A recent piece I filmed and edited for CRS, a humanitarian organization who work around the globe. It’s part of a series they produced in different conflict zones called ‘What are the Walls in your Life’ which they will present to North American teens. I focused on two teenagers, Bayan, a Palestinian girl from a village near Hebron, and Netanel, an Israeli from Tel Aviv, who are both involved in the Parents Circle – a bereavement group, sponsored by CRS, that brings together Israelis and Palestinians who have lost loved ones to the conflict.

The shoot had many challenges due to its sensitivity-finding appropriate youth who would agree to be filmed, getting access and convincing subjects of the importance of the project. Several of the Israelis we were going to film got cold feet after getting their call-up notices from army special units, some of the Palestinians we wanted to film were nervous with the UN vote and the expected unrest.

In the end, Bayan and Netanel were were wonderful subjects in their honesty, openness, and courage and gave some hope for the future…

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When I mentioned to Matt that I was going to New York City last year, he asked me to shoot some scenes for the upcoming book trailer which I would be producing for his latest novel in the acclaimed Omar Yussef crime series. In addition to my day in Coney Island, which brought me within inches of getting mauled by a vicious Rottweiler guarding the Headless Woman Concession Stand, my filming adventure took me to the Little Palestine of New York – Bay Ridge. I felt transported back to the holyland while filming at the “Ramallah Cafe”, where I was interrogated and searched by a group of suspicious Palestinian hookah-smoking hoodlums, who finally chased me out of the neighborhood. All in a day’s work…

-I hope you enjoy the trailer and buy the book.

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