The Levys of Monticello

This fascinating chronicle of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello residence, just outside of Charlottesville, reveals a missing chapter of American Jewry and explores this complex symbol of Democracy. Designed by Jefferson, built and tended by slaves, the palatial plantation served as a presidential retreat, retirement home, and Jefferson’s final resting place. Sold due to mounting debts, Uriah Phillips Levy, a Jewish naval officer and fervent believer in Jeffersonian ideals, became its unlikely caretaker. When historical preservation was all but unheard of, Levy’s family restored and saved the estate from ruin. The story behind this national treasure confronts the stain of ongoing racism and anti-Semitism that remain part of our national narrative. (Miami Jewish Film Festival)