Arthodox: The Freedom of Choosing Restriction screened to a full house last week at The Brooklyn Public Library Info Commons wing.  The screening was followed by an impressive discussion led by filmmaker Gaby Stiener  and artist Efroim Snyder.  The event and film’s success lies squarely on the shoulders of Efroim’s openness and willingness to share he journey and Gaby’s wonderful and skillful story-telling.

This film explores the two different life concepts of Efroim (Seth) Snyder, a New York visual artist from a secular Jewish background who adopted the Hasidic life style as a young adult. It probes his search for identity and the influence of his religious commitment on his artistic life: What relation is there between the human need for order and rules and the necessity for disorder to avoid unproductive rigor?

The film visually charts the evolution of his personal identity, transformation and social reality. The project presents a dialogue between the filmmaker Gaby Steiner, a Gentile woman and artist Efroim Snyder, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man.

Thank you to Gaby Stiener, Efroim Snyder and the Brooklyn Public Library’s Barbara Wing who personifies the Library’s dedication to supporting Brooklyn artists.