It sold approximately 700 copies before being withdrawn under government pressure.
Neff lived in San Francisco for 16 years, working as a journalist for the Bay Guardian and KQED, before moving back to her native New York. Neff herself is half-Jewish and half-Black which made the project, a nine-year labor of love, all the more relevant for her. Neff is screening the film in cities around the world, so we are grateful she took the time to share this story with our residents.
San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living is exceptionally proud to continue bringing culturally relevant content to our community.
