Israelism

Preceded by a pre-recorded intro by co-director Sam Eilertsen!

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Palestine Children’s Relief Fund

Two young American Jews – Simone Zimmerman and Eitan – are raised to defend the
state of Israel at all costs. Eitan joins the Israeli military. Simone supports Israel on ‘the other
battlefield:’ America’s college campuses. When they witness Israel’s oppression of the
Palestinian people with their own eyes, they are horrified and heartbroken – the Jewish
institutions that raised them not only lied, but built their Jewish identity around that lie.

They join the movement of young American Jews battling the old guard over Israel’s centrality in
American Judaism, and demanding freedom for the Palestinian people. Their stories reveal a
generational divide in the American Jewish community as more young Jews question the
narratives their synagogues and Hebrew school teachers fed them as children.
The film also features voices like Jacqui, a Jewish educator who believes “Judaism is Israel and
Israel is Judaism”, and former Anti-Defamation League President Abe Foxman, who claims
voices like Simone and Eitan’s represent a small minority. Thought leaders like Peter Beinart,
Jeremy Ben-Ami, Noura Erakat, Cornel West and Noam Chomsky also weigh in.

Directed by two first-time Jewish filmmakers who share a similar story to the film’s protagonists,
Israelism is produced by Peabody-winner and 4-time Emmy-nominee Daniel J. Chalfen (Bad
Axe, Boycott), as well as Palestinian-American producer Nadia Saah, who has led strategy on
films such as the Oscar Nominated Omar and 5 Broken Cameras. Israelism is also executive
Produced by 2-time Emmy-winner Brian A. Kates (Marvelous Ms. Maisel, Succession) and
edited by Emmy-winner Tony Hale (The Story of Plastic), Israelism uniquely explores how
Jewish attitudes towards Israel are changing dramatically, with massive consequences
for the region and for Judaism itself.