Friends and supporters of OpenDor Media gathered on December 17, 2023, at the Boca Raton home of Ilan and Stephanie Ulmer, for a gala event co-chaired by the Ulmers and Becky and Craig Lustman. The event offered a unique opportunity for supporters in South Florida to hear from college and high school students, and gain a better understanding of how the current war in Israel and growing antisemitism are affecting young people today. Clips from OpenDor Media content related to the war were shared and clips from videos on resilience inspired a lively discussion on the impact and role of Unpacked media content on Jewish life today.
We presented plans for a 10-part crash course series on Israel currently being produced in partnership with Gilad and Stephanie Abrahami and The Weisfeld Family Charitable Foundation. This educational project’s goal is to provide the most thoughtful, authoritative, and engaging 10-part series on the story of Israel so that our target viewer – who likely knows very little about Israel – comes out with a broad understanding. By offering a comprehensive understanding of Israel’s history, culture, and contemporary issues, the course aims to bridge gaps in knowledge, combat misinformation, and foster empathy and engagement among Jews and non-Jews alike. Of course, the project will consist of multiple media content pieces on different platforms, embodying our ‘surround sound’ approach so audiences will engage with the series on the platforms and media that best work for them.
Over $60,000 was raised toward the goal of helping young people navigate this current moment with a better understanding of the nuance behind difficult political and military decisions being made, alongside the ancient connection the Jewish people have to the Land of Israel.
“Thank you all for the opportunity to be involved,” said hosts Stephanie and Ilan. “Everyone spoke so well and the videos were really great. You delivered a real sense of what it is you guys do and why it’s so important. We know for a fact that everyone left the event with a powerful message and having learned something.”
“It was especially gratifying to see such a large percentage of young professionals in the audience,” said Andrew Savage, OpenDor Media’s CEO. “It’s nice of course that they identify with the work we do. But even more, that they see OpenDor Media as part of their philanthropic future.”
