Traditionally, Jews have often been accused of having a “patriarchal” society. The men were the head of the family, earning the money and supporting the family, while the women stayed home, cooked, and tended to the house and children. Furthermore, the women were expected to keep Jewish traditions and beliefs alive, ensuring everyone in the family followed the religion. Despite their role in society, women were viewed as equal and their roles were considered extremely important. Traditionally, Jewish women were dissuaded from pursuing their education, as they would be abandoning their central job of being mothers. Throughout this course, we see evidence of Jewish women upholding their main roles in the movies and books, specifically in Gei…show more content… Fanya was unable to care for herself, as the rest of her family was killed in a pogrom. Starting at the beginning of the movie, the viewer sees how Jewish women rely on their families, specifically their husbands. Prior to her marriage, Fanya made Yechiel promise to take care of her brother as well, as he, too, was suffering emotionally and financially. Throughout the movie, the viewer sees Fanya caring for her own child and her two stepchildren. Fanya displayed some characteristics that were somewhat different from typical Jewish women. The viewer sees her venture into the fields, performing manual labor. However, Fanya exhibits her maternal qualities when her neighbor, Riva, grows sick. Being a courageous, young woman, Fanya ventures into the Arab land to acquire the necessary things to heal Riva. She barters with the Arabs, successfully obtaining the necessary supplies for Riva’s needs. Fanya’s actions with her family and the Arabs demonstrate how women acted within a traditional patriarchal Jewish society. She displayed her loving and caring side, while being authoritative to get what she needed for her children and from the Arabs. Another central theme throughout Gei Oni is Fanya’s relationship with Yechiel. Fanya is consistently resistant to Yechiel’s loving gestures. She avoids him while still upholding the traditional, Jewish female role. Typically, however, the Jewish husband and wife have a genuine love for each other. We see this come to fruition at the end of the movie when Fanya confesses her past to Yechiel, and we are led to believe that they consummate their