Sigal Yona
BIO
Sigal Yona was UVA Jewish Studies' inaugural Visiting Ph.D. Fellow in March of 2025 while she was a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Communication Sciences at Ghent University.
While visiting UVA, she conducted research for her dissertation, which explored the history of cinema-going in Tel Aviv between the 1950s and the 1970s. This period, marked by significant waves of immigration, saw the emergence of a highly diverse film exhibition scene, including films from various countries in the Eastern Mediterranean and South Asia — as well as Yiddish films. She particularly studied how mass immigration shaped local film practices, how audiences engaged with these films, and what distinctive cultural and emotional experiences they offered.
During her visit, Sigal had the opportunity to study alongside Jewish Studies faculty members, attend Program lectures and events, and present on her dissertation about cinema-going in mid-century Tel Aviv.
You can learn more about Sigal, her research, and her experience as a Visiting Ph.D. Fellow by viewing her video interviews on our YouTube Channel.