Destination: Israel

This is clip #5 of a 10-part series of interviews I did while producing our public television special Rick Steves’ The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today. Considering the impact of American policies on the daily lives of both Israelis and Palestinians, this is my attempt to introduce you to some people in both camps whose voices might otherwise not be heard.

I roamed the residential streets of a well-fortified, hill-capping, modern Israeli settlement in the West Bank, looking for a family to interview. I came upon a young man celebrating the purchase of a new condo. Talking with him and his buddy, we learned of the special appeal of the Jordan Valley and how their community here is small and caring…like a big family. They explained how they manage the boredom of small-town fortified living as they proudly shared their strongly held beliefs.

This is clip #3 of a 10-part series of interviews I did while producing our public television special Rick Steves’ The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today. Considering the impact of American policies on the daily lives of both Israelis and Palestinians, this is my attempt to introduce you to some people in both camps whose voices might otherwise not be heard.

Benny Dagan, a former PR man for the Israeli military, was our guide in Israel. Benny is an expert on both historical and cultural issues, and gifted at explaining the Israeli perspective on the region’s troubles. It was important for me to understand and share both narratives, and Benny was a big help in fairly presenting the Israeli point of view. As we sit in a pastoral kibbutz with birds tweeting all around, Benny explains what motivates Israelis to live as settlers in the West Bank.