Audience inside the Kendall Kidd Performance Hall at the Plaza Theatre for the world premiere of “People of the Crossing—the Jews of El Paso” on July 23, 202 3. Credit: Brian Kanof

“People of the Crossing—the Jews of El Paso” made its world premiere on July 23, 2023, at the Plaza Classic Film Festival held at El Paso’s historic Plaza Theatre. Over 500 people attended the documentary that focuses on the array of Jews who crossed through the borderland and established their homes and lives in El Paso. The film is the fifth in a series of documentaries on the Jewish Experience of the Aman Southwest directed by filmmaker Isaac Artenstein and broadcast regionally and nationally on PBS.

“People of the Crossing” is a multi-layered portrait of a Texas Jewish community on the border with Mexico told through family stories relating the history, culture, and customs of this important gateway between continents, people, and languages. Its narrative includes El Paso’s early history as a rough and tumble town before Jewish merchants and politicians helped make it a viable place of commerce and civic life. Descendants of Jewish pioneers and community and spiritual leaders share their stories about the unique aspect of Jewish El Paso and the multicultural and multilingual nature of its Jewish congregations. Historic photographs and film footage richly illustrate the testimonials, along with compelling cinematography (from land and air) that highlights the city’s geographic location at the foot of the Franklin Mountains and on the banks of the Rio Grande.

After the film’s premiere, Artenstein joined in a question-and-answer session with prominent local El Paso journalist Bob Moore, followed by a public reception in a historic venue of the El Paso Community Foundation. The film was supported by local families, individuals, and a grant from the Texas Jewish Historical Society.