Fiddler On The Roof

After watching a movie with your children or students, we encourage parents and teachers to look for education opportunities to teach with movies. Here are a few discussion topics that can help with lesson plans or teaching in the home.

During a conversation one character pronounces money to be the world’s curse. Tevye retorts, "If riches are a curse, may God smite me with it, and may I never recover!" Considering all that transpires during the course of the story, would riches have improved Tevye’s situation? Were things any easier for the wealthy Lazar Wolf?

Wirily Tevye makes reference to being God’s chosen people, and asks him "Once in a while can’t you choose someone else?" Although the circumstances the Jews have to face appear harsh, knowing the eventual fate of religious freedom in Russia, is it possible that God was being mindful of the residents of Anatevka?