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Waltz with Bashir - No Oscar Please, by Katie Green
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Started this discussion. Last reply by Simon Amsterdam Feb. 24, 2009.

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How did you hear about KolDor?

Through my husband Aryeh Green

Right now I live

in Israel

Languages I Know

English Hebrew

About Me:

Born in the UK as Katie Wagerman, I am from a modern orthodox Zionist background. Grew up in the Bnei Akiva movement, got married to my American husband Aryeh in 1985.
We made aliya 1 week after our wedding. We have 3 great kids, Yonatan and Michal are both serving in the IDF, Moriyah studies at the Pelech high school in Jerusalem.

Professionally I....

... always longed to be a doctor but didn't get the grades, so I went to Kings College Hospital Dental School in London & graduated in 1983. Practised dentistry until 1987 when I knew my heart wans't in it, then got heavily into writing, journalism and eventually, short English language TV programs for communal TV. Went to Maaleh film school at the ripe old age of 37 and graduated in scriptwriting and directing in 2003. I am an indenpendent producer and director making promotional and personal films of all types, and am also working on my feature length documentary about the UK Jewish community. I also work 3 days a week at Ma'aleh Film School as head of International Relations. I get to travel with Ma'aleh prizewinning films all over the world, which is fantastic. I am very lucky, as I love both my private and non-profit work.

I am involved with the following Jewish organizations/institutions/projects:

Ma'aleh Film School
The Jerusalem Foundation
Hagshama, WZO
Pardes Institute
Jerusalem Municiaplity, Youth At Risk

In the past I have been involved with the following Jewish organizations/institutions/projects:

Active in the Bnei Akiva Movement 15 years
Freelance Journalist for the Jewish Agency Freelance writer for Diaspora Jewish publications
Interviewer for the Steven Spielberg Archive
Film teacher to Down Syndrome Adults at the Shalva Institute, Har Nof.

I

Other ways in which I am an activist/leader in the Jewish community

My husband and I moved to the town of Bet Shemesh in 1994. Since then we have been instrumental in setting up institutions in that area. It took us 12 years to build a community and synagogue, and we were founder members of the Noga Girls High School. We have encouraged our children to be givers and volunteers in the community. There is great poverty in Bet Shemesh. All our children have been youth counsellors and volunteers. Our daughter is a Bnei Akiva madricha for Ethiopian youth.

What do you think about Jewish Peoplehood?

At the advanced age of 48 I have come to believe that, next to family and community (which are anyway the building blocks for peoplehood), Jewish peoplehood is just about the most important thing there is. Almost all other things that we think are important - career, material success, status, cannot supply us with the deep, rich sense of belonging and purpose that we experience through peoplehood. The overall responsibility and privelige of peoplehood cannot be overestimated. The 21st century has become steeped in a culture and psychology of self: self fulfillment, self promotion, self aggrandizement. The deep traditions of Judaism demand the opposite - only through peoplehood, and not self, is tikum olam achieved.

What are the Jewish (or other) values/issues about which you are most passionate?

I am passionate about the relationship between Israelis and Diaspora Jews. I feel that many Diaspora Jews, even those who visit regularly, have no idea of the pressures and realities we live with here. As it is, we are living with a situation where only a percentage of the Jewish people is carrying the burden of statehood on its shoulders. From Diaspora Jews, who have not taken on this burden (and joy), I am not looking for criticism or advice on how I could be doing it better. I am looking for unqualified support, which I need every minute of every day. But I cannot ask for support if I am not in regular, open and loving communication with the Diaspora. And this is my goal, to make this communication ever deeper and better. Perhaps this is why I am in film. The film medium has tremendous power to achieve this.

What are you looking for in the KolDor network?

Each of us, active in our own spheres, have and will achieved much. But this is nothing to what we can achieve as a group. Additionally, the very exciting Jewish professionals I met at KOLDOR conference last year considerably widened my horizons and perceptions fo the Jewish world.

Website:

http://www.maale.co.il

My Favorite Place in Israel is:

The Galil

In My Spare Time I Like to:

Write fiction, garden, cook, take photographs.

Katie Green's Blog

To all our KolDor friends outside of Israel...

It was wonderful to see everybody at the conference. Aryeh and I cordially invite all KorDorians to stay at our home (preferably one or two at a time) in Bet Shemesh whenever you need a place to stay in Israel and/or you need a place for Shabbat. We have comfortable guest quarters, so just give us plenty of notice and we shall book you in! Bet Shemesh is half way between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with buses and trains running in both directions.

Posted on November 23, 2008 at 11:30am —