Q&A with Madeleine Dobie
About this Event
In Arabic, Ziyara (زيارة) means visit to the saints. Celebrated filmmaker Simone Bitton embarks on a personal road trip across Morocco, tracing the remnants of the country’s once-thriving Jewish community. In the 1950s, Morocco was home to 300,000 Jews; today, only a small fraction remain, yet their saints’ tombs endure—cared for by Muslim guardians who preserve their memory. Through close examination of synagogues, shrines, and village records, Bitton uncovers stories of coexistence, loss, and endurance. Ziyara is both a meditation on migration and a hopeful reflection on shared heritage, revealing a delicate thread between past and present, tradition and modernity. As the camera gathers stories, smiles, and blessings, it patiently repairs connections long thought severed.
Watch the trailer here.
“An inimitable and thought-provoking new perspective to the complexities of the Arab world” - Variety
This event is free and open to the public, but please note that registration does not guarantee a seat. We intentionally overbook our events, and seating is first come, first served. We recommend arriving early.
Event Details & Important Information
This event is free and open to the public, but please note that registration does not guarantee a seat. We intentionally overbook our events, and seating is first come, first served. We recommend arriving early.
Important:
Columbia’s campus is currently open only to Columbia-affiliated guests (with a valid CUID).
If you do not have a Columbia ID, you will need a QR code to enter campus.
To receive a QR code:
- You must register on Eventbrite at least 48 hours in advance
- We will submit your name and email to Public Safety
- You will receive an email from with your unique QR code on the day of the event.
Please check your spam/junk folder if you don’t see the email, and bring a valid photo ID with you to present at campus entry points.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Maison Française, 515 West 116th Street, New York, United States
USD 0.00
