It Takes a Village

Our upcoming Torah Live movie, “Live to Give,” boasts sixty different locations – all over Israel, from the Golan to the Negev with varied cities and suburbs in between. We’ve filmed in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Ben Shemen, Modi’in, Chashmonaim, Gevaot, Shomria and more. But when we’ve needed support above and beyond – with locations or with extras – we’ve turned to Efrat, my hometown, only a few minutes south of Jerusalem.

We use the expression "it takes a village" to explain that everyone in a town has a role to play in supporting one another. Folks in my village (really, it’s on its way to being a city) of Efrat are like family. And they’re always willing to go out of their way to help one another.

They’ve especially answered my calls on many movie making missions. Efratians have always raised their hands to offer their homes, their cars, their backyards, their synagogues and youth clubs to use for scenes in our Torah Live movies. That’s been especially helpful with our newest production, “Live to Give,” since we needed sooo many sites.

They’ve also offered themselves. “Live to Give” has needed more than 180 actors and actresses of all ages. Efratians have always been willing to pop over to be the Mom on the staircase, the cranky neighbor, the kollel participant, the juice seller, the party goers, the post office clerk, the kids in the park (to name a few) and just about anything we’ve needed.

Most recently I had to fill a bus stop with riders. I invited fellow Efratians to meet me at a certain location first thing in the morning. And whatta ya know? The bus stop was full.

Efrat is proud to be Torah Live’s movie backdrop. Not only do residents here have a bond with one another, they have a special place in their heart for our innovative Jewish production company. They are always willing to volunteer on a Torah Live movie, and teach children all over the world important mitzvos or Jewish concepts.

Small towns are like a big family, with everyone ready to lend a hand or celebrate achievements. It takes a village for individuals or organizations to accomplish giant dreams. It also takes a village to create an epic film that will make a positive difference in many many lives for years in the future.

Thank you, Efrat, no matter how large you will become, for being our village.