There’s a Jewish film festival coming soon, only this one strictly features films about Israel, supporting Israel, and made by Bay Area Jewish teens.
It’s a festival the local Jewish community should cheer on.
Write On for Israel’s third annual For Israel Film Festival takes place Dec. 11 at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto (see our story on page 25). The five short films, each on a unique aspect of Israeli life, were produced by talented Jewish teens from across the region.
It’s quite a lineup. Topics include foreign-born Jews and Israeli Arabs who volunteer for the Israeli military, the role trees play in Israeli life, the country’s high-tech advancements, new olim, and Arab-Jewish cooperation in the city of Jaffa.
Such sophisticated subjects could only have come from well-prepared young filmmakers.
The teens took part in Write On for Israel (WOFI), which gives them six months of intense Israel education, journalism basics and essential filmmaking techniques in a classroom setting. Then, cameras in hand, they head off on an extraordinary 10-day Israel trip to make their films.
Now in its fourth year, WOFI is not Birthright. The program for high school students offers rare, behind-the-scenes glimpses of Israeli life, politics and culture. The teens tour the country, meeting with civic leaders, journalists, academics and scientists. They visit bomb shelters in Sderot and military bases in the Golan.
The result is a cadre — now nearly 100 strong — of highly educated and articulate young advocates for Israel.
J. has been a proud sponsor of WOFI from the beginning (staff writer Dan Pine teaches the journalism section and accompanies students on the Israel trip).
Up until now, the program had been subsidized: The classes and trip were free for the cohort. Unfortunately, new economic realities have adversely impacted WOFI’s budget, and the program can no longer be offered entirely free of charge.
WOFI is a national program now up and running in four cities, and the local WOFI is run by BlueStar. This fine San Francisco organization has proven itself as an astute messenger for the pro-Israel position, so we know the teens are in good hands.
WOFI is special because it successfully molds powerful Israel advocates at a time when too many young Jews show disinterest in or even disdain for the Jewish state.
We hope readers will attend the festival or view the films online. It’s impossible not to come away impressed with the students’ talent and passion for Israel.