Missouri State University’s Ozarks Public Television (OPT) will broadcast the premiere of “Kehila Kedosha: Jewish Heritage in the Missouri Ozarks,” May 9 at 8 p.m., with an encore presentation scheduled for May 13 at 8 p.m.

The documentary, produced by Dax Bedell, assistant manager of TV Production at OPT, highlights the history of Jewish migration, assimilation and heritage in the Missouri Ozarks.

“The story of the Jewish experience in the Missouri Ozarks is one that has been largely untold,” Bedell said. “‘Kehila Kedosha’ aims to shed light on some of this rich history and the indelible impact the Jewish community has had in shaping our collective culture.”

“It is a narrative that resonates far beyond the Ozarks, reminding us of the profound contributions immigrants have made to the fabric of our nation,” he added.

The documentary is built around the research of MSU faculty emeritus Dr. Mara Cohen Ioannides. Cohen Ioannides has written multiple books and articles about Jewish life and identity, including “Creating Community: The Jews of Springfield, Missouri” and her most recent work, “Jews of Missouri: An Ornament to Israel.”

Professors sought for historical and cultural expertise

Two MSU professors from the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions—Dr. Vadim Putzu and Dr. John Schmalzbauer—were both interviewed for the documentary.

Bedell approached Putzu and Schmalzbauer for interviews in late 2023.

Putzu, who teaches courses on Judaism at Missouri State, was asked for his insights into the experience of Jewish immigrants in the Ozarks.

“I am a historian of Jewish thought and was asked to discuss broadly the various waves of Jewish immigration and settlement in the U.S.,” he said.

His analysis included the socioeconomic, cultural and religious makeup of these groups.

Putzu said that he was also asked about “distinctive features of the historical experience of Jews in the U.S.—and in the Ozarks in particular—vis-à-vis their situation in Europe and in Israel.”

Schmalzbauer spoke about “the larger context that Springfield’s Jewish community found itself in,” he said.

“The historian Martin Marty says that Protestantism is often the wallpaper in the mental furnishings department of America,” Schmalzbauer said. “That’s especially true in the Ozarks, and it can be a challenge for smaller religious groups.”

“I talked about how Springfield’s Jewish community navigated a religious landscape that was dominated by evangelical Protestantism and other branches of Christianity,” he continued. “But I also talked about religious diversity in the Ozarks and the longevity of the Springfield Jewish community.”

One historical example Schmalzbauer covered in his interview was the 1918 influenza pandemic.

“In the midst of the [1918] pandemic…Springfield came together, including the Catholic department store owner Francis Xavier Heer, Jewish community leader Sol Wolf—who led a downtown business owners association—and the folks at the South Street Christian Church who opened up their building to the Red Cross,” Schmalzbauer explained.

“In one make-shift hospital Protestants, Catholics and Jews came together to fight a global pandemic.”

Film seen as valuable contribution to public affairs mission

Both Putzu and Schmalzbauer see the documentary as a valuable contribution to MSU’s public affairs mission as well as to historical knowledge about the Missouri Ozarks.

“The documentary is intended to educate the public, and especially the local community, about a small but significant portion of its members and their history,” Putzu said. “Misconceptions about Jews abound, so I see my contribution as an effort toward promoting cultural competence and thereby fostering more informed and respectful forms of community engagement.”

Schmalzbauer felt gratified that his expertise is being used to enhance cultural competence.

“I am especially interested in conveying the challenges that religious minorities face in a region like our own,” he said. “These come down to things like menu and food, calendar and holidays, and a host of other issues that are negotiated by Springfield’s Jewish community as well as Ozarks Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.”