This Jewish American Life: From touching family traditions to Hollywood legends, we shine a light on the cultural luminaries and stories of hope and resilience that have shaped the Jewish-American experience—one that reflects the history of an immigrant nation.

Nathan’s Famous has been a Coney Island institution since it was opened in 1916 by Nathan Handwerker. A Polish immigrant who unexpectedly ended up in the spotlight, Handwerker created a hot dog food joint with love and care that became the heart of its neighbourhood. In Famous Nathan, his grandson Lloyd Handwerker documents the remarkable rags to riches story behind the business and its subsequent impact on the community and extended family of Nathan’s Famous. Composed of invaluable archive material, decades of research and insider anecdotes, this infectious documentary gives you a palpable sense of the spirit Handwerker brought to Coney Island.