From its mission statement, “OpenDor Media educates, entertains and engages a global audience of millions by producing and distributing Jewish and Israel content.”

Continuing from its website, “OpenDor Media has been a leading creator of Jewish film content since 2009. With an extensive portfolio of products, which now also includes podcasts, YouTube videos, articles, and educational resources, OpenDor Media continues to further its mission to open the door of Jewish education to this dor (generation in Hebrew).”

Unpacked, a division of OpenDor Media, “creates content for the social, mobile generation that unpacks and clarifies the often complex issues surrounding Jewish identity, heritage and Zionism.” I am one of its 62,000 YouTube subscribers, and I recommend that you consider a free subscription yourself. Check out YouTube’s Unpacked Channel Trailer here.

In May 2017, 50 years after the Six Day War, Unpacked produced a 12-part series on the war, events leading up to it, and the aftermath. The videos range in length from 2:04 – 6:39, and the whole series can be binge-watched in 40 minutes. The videos are entertaining and educational, and a perfect length for even my attention span.

For Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) this year, I would like to use these videos as a starting point for a community discussion on the importance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people. We are working on securing a speaker and I will update you with the event details. Meanwhile, I encourage everyone, including your high school students (especially) to get started watching the videos. (This homework assignment is due by May 9.)

I also want to use this series as a pilot for our community. If successful and well-received, maybe we can try a different series every month? Maybe we can use break-out rooms for students?

Please, let me know your thoughts.

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