Prime Minister Netenyahu makes a fantastic speech. It is long, but well worth watching all the way through.
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Nov 072009
Nov 042009
Watch the trailer for The Original Promise…
Oct 302009
Doug Kooy shares some personal insight
Someone recently asked me why I am a supporter of Israel. I thought long and hard about my answer, and this is what I came up with:
I happen to like freedom and democracy. I love the idea that people who choose a certain religion can practice their religion without being persecuted. I like the idea of rule of law. I also like the idea of freedom of speech and that if I don’t like the way things are going; I can make my voice known and not be persecuted for it.
Somehow, the idea that dreaming and the concept of following your dreams is celebrated makes me feel good. I like a free market system that rewards hard work and imagination.
I like a society that values scientific achievement and looks for ways to cure the major medical problems facing society today. There is something great about a country that spends billions on medical research to find cures for the major medical problems that plague our planet.
I also like a government that protects its people and believes in a strong defense system. I also like a country that has a sense of destiny. I like the fact that young people are willing to serve their country and most do it with pride and dignity.
I like a country that has made something out of nothing and has made streams in the desert, a country that has taken a large wasteland and transformed it into a beautiful place to live.
Ok, I am not stupid; there are a lot of problems in Israel. They are a small country surrounded by people that would like to wipe them off the face of this earth. They have the same problems most countries do. They have some people who are bigoted and some in government who make some really bad decisions, and they struggle with their identity. That just about describes every Democratic country I know of.
Israel has been so misunderstood and so demonized by so many, that it is hard for people in this world to see what Israel is really all about. For me it is simple; I would have no problem living in Israel. The core values of this country line up with mine and I also feel that this country is God’s idea and it is meant to be. I am told in my faith to pray for Israel, and I do. I also feel I need some strong reasons for why I support Israel and I have shared them with you.
One last thing, if you have not seen our movie, “The Original Promise,” I would ask that you take a look at it. I believe that you will never see Israel the same way again.
Oct 282009
Today in the Jerusalem Post, I read an article by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. It struck me that he has almost exactly the same perspective on Israel and the need for invention that has driven Israel to become the country it is today, as the story that we have told in The Original Promise.
He speaks specifically about how the lack of oil, and the incidental and almost limitless wealth that accompanies it, has actually been a blessing to Israel. It has forced the small country to work hard and to be inventive. The result is that today Israel is fortunate to be home to one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and one of the most technologically advanced populations in the world.
He ends with the observation that Israel still has many many challenges and many enemies, but that the time has come for the other story, the story of the success of Israel to be told.
This is exactly what The Original Promise does…
This morning I stumbled upon a list of 7 solar technologies, that were developed in Israel and that have the potential to change the world we live in today in a massive way.
I think this may originally have been published on Israel21c.org but I have not been able to locate it there.
The Israeli companies that have developed each of these technologies are definitely going to be attracting the attention of some large investors, as perusing this list, you can definitely see that there is potential for making a significant impact on world dependence on fossil fuels.
Lauren Kramer wrote this wonderful review of The Original Promise on Canada’s Israel.
Doug Kooy is a Canadian filmmaker who believes Canadians need to know the real story of life in Israel, not the story of war, bombs and fighting that the media portrays. He made it his business to try and tell that story of everyday life, spending $800,000 to produce The Original Promise, a documentary that premiered in March 2009.
Since the demographics of Israel are young, Kooy knew he needed to partner with someone from the younger generation, preferably someone Jewish who was coming to terms with their religious identity. He found that partner in Farrah Aviva, 25, a Jewish actress from Kelowna, BC with bright eyes and a spirit open to adventure and exploration.
It was an uncommon partnership; Kooy, 62, a preacher’s son and Aviva, a fashion designer-turned-actress whose high school friends had called her “Jew.” The two traveled to the Holy Land for 21 days in 2008, without accepting sponsorship from anyone. They interviewed some 12 citizens of the country, including a rabbi, an inventor, several entrepreneurs, a comedian, a mayor and a hip hop artist. The Original Promise is a series of interviews with these people, offering their perspectives on Israel and snapshots of daily life. It’s a compelling 125 minutes of screen time, that’s for sure.
“This is the Israel that’s not being reported in the media,” Kooy says earnestly. “In North America we say we support Israel, but what do we really know about it? It’s so politically charged the way it’s portrayed in the newspaper.”
While spending time in Israel, Kooy was struck by the values Israelis share with Canadians, particularly the country’s democratic nature, its women’s rights and its freedom of religion. “We heard a Jewish cantor singing on the Mount of Olives while Muslims were observing Ramadan and Christians were praying nearby,” he recalls. “That’s not something you’d ever see in Iraq.”
While he admits there’s no such thing as an unbiased documentary, Kooy and Aviva tried their utmost to stay away from hot political issues. “We didn’t want to get into the Palestinian question,” Kooy admits. “But I felt someone non-Jewish needed to take a stand for Israel. In spite of what the world thinks, Israel is making huge contributions in science, medicine and high tech. Why is that not being mentioned?”