Aviva Kempner: A Trailblazing Filmmaker Who Paved the Way for Women in Media

Aviva Kempner, a renowned American filmmaker, has made an indelible mark on the world of documentary filmmaking with her groundbreaking work on Jewish history and culture. Born in Berlin, Germany after World War II to Holocaust survivor Helen Ciesla and US Army officer Harold Kempner, Kempner's family history had a profound impact on her life and career.

Kempner is best known for her work as the creator, writer, and star of the popular 1930s radio show and later the 1950s weekly televised situation comedy, The Goldbergs. However, she has also made significant contributions to film and television through her work as a scriptwriter, director, and producer.

In addition to her work on The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, a film about the first Jewish baseball star in the Major Leagues, Kempner has also produced several other notable documentaries. Her 1986 documentary Partisans of Vilna: The Songs of World War II Jewish Resistance was nominated for a Grammy Award and explored the theme of Jewish resistance against the Nazis during World War II.

Kempner's commitment to telling non-stereotypical stories about Jews in history and celebrating the untold stories of Jewish heroes is evident throughout her body of work. Her documentary The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, which chronicles the life of baseball star Hank Greenberg, is a testament to this dedication.

In 1989, Kempner co-founded the Washington Jewish Film Festival with Miriam Mörsel Nathan, serving as its founding director. She has also been an activist for voting rights in the District of Columbia and has lived in Washington, DC since the early 1970s.

Kempner's work has not only contributed to a greater understanding of Jewish history and culture but has also paved the way for women in media and entertainment. Her Emmy Award-winning documentary Goldberg: A Passover Haggadah (1993) was the first to feature a female as the lead actress, Gertrude Berg, who received the first Best Actress Emmy in history.

Throughout her illustrious career, Kempner has been driven by her passion for storytelling and her commitment to creating films that challenge stereotypes and celebrate the untold stories of Jewish heroes. As a true pioneer in the world of documentary filmmaking, Aviva Kempner continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers and leave an indelible mark on the industry.

Aviva 2020