The Series

The Jewish Reconnection Project is a web video series that features dialogues between a group of Jews in New York and in Jerusalem. The ultimate aim of the series is to showcase the diverse individual perspectives that populate the global Jewish community and to encourage further conversations.

Each three to five minute episode of the series combines footage of a historic conversation held between Jews in New York and Jerusalem and documentary segments about the participants. The young adults in the videos (ages 19-26) were selected to portray a wide range of views and contrasting perspectives so that every member of the audience would find something to which he or she could relate. The Jewish Reconnection Project strives to help viewers understand the perspectives of those individuals with opposing views, in addition to perspectives that they share.

Jews around the world need dialogue and a better understanding of each other to overcome the existing divisions between communities. As documentary television producers specializing in media about young people, we hope that this series helps Jews all over the world discover what being Jewish means to them and the connective threads which bond every Jewish person to the next.

The Idea

The Jewish Reconnection Project is the first step towards a worldwide dialogue-based learning initiative that helps geographically, culturally and religiously disparate members of the Jewish community better understand each other, themselves, and their shared history.

The Programming

The project will leverage monthly thematic video programs, featuring meaningful conversations between highly diverse young Jews on pertinent and often controversial Jewish issues meant to inspire future dialogue and personal thought, as well as expand the dialogue skills of the viewers.

The Difference

Unlike other learning initiatives, it will reach out to young people by employing media already familiar to them; modernizing the traditional approach to learning by integrating and leveraging the best in media engagement, dialogue facilitation and online technologies. In this way, the project will create learning experiences that are totally engaging as well as informative.

The Producers

Chat the Planet is a global youth dialogue company. We connect young people from around the world to talk about everything from politics, prejudices and war to sex, music and life in general. Chat the Planet produces television and web video that is authentic, unscripted and unlike anything else in the mainstream media. In 2008, we are launching an innovative internet platform that will transform the way people engage globally. It will transcend both cultural differences and long distances. Founded by celebrated media executives Laurie Meadoff and Kate Hillis in 2001, Chat the Planet has produced award-winning video, internet, and radio programming that continues to reach millions of people around the world

Contact

info@jewishreconnectionproject.com