OpenDor Media is thrilled to have been confirmed as a recipient of a Signature Grant from The Covenant Foundation, which will be used to support Unpacked Jr., an educational initiative that provides elementary school-aged children with the tools to understand and connect with Israel in an accessible and engaging format.
Each year, The Covenant Foundation awards grants to Jewish schools, community organizations, and other institutional settings to support the development and implementation of innovative educational programs. This year, The Covenant Foundation announced $1.9 million in new grants, including the grant awarded to OpenDor Media for Unpacked Jr.
Unpacked Jr., made possible with the generous support of the Jim Joseph Foundation, Maimonides Fund, Natan, and The Covenant Foundation comprises a 6-part animated YouTube series, Exploring Israel: An Unpacked Adventure, and a companion podcast, Unpacked at Camp: Kids Talk Israel. This first series, developed by a team of seasoned children’s media writers, producers and education experts, 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.
The series is accompanied by a full curriculum developed by our Unpacked for Educators division, to support elementary school educators in teaching their students about Israel in a positive and engaging manner. The curriculum is currently being piloted in a select cohort of schools.
Noam Weissman, Executive Vice-President of OpenDor Media, shared, “We’re honored to have received this grant from The Covenant Foundation for Unpacked Jr. as it underscores the importance of making Israel’s story accessible and inspiring for younger learners. In the Jewish education world, Israel-related content and curricula are generally introduced in middle school so to have the opportunity of piloting our best-in-class content and lesson plans with younger learners is a real privilege.”
