The Destiny Foundation: Bringing Jewish History to Life
By Margie Pensak

I barely remember any of the Jewish history I learned in Sunday School. The fact that I am a baby boomer has little to do with it; all I can recall about the class is a jumble of names, dates and places, taught from an abridged, bright yellow text by a teacher named “Monkey Miller.”

Rabbi Berel Wein has changed how Jewish history is taught in Sunday Schools and beyond, as the founder and director of educational media Destiny Foundation (www.Jewishdestiny.com). The former practicing lawyer, pulpit rabbi, and yeshiva principal is perhaps the greatest Jewish historian of our era. He is known worldwide as an author and lecturer – with over a thousand of his audiotapes, CDs, books and DVDs available – and as a producer of documentary films.

Rabbi Wein has authored six Jewish history books – Triumph of Survival: The Story of the Jews in the Modern Era, Herald of Destiny: The Medieval Era, Echoes of Glory: The Classical Era, Faith and Fate: The Story of the Jews in the Twentieth Century, The Oral Law of Sinai: An Illustrated History of the Mishnah, and Vision and Valor: An Illustrated History of the Talmud – all of which have received popular and critical acclaim. He also authors and edits a monthly newsletter called The Wein Press – a source of information and inspiration on topics of Jewish interest.

Most recently, through Destiny Foundation’s animated, dramatic films about pre-photographic history and his documentary films of more recent times, Rabbi Wein has breathed new life into the people and events of our past. The stories of such important figures as Rambam (an acronym for Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, otherwise known as Maimonides) and Rashi (an acronym for Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki – preeminent commentator on the Torah) come alive through stunning animation. And more recent events become more real when you can watch them unfolding on the screen.

Unlike my experience, Destiny Foundation’s approach to history brings together not only the characters and events of our heritage, but the Jewish beliefs and values that influence them, which are just as relevant today. Since the founding of Destiny Foundation, Rabbi Wein’s riveting accounts of the 4000-year story of our people have been translated into a full array of multi-media events.

In an interview with Rabbi Wein, I found out how important Jewish history is to us, and how the Destiny Foundation has reversed the negative reputation of Jewish history lessons of the past in exciting and interactive ways.

“Without knowing Jewish history, you don’t really understand what it means to be a Jew,” contends Rabbi Wein. “It’s like having amnesia, G-d forbid. You don’t know who you are; you don’t know what you are; you don’t know where you are; and, you don’t know why you are. In today’s Jewish world, unfortunately, there are many Jews who don’t know what it means to be Jewish.”

Rabbi Wein feels that it is important to study Jewish history, since history repeats itself. “Regarding all the problems we face today, it is not the first time we are facing them,” he notes. Yet he recognizes that Jewish history as generally taught in the classroom is merely a series of dates and names and is not very interesting. “You have to see it in perspective – in a frame that makes it educational, inspiring and even entertaining,” he says. In order to accomplish this goal, his film series is geared for every level of academics, every level of observance and every age group.

How does Rabbi Wein bring his characters to life? The Rashi and Rambam videos are animated, with voice-actors playing the parts of the historical characters, and the events are dramatized into engaging stories. The narratives are presented in a relevant and current way, although the scenes are set between seven and ten centuries ago.

All this is done with the help of his director/producer, Ashley Lazarus, and his archival editor, Beverly Beard. Mr. Lazarus is in charge of art and animation of the film series. He is the director and producer of Rashi: A Light after the Dark Ages and Rambam: The Story of Maimonides (as well as the upcoming Abarbanel: A Man of Two Worlds, Dona Gracia: Heroine to Her People and Baal Shem Tov: Master of the Good Name). Among Mr. Lazarus’ credits are videos and commercials he has directed and produced for GM, Disney, Mattel, Wranglers, M & Ms, Sesame Street, the Children of Chernobyl and the Jewish Agency.

Despite these illustrious credits, directing and producing Rashi and Rambam were, perhaps, Mr. Lazarus’ greatest professional challenge. “We had to re-create Jewish history,” explains Mr. Lazarus. “There were no images, no pictures to work from. Rashi and Rambam – which are both one-hour dramas – are coupled with educational guides for teachers, so that students can be taught on three different levels. We used an original music score, excellent actors, an outstanding soundtrack and animated images. We used well-trained, Israel-based Russian artists. The Rashi and Rambam films were the first dramas ever made with a traditional point of view, telling what happened in history.”
“Our history begins with the premise that the Bible is true and that the Talmud is an accurate repository of fact,” explains Rabbi Wein, who distinguishes his Destiny film series from secular Jewish history resources. “It also is based on the idea that our grandparents were reliable and that the traditions handed down through the generations accurately reflect Jewish history. Every people needs heroes, and Rashi and Rambam, for example, are the heroes of the Jewish people who have withstood the measure of time and circumstance,” continues Rabbi Wein. “Destiny has reached hundreds of thousands of people, influencing many of them to become stronger people and better Jews.”

The 13-part Faith & Fate documentary series uses real photography. “We find all the best people, the top professors of Eastern European, Sefardic, and Zionist history,” says Ms. Beard, who is Destiny’s main researcher and live producer of the Faith & Fate series. “We then check the facts, co-write the scripts, and find all the films and photography that go into the productions. We try to use material that was not used before, as well as material in the archives. We also produce and edit lesson plans, educational materials, and documents for the series.”

Destiny’s films and multi-media programming are designed to educate, inspire, inform and instill a sense of pride and purpose in being Jewish. They demonstrate how each and every Jew fits into the big picture of Jewish history, giving today’s new generation of Jews innovative ways to explore their Jewish identity and determine their Jewish destiny. Destiny’s films are being distributed in secular schools, religious schools, community centers and social Jewish organizations, among many other places, and have been well-received by Jews of every age, stage, background and stripe. Rabbi Dr. Nachum Amsel, director of educational programming, is the liaison with the organizations that are interested in Destiny’s film and educational materials. He also runs the training courses to assist educators in using the multi-media programming.

Actor Leonard Nimoy, best known for his role as Mr. Spock in the Star Trek series, is the lead voice in the films and is joined by Emmy award-winning actor Armand Assante. For the Hebrew versions of these videos, Israeli actors were used.

In Israel alone, over two million people saw the two videos, which together with their study guides, have begun to be used throughout the Israeli secular school system. In America, the Board of Jewish Education of New York has approved of the film curricula and the study guides that accompany it. In addition to English and Hebrew, the Rashi film has been translated into Russian and Polish, bringing its inspirational message to even more audiences around the world.

When watching both the Rashi and Rambam films, you feel as if you are stepping back in time and witnessing Jewish history first hand. The Crusader’s bucking horse in Rashi takes you back to 11th-century France, setting the scene for the current events of that time. This historical peek gives us insight into one of our most studied and treasured Biblical and Talmudic commentators, who defended our ancestors’ rights to spiritual choice and freedom.

The Rambam video places you in the Rambam’s world, beginning in early 12th-century Cordova, Spain. You can feel the terror he and his family felt when fleeing the fanatic Muslim Almohads, and experience life in the mountains and caves they hid in for seven years. As a Torah and Talmudic sage and a physician, Rambam was a holistic healer of body and soul. In an age of ignorance, this Jewish hero was a shining light of compassion and commitment towards his fellow human beings.

Rabbi Wein was inspired to use the medium of film in teaching history as a way of reaching out to a larger audience. “There are people who read books and there are people who don’t read books,” notes Rabbi Wein. “But film is eternal. One hundred years from now, our great-great-grandchildren will see film. Secondly, it’s the power of the media, the way you talk to people today. Film is very, very influential.”

According to Rabbi Wein, Jewish history is destiny. Our past influences our future – as history is the map that guides us to our destination. Understanding how each individual is an essential part of the chain of Jewish history creates a unique and critical link in the continuity of our people.

“Jewish history is our teacher…it is our rear view mirror. If you don’t know where you come from, how do you know where you are going? It is one of the most valuable tools for understanding and dealing with today’s world.”