OpenDor Media, formerly Jerusalem U, is an Israeli non-profit organization that produces feature-length films, short videos, and social media content about Israel, Zionism, and Judaism. [1] [2] The organization says its mission is to increase support for Israel and Zionism among the Jewish diaspora and "explore [Zionism's] complex history and achievements so that young people will recognize that Zionism is a story that every Jewish person can proudly embrace and cherish." [3] [4]
Unpacked is a brand created by OpenDor Media that publishes articles, social media posts, videos, and podcasts on a variety of platforms related to Israel and Zionism. [5] In order to generate support for Israel and in response to growing criticism of Israeli policies, videos and articles on the Unpacked Youtube channel and website often seek to deny or justify the widespread human rights abuses of Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli government and military. With regards to the Palestinian Nakba, Unpacked denies that Zionist leaders such as David Ben-Gurion had intentions to forcibly displace the Palestinian population as part of Plan Dalet, a form of Nakba denial. In response to calls for Palestinian right of return, it says that "the difficult truth is that had these Arabs been allowed to return, Israel could not exist as a Jewish and democratic state, and it might have had a hostile population within its borders" to justify Israel's refusal to allow Palestinian refugees to return to land and homes that were confiscated. [6] It denies the existence of Israeli apartheid while claiming that Israeli policies restricting Palestinian movement with military checkpoints and concrete walls and expanding Israeli settlements are necessary for security. [7]
Unpacked for Educators is a website that features content created by Unpacked packaged for Israeli educators along with resources and materials. [8] [9] OpenDor Media consulted Rosov Consulting in 2020 to research the effect of their media on audiences. [10]
OpenDor Media has produced multiple feature-length films, including Israel Inside: How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference and Crossing the Line: The Intifada Comes to Campus. Israel Inside was shown on PBS, college campuses, and El Al flights. [11]
Imagination Productions, Inc., which operates under OpenDor Media (formerly JerusalemU), is a US registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. [27] Founded in 2007, they have offices in Jerusalem, New York and Philadelphia. The organization is headed by founder and Executive Chairman Raphael Shore, CEO Andrew Savage, [28] [29] and EVP Noam Weissman. [30] Former leadership includes president, Amy Holtz and Executive Vice President Eli Ovits. [31]
Founder Raphael Shore, studied film at the University of Toronto. Shore produced the film Israel Inside: How a Small Nation Makes a Big Difference, the 2010 documentary Crossing the Line: The Intifada Comes to Campus, [32] and Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front. [33]
As Jerusalem U, OpenDor Media produced five film mini-series: Israel Inside/Out, [34] [35] Habits of Happiness: Positive Psychology & Judaism, [36] [37] Judaism 101, [38] Cinema: The Jewish Lens [39] and The Israel Course. [40] They also created JU Max, which was a ten-week interactive, online course for college students. [41] [42]