‘How Did We Get Here?’ a Documentary Series
Open any social media platform today, and you’ll find the pro-Palestinian narrative dominating the conversation. These
stories continue garnering international sympathy while presenting a distorted history of Israel and its people. Tragically,
many mainstream news sources have followed social media’s lead. Global dissent is bearing down upon the Holy Land,
grouping Israelis of all ethnicities and creeds into simplified labels. ‘Colonizer!’, and ‘Occupier!’ are spray-painted on
storefronts and shouted on streets across the globe. There is seemingly no end in sight to the conflict and its ruinous
byproduct, unadulterated antisemitism; the likes of which we never thought we’d see again after the Holocaust - until now.
Israel’s nuanced story is not faring well on the informational frontlines of the social media battlefield. The simplicity of the
other side’s campaign, whose catchy, seemingly righteous slogans capture the hearts of bandwagon supporters with no
prior attachment to the conflict - result in keffiyehs being bought on Amazon by non-Palestinians faster than you can say
‘1948’. And while Israel’s history can’t be summed up in a 30 second TikTok diatribe, the fight for truth must persevere -
which leads us to the question: how do you encapsulate a land whose tale would take over 3,500 years to tell?
This documentary series sets out to analyze how we got here both in regard to the anti-Israel status quo, as well as how
it relates to the history of Jewish indigenousness to Judea and Israel. ‘How Did We Get Here?' educates the viewer on
Israel’s history, the current conflict, and how various groups of Israelis, as well as diaspora Jews, are coping. Looking
through the lens of where they were on 10.7 and how this horrific event and its fallout changed their lives - it poses the
questions: ‘how has their Jewish identity been affected?’, and more importantly: ‘where do we as Jews go from here?’.
The purpose of this documentary series is to present multilayered levels of storytelling by exploring Israel’s history and
contextualizing it within today’s historical times, with the help of Jews from the Holy Land - and beyond.
Episode Format
● Volunteer programs currently mobilizing diaspora Jews to assist with
agricultural and humanitarian work across Israel. We’ll document what motivated
the volunteers to sign on during a time of war, as well as the farmers, agricultural
business owners and displaced families affected by the conflict.
● Members of the IDF currently inside or coming out of Gaza and
reservationists who have returned from the US to fight.
● Academia living within Israel and teaching at institutions including The
Hebrew University, and how their academic lives have been disrupted.
● Holocaust and WWII survivors speaking to witnessing the rise in
antisemitism today after experiencing it in the distant past.
● A movement of Jews residing in the West Bank, who have maintained
an ongoing dialogue with Palestinians in surrounding villages for 15 years.
● Families of hostages and/or returned hostages; covering ongoing
protests and demonstrations at Hostage Square.
● Jews experiencing rising waves of antisemitism in the US, Canada & Europe.
Some of the stories will be positive, some extremely heartbreaking, others may surprise us with their warmth and resilience, but all will be informative and feature strong Jewish voices speaking from their hearts. Since the series will take place during wartime, the unstable and ongoing reality of the current situation will add to its visceral and dramatic nature. Anything can happen at any time, and cameras will follow. Archival and raw verite footage of current scenes will cut together with those of bygone days - presenting a look into the past, present and future of the Jewish struggle.
Message and Through Line
These voices will help narrate our ever developing story - offering a nuanced, yet easily digestible counterargument to the
status quo. The aim is to educate the viewer on Israel’s indigenous Jewish history, the varied perspectives it represents not
covered by the mainstream, what steps need to be taken for Israel to coexist with its neighbors and continue to thrive, and,
most importantly, if peace will ever prevail. This will be an emotional, intense, and a joyful ride of discovery - one that both
educates and inspires the world with the Jewish people’s unwavering and determined spirit.