Ralph Benmergui: My Israel

Watch out for our new series…God Bless America

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:45:36 +0000

My partner Allan Novak and I have just finished filming our next series for VisionTV and it’s going to be an exciting and controversial look at a topic that has long been a passion of mine…religion and politics in America. We travelled from coast to coast, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Philadelphia, Lynchburg Virginia (home of Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University) and Denver Colorado (for the Democratic National convention). We met and spoke with fascinating characters from all political stripes and it’s going to be an electrifying series. The series will premiere on VisionTV in January (around the time of the inauguration of the next president) - watch this space for more information - Ralph Benmergui

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - ON AIR

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:47:05 +0000

Well, I have to tell you, the response to ‘My Israel‘ has been fantastic. People e-mailing and calling to tell us that they feel like they are seeing the real Israel. We had an edited showing that I screened for people in Montreal and at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival and we’re hoping more groups want to see it and talk afterwards. If you know of any just let us know at ralph@myisraelshow.com

Episode five is airing tonight on Vision TV at 9PM.

Thank you,

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - Episode Five Trailer

admin — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:30:50 +0000

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - Words from the Director

admin — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:32:12 +0000

Tonight’s the night we screen the show for the Toronto Jewish film Festival. I anticipate a sell-out and a good reception. Ralph has been busy all weekend after his personal appearance in Montreal Saturday night and then at the Bloor JCC this afternoon. People are responding very positively to the show and at 53 minutes for the entire journey it flies by. The series will unfold in a different manner… Over three nights starting tomorrow, Monday at 9PM Eastern on Vision TV (Channel 60 in Toronto). My Winnipeg family will be watching it at 8PM and I have no idea what time it’s on in Newfoundland.

Allan Novak

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - Scenes from Episode One

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:43:31 +0000

Well things are heating up as we get ready to premiere the show. There will be articles in the Globe and Mail and a cover of the Starweek Magazine in the Toronto Star as well as some radio and the Canadian Jewish News. On Saturday I’m off to Montreal to talk a group at the Segal Centre. If you live in Montreal I hope you come out, it’s at 9:00 pm.
I’ve already presented the 50 minute version of the show in Toronto and will be back on Sunday to Premiere it at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival at 6:00 pm at the Al Green Theatre.
I hope to be able to go to even more venues both Jewish and not in the future because the conversation is just starting as far as I’m concerned. If you know of anyone who would like to hear more tell me about it.

Here are scenes from episode one, airing Monday the 5th on Vision TV at 9PM.

Shalom
rb

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - Opening

admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:08:27 +0000

My Event at Temple Sinai

admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:24:29 +0000

We had our first public showing of a condensed version of the show in front of an audience at Temple Sinai, a reform(liberal) synagogue in Toronto.

They seemed enthusiastic even though the material challenged some of their assumptions. We had a Q and A after , some wanted to set me straight and paint a picture in which the traditional positions were fleshed out again. Others wanted to know more about the issues of race and class and security over all other considerations among other topics.

I challenged them to look beyond simple notions of good guys and bad guys and Israel right or wrong because I believe that so many people in the middle east want and need to be seen not as the enemy but as human. I have been attacked at times for being naive. I am not. I am a student of the situation and a believer in the Jewish values of loving the stranger and standing for social justice, not just for the other but for so many in Israel who live in poverty and suffer systemic prejudice. My people Sephardim (arab land Jews for the most part). People were animated and the organizers thanked me even though they were nervous that I would offend some.

All in all a good night.

Words from the Director of Ralph Benmergui:My Israel, Allan Novak

admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:16:21 +0000

Here’s some production info for those that are interested…
We shot this series over a thirteen-day period, twelve of those in Israel. We flew out on Christmas eve, December 24, 2007 as Ralph had to be back at his radio job two weeks later. We had a seasoned Canadian/Israeli crew was led by Martin Himel (possessor of great chutzpah and a good Rolodex). Our second camera was Ami Shamir (an artist at heart who appears in episode two) sound was shared between Daniel Tchelet and Noy Raz, both intelligent, talented and dedicated people. Rounding out the crew was Inna Shapiro our talented Israeli/Russian location producer and researcher and Sharon Nesher, our driver, who also appears in episode two. Sharon was a former elite soldier who made some unforgettable comments on camera. Karen Hawes was our anchor/supervising producer in Toronto assisted by Daniel Rattner our researcher/clearance person.

Editing was done by Charlotte Disher (episodes two and five), James Lim (episode three and four) and myself (episode one). I’ve been editing for years and still love to be hands on, particularly at the start of a series. Charlotte and James worked very hard and I thank them both for their unique personalities and talents. Animation was done by Ivan Verlaan of Visual Inclinations and Mandi Gorenstein and Darby McInnis were our hard working assistant editors.

I have to get back to finishing the theatrical version for the screening at the Jewish film Festival on Sunday May 4th, 6pm (at the Al Green Theatre). Please mark your calendars if you want to attend live (to see a highlights-filled 53 minute version) or to catch the full series May 5,6,7 at 9PM on VisionTV

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - Episode Two Teaser

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:36:05 +0000

Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - “It’s a Wrap!”

admin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:26:36 +0000

We’ve just wrapped the fine cut of our fifth and final episode of ‘My Israel‘ and I have to say I’m going to miss it. I think we achieved a lot of what we set out to do in this series. In classic Jewish style I gave everybody a hard time and asked a lot of the questions I think people want asked.. So many open their hearts to us and we really couldn’t have done it without our Israeli team of Inna and Martin researching and shooting respectively.Now I’ll take excerpts around to groups, all Jewish so far and do some show and tell. I have tried to get to Arab Canadian groups interested but so far it’s a no go. Pity.

be well