Writer/director Barry Levinson drew upon his immigrant heritage to create this chronicle of Jewish family life in Baltimore. As seen through the Krichinsky family, this affectionate film deals with traditional Jewish themes of assimilation, ambition, and generational conflict.

Avalon opens with Russian immigrant Sam Krichinsky's arrival in Baltimore on the Fourth of July, 1914. Along with his three brothers, Sam sets out to make his fortune in America and raise a family. Through his son Jules, the film follows the rise and decline of Krichinsky family life as second-generation members drift away from traditions and assimilate into modern America.

Morey Altman's Essential Jewish Film List