You might not know it to look at her, but the ultimate blonde beauty, Barbie, is Jewish. And despite the “blonde jokes” that might plague her, Barbie’s actually got a lot to teach us about Jewish history and identity.
This is the premise of the critically-acclaimed film “The Tribe,” which gives viewers a crash course in exploring what it means to be a Jew living in the 21st century, and which is now available for download on iTunes here.

Mixing old-school narration with innovative and contemporary visual style, “The Tribe” uses historical footage, graphics, animation, Barbie dioramas, and Jewish slam poetry to convey the complex history of both the iconic doll and the Jewish people — from Biblical times to present day. And if the film’s quick-cut, contemporary feel seems to evoke the hypertext nature of the internet, that’s no accident, as the film’s creator, Tiffany Shlain, honored by Newsweek as one of the “Women Shaping the 21st Century,” also founded The Webby Awards,
and co-founded the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
And the film’s cost to download? Only $1.99. That’s right–for you, a bargain.