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Israelism

When two young American Jews raised to unconditionally love Israel witness the way Israel treats Palestinians, their lives take sharp left turns. Their stories reveal a deepening generational divide over modern Jewish identity.

Director

Erin Axelman, Sam Eilertsen

Year

Genre

Box Office

N/A

Production

Tikkun Olam Productions

Awards

3 wins

Homepage

https://www.israelismfilm.com

Cast information not available.

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Explore 347 Clips

Like it's you know, it's-- it's my greatest
passion. Um, everything Israel. - Israelism

Like it's you know, it's-- it's my greatest p...

I became a Jewish educator after
my daughter started Hebrew school. - Israelism

I became a Jewish educator after my daughter started Hebrew ...

I started teaching second grade.
During the years, I did fourth grade also. - Israelism

I started teaching second grade. During the years, I did fou...

We introduce them to the food and to the music and to the
culture in addition to the history and the geography. - Israelism

We introduce them to the food and to the music and to the cu...

Draw a circle around every time you
see the symbol of the state of Israel. - Israelism

Draw a circle around every time you see the symbol of the st...

We also celebrated holidays obviously. So Hanuka,
Israeli independence... all of it, together. - Israelism

We also celebrated holidays obviously. So Hanuka, Israeli in...

Some people, I think, can. To me, it's the same.
Yeah, you can't separate it. - Israelism

Some people, I think, can. To me, it's the same. Yeah, ...

Israel is Judaism and Judaism is Israel.
And that is who I am and that is my identity. - Israelism

Israel is Judaism and Judaism is Israel. And that is who I a...

And I think every single thing
that I experienced along my life - Israelism

And I think every single thing that I experienced along my l...

I grew up in a conservative Jewish
households in Atlanta Georgia. - Israelism

I grew up in a conservative Jewish households in Atlanta Geo...

Israel was a central part of
everything we did in school. - Israelism

Israel was a central part of everything we did in school.

My elementary and middle school as well as my
high school both had organized trips to Israel, - Israelism

My elementary and middle school as well as my high school bo...

We wanna go, we wanna go! - Israelism

We wanna go, we wanna go!

When I've visited Israel the the
first time, when I was eight years old, - Israelism

When I've visited Israel the the first time, when I was...

Every one of our kids should be going over, - Israelism

Every one of our kids should be going over,

Every time I send somebody
over at Israel, they come back - Israelism

Every time I send somebody over at Israel, they come back

When I was a teenager and I went to Israel, - Israelism

When I was a teenager and I went to Israel,

We're planting seeds that
eventually a-- are gonna blossom. - Israelism

We're planting seeds that eventually a-- are gonna blos...

Does the average congregant understand
that I'm teaching them to become Zionist? - Israelism

Does the average congregant understand that I'm teachin...

Probably not, but it is part
of my madness, so to speak. - Israelism

Probably not, but it is part of my madness, so to speak.

For thousands of years, we were persecuted and
Israel is the place that you can go to be safe. - Israelism

For thousands of years, we were persecuted and Israel is the...

His immediate family were some of
the only ones who escaped the Holocaust. - Israelism

His immediate family were some of the only ones who escaped ...

Many American Jews, if not most people I know,
have family or friends that live in Israel. - Israelism

Many American Jews, if not most people I know, have family o...

Israel is the insurance policy. It's
still-- today a Jew doesn't have to worry - Israelism

Israel is the insurance policy. It's still-- today a Je...

Even here, no holocaust survivor will
say to you, "It could never happen again." - Israelism

Even here, no holocaust survivor will say to you, "It c...

Who knows why I survived and a million
and a half Jewish children perished? - Israelism

Who knows why I survived and a million and a half Jewish chi...

And so, Israel became very, very significant in
my life even though six thousand miles away - Israelism

And so, Israel became very, very significant in my life even...

You know, as we sit now, my granddaughter is
there for two weeks and they're in high-school. - Israelism

You know, as we sit now, my granddaughter is there for two w...

I did have many friends in Israel growing up and
every time I would visit Israel, I felt closer and closer. - Israelism

I did have many friends in Israel growing up and every time ...

The Jewish summer camps would
always bring a big contingency of Israelis - Israelism

The Jewish summer camps would always bring a big contingency...

So, when I was in high school I went
on this Jewish youth trip to Israel and - Israelism

So, when I was in high school I went on this Jewish youth tr...

At summer camp, in the middle of the
night, they would wake us up and take us out. - Israelism

At summer camp, in the middle of the night, they would wake ...

Sometimes that was to pull pranks, and other times I
remember doing military games, using the command "pazatza", - Israelism

Sometimes that was to pull pranks, and other times I remembe...

On youth programs that I participated in in Israel,
you could spend a whole week on an Israeli army base, - Israelism

On youth programs that I participated in in Israel, you coul...

It's not just regular military games, it's specifically using
Israeli military commands, often with Israeli counselors giving them. - Israelism

It's not just regular military games, it's...

When you're a young kid that really drills it
into you that this is something important - Israelism

When you're a young kid that really drills it into you ...

We often talked about the ways that you could be a good
supporter of the Jewish people. One was to join the army. - Israelism

We often talked about the ways that you could be a good supp...

And the other was to go
become an Israel advocate - Israelism

And the other was to go become an Israel advocate

They were even clubs within
school to work on advocating for Israel. - Israelism

They were even clubs within school to work on advocating for...

My high school sent a delegation
to the AIPAC conference. - Israelism

My high school sent a delegation to the AIPAC conference.

AIPAC, the "American Israel
Public Affairs Committee" - Israelism

AIPAC, the "American Israel Public Affairs Committee&qu...

Like going to the AIPAC conference
is just sort of seen as like a - Israelism

Like going to the AIPAC conference is just sort of seen as l...

Here with us today are leaders from across
the pro-Israel community, including Abe Foxman. - Israelism

Here with us today are leaders from across the pro-Israel co...

I learned a long time ago, there
is no way you can say "no" to Abe. - Israelism

I learned a long time ago, there is no way you can say "...

You know I don't know to what extent one.. anybody
makes a difference. I try to make a difference. - Israelism

You know I don't know to what extent one.. anybody make...

Jewish education is still a major priority for
the future and certainly relationship to Israel. - Israelism

Jewish education is still a major priority for the future an...

If you wanna ask me "You got $100 million, how
would you change the future of American Jews?" - Israelism

If you wanna ask me "You got $100 million, how would yo...

Make that experience. They're
doing it now, it's called "Birthright". - Israelism

Make that experience. They're doing it now, it's c...

It is up to you to be our soldiers abroad,
armed with love, and knowledge and conviction, - Israelism

It is up to you to be our soldiers abroad, armed with love, ...

Learning about the, quote unquote, "conflict" is
something that is part of programming as something that - Israelism

Learning about the, quote unquote, "conflict" is s...

By the time I got to college, I had
teachers who said to me, "People hate Israel, - Israelism

By the time I got to college, I had teachers who said to me,...

As a freshman, I remember, walking into Hillel - Israelism

As a freshman, I remember, walking into Hillel

It's a place where you can go for meals,
to meet other young Jewish people - Israelism

It's a place where you can go for meals, to meet other ...

A lot of people are very passionate,
a lot of people love Israel, - Israelism

A lot of people are very passionate, a lot of people love Is...

I kinda came to Hillel just 'cause I was new
in campus, and didn't really know where to go - Israelism

I kinda came to Hillel just 'cause I was new in campus,...

I came here on and off, but then when I went on the
Birthright trip and kinda got to know the staff, - Israelism

I came here on and off, but then when I went on the Birthrig...

On Birthright, we had Israeli soldiers with us for entire trip.
You learn so much and you learn the reason that they serve. - Israelism

On Birthright, we had Israeli soldiers with us for entire...

It's just a feeling that I don't think any
of us could ever imagine, except for... - Israelism

It's just a feeling that I don't think any of us c...

My job is doing Israeli programs on campus and
that relates to uh, Jewish events, cultural or political. - Israelism

My job is doing Israeli programs on campus and that relates ...

Uh, sorry, Israeli events uh,
uh, cultural or political. - Israelism

Uh, sorry, Israeli events uh, uh, cultural or political.

I would say name a university in
America, we probably have a person there. - Israelism

I would say name a university in America, we probably have a...

I like to talk about the army a lot, because that's an experience
that I lived through and I have a lot of personal stories. - Israelism

I like to talk about the army a lot, because that's an...

There are a couple of students who say, "Yeah,
I'm-- I'm thinking about joining uh, the IDF one day." - Israelism

There are a couple of students who say, "Yeah, I'm...

Because uh, it's not an easy decision. - Israelism

Because uh, it's not an easy decision.

That bein' said, it will probably end up being the
most meaningful experience that you ever go through. - Israelism

That bein' said, it will probably end up being the most...

One of our former young emissaries
just graduated into the air force - Israelism

One of our former young emissaries just graduated into the a...

And we actually have had quite a
few of my former students join the IDF. - Israelism

And we actually have had quite a few of my former students j...

It's like something I've dreamed about
doing since I was seven years old. - Israelism

It's like something I've dreamed about doing since...

All my friends are so proud of me and they
understand that this is something that like I have to do. - Israelism

All my friends are so proud of me and they understand that t...

Almost ten percent of my graduating class,
at my Jewish high school, joined the Israeli army - Israelism

Almost ten percent of my graduating class, at my Jewish high...

Part of becoming part of Israeli
society is to join the military. - Israelism

Part of becoming part of Israeli society is to join the mili...

When my-- I was in high school, I told my parents
I don't even need to apply to college, - Israelism

When my-- I was in high school, I told my parents I don'...

I honestly have felt for many years that I fit in better
in Israeli society than I do an American society, - Israelism

I honestly have felt for many years that I fit in better in ...

So, when I enlisted, I was a "MAGist",
which is a heavy-machine gunnist, - Israelism

So, when I enlisted, I was a "MAGist", which is a ...

We were training for war, training
for strategy to conquer hilltops - Israelism

We were training for war, training for strategy to conquer h...

One week was focused on
urban warfare in close quarters - Israelism

One week was focused on urban warfare in close quarters

After this seven months of our training,
we were deployed to the West Bank. - Israelism

After this seven months of our training, we were deployed to...

Our missions included working
in two different checkpoints, - Israelism

Our missions included working in two different checkpoints,

We would go into apartment buildings, go up to
the roof, and make sure that we could be seen - Israelism

We would go into apartment buildings, go up to the roof, and...

We wanted them to know that we were watching,
that was the goal of the mission. - Israelism

We wanted them to know that we were watching, that was the g...

We would set up what's called a "check post", which is
a checkpoint that is situated uh, at a major intersection. - Israelism

We would set up what's called a "check post",...

At checkpoints, we would stop people,
create a traffic jam - Israelism

At checkpoints, we would stop people, create a traffic jam

To keep them on their toes essentially,
And "they", being Palestinians. - Israelism

To keep them on their toes essentially, And "they"...

Even though Israel was a central
part of everything we did in the school, - Israelism

Even though Israel was a central part of everything we did i...

When the Jews arrived. "There were some Arabs
there," they said, "but it was no organized people." - Israelism

When the Jews arrived. "There were some Arabs there,&qu...

I-- I just don't think I had any conception of
anything about what it means to be a Palestinian - Israelism

I-- I just don't think I had any conception of anything...

It was always presented to us
that the Arabs only know terrorism. - Israelism

It was always presented to us that the Arabs only know terro...

Ever since I came back from the States, I-- I realize that
the best way to help people understand the reality - Israelism

Ever since I came back from the States, I-- I realize that t...

The one thing that I want to give the rest of my life for is to
help people understand the reality that is going in Palestine. - Israelism

The one thing that I want to give the rest of my life for is...

I grew up all of my life in this occupation.
I grew up in Bethlehem, in Palestine. - Israelism

I grew up all of my life in this occupation. I grew up in Be...

Israelism poster

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

When two young American Jews raised to unconditionally love Israel witness the way Israel treats Palestinians, their lives take sharp left turns. Their stories reveal a deepening generational divide over modern Jewish identity.

User Rating: 0.0 (0 ratings)

Director: Erin Axelman, Sam Eilertsen

Writer: Erin Axelman, Sam Eilertsen

Production: Tikkun Olam Productions

Genre: documentary

Year: 2023

MetaScore: N/A/100

ImdbRating: 7.6

BoxOffice: N/A

Released: 07 Jun 2024

Awards: 3 wins

Homepage: https://www.israelismfilm.com