OpenDor Media

🍎 Shana Tova U’Metuka! 🍯 As the year draws to a close, we share our prayers that 5785 will be more peaceful, with the return of the hostages, an end to the war in Israel, and safety for Jews worldwide. At OpenDor Media, we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to create meaningful and educational media that connects a young audience to Israel, Judaism, and the Jewish people. Wishing you and your families health, happiness, and peace. We look forward to continuing this journey with you in the year ahead.

🚨 Big News: Unpacking Israeli History podcast is now ‘always-on’! 🚨 Due to incredible demand, ‘Unpacking Israeli History’ is shifting to year-round content and launching a video format on our new YouTube channel. The podcast will now also include topics that are directly relevant to the present day, starting with a 3-part mini-series about October 7. Over the next few weeks, host Noam Weissman will take a closer look at the events leading up to October 7th, the day itself, and the aftermath. In a year filled with pain, uncertainty, and ongoing conflict, this mini-series offers a space for reflection and deeper understanding. You can listen to the first episode now, and for the first time, watch the series on our newly launched Unpacking Israeli History YouTube channel: Listen now: https://lnkd.in/dig4nTbN Watch now: https://lnkd.in/dBVg5Zpi

What happens after we die? In the latest episode of our Jewish Spirituality series developed in partnership with the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge, Becky delves into ancient Jewish beliefs about the afterlife, exploring the journey of both the body and soul after death. Through humor and Jewish wisdom, she reveals how Jewish rituals offer comfort and guidance in life’s final moments. Watch this episode here: https://lnkd.in/d4pqhm-N

Close to a year after Hezbollah began launching drone and rocket attacks against northern Israel, the IDF launched a large-scale operation to restore security in the area on Monday. The escalation came as Israel has wound down much of its operations in Gaza, moving its focus to the threat Hezbollah poses on northern Israel. Read our latest UNPACKED article to learn more about the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah: https://lnkd.in/dwZEibv7

UNPACKED Jr. is here! 🎉 Amid increasing demand for age-appropriate Israel-related content for younger children UNPACKED has launched UNPACKED Jr. - a new educational initiative for elementary school-aged children, designed to help young Jewish learners build a meaningful connection with Israel. UNPACKED Jr. will comprise initially of a 6-part animated YouTube series, 'Exploring Israel: An UNPACKED Adventure', and a companion podcast, 'UNPACKED at Camp: Kids Talk Israel', released fortnightly. Both the video series and podcast series were developed by a team of seasoned children’s media writers, producers and education experts, who have contributed to some of the most popular mainstream kids’ content worldwide. This first series tackles essential aspects of Israeli history and culture through engaging, age-appropriate storytelling, with each episode focusing on key themes including Zionism, Independence, Diversity, Innovation, Connection, and Hope. Read more about this initiative: https://lnkd.in/dZqaa6h4 Fran Greenman-Schmitz Anne-Marie Asner Jemma Last Joe Hennes Amit Russell Gicelter The Hive Studio Animation Israel Yoni Buckman Adam Rotstein

Who are the Jewish People, really? With only 15 million Jews worldwide, opinions about them are plenty, but understanding is rare. Because beyond the stereotypes and assumptions, there’s a rich diversity within Judaism that defies simple categorization. This UNPACKED video explores different facets of Jewish identity, including unique cultural practices, diversity of physical appearance, the importance of debate in shaping Jewish beliefs, and why “conversion” is less about changing beliefs and more about joining a family connected across both time and space. Watch now: https://lnkd.in/dD7bjHxz

Four years after its signing, are these agreements falling apart? Sunday marked the fourth anniversary of the Abraham Accords, a set of agreements that saw Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Morocco normalize relations with Israel. But after a year of war in Gaza, where do relations between the states now stand? Read our latest UNPACKED article: https://lnkd.in/dV7mc_wT

This week, our team in Israel had the chance to meet up in person! There’s nothing like coming together face-to-face to strengthen our bonds, share ideas, and have a little fun outside the (virtual) office. Thank you to Beth Mischel for arranging a great morning, and to Binyamin Goldstein for feeding us!

Unpacked for Educators (UED) is proud to launch its sixth year of The Collaborative community with over 130 schools, in partnership with Prizmah, The Pincus Fund for Jewish Education, and UnitED, an initiative of the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism. The Collaborative is an exclusive global community of schools at the forefront of Israel and Jewish education, connected for professional development, networking, and expert support. Educators enjoy access to premium Jewish and Israel educational resources, including personalized coaching from the UED team, curriculum consulting, feature-length films, and an online community platform. Read more about The Collaborative and its impact on Jewish education: https://lnkd.in/dd9AakzD

Zionism sparks much debate, but at its core, it’s simply the belief that Jews have the right to govern themselves in their ancestral homeland. From ancient prayers to modern-day Israel, Zionism has been a cornerstone of Jewish identity for centuries. But with a Jewish state firmly established, is it still relevant? Watch the latest UNPACKED video: https://lnkd.in/dRwBNaMT