Two young Israeli filmmakers Udi Nir and Sagi Bornstein have a unique talent in finding a new take on older well known subjects. One of Israel and world Jewry’s most celebrated events, the May 14, 1948 declaration of the establishment of “a Jewish state in the land of Israel to be known as the State of Israel”, is the subject of their newest film, “Our Natural Right”.
Originally commissioned by then Channel 2 (now Keshet 12), to help mark the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Israel’s founding, “Our Natural Right” will be aired this April for Yom Haatzmaut. Documentary film producers Udi v Sagi — as their production company is known — teamed up with seasoned award-winning film maker Yulie Cohen to create a thought-provoking experience told through the voices of 10 adult grandchildren all descendants of original signers of the declaration of Israel’s independence.
This concept began when Udi v Sagi were making their last acclaimed documentary, “Golda” which had uncovered a previously unseen off-the-record television studio interview with former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, also a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In their research process the filmmakers came in contact with Golda’s grandson, accomplished Israeli musician Gideon Meir. He shared his remembrance that the signing of the Declaration of Independence was a pivotal moment in Golda’s life which brought her to tears as she signed.
Yet in recalling the moment, Gideon Meir poses the question all descendants of historically accomplished grandparents contend, “what is my responsibility, where is our generation, are we personally committed to do something to fulfill this Declaration?” This is the central theme director Yulie Cohen was brought onto the project to explore.
As the daughter of parents who fought for the establishment of Israel in the War of Independence, Yulie Cohen grew up in a house that featured a replica of the Declaration of Independence hung on the wall, fully grasping the idealism and vision behind the creation of an independent safe Jewish homeland. Her life changed after experiencing a terror attack on an El Al jet in which she was a member of the flight crew. Yulie applied her story telling skills, developed in the early 1980s as part of the IDF public spokesperson unit, where she also found a dissonance between the messaging and the reality, to make her first acclaimed documentary, “My Terrorist”.
The making of that film began a story telling journey for Yulie Cohen which resulted in a trilogy bluntly contrasting the myths upon which she was raised and educated with the realities of living in this complex disjointed society. It was this track record of finding and uncovering barely hidden predicaments that Udi v Sagi felt would add the creative spark to enliven a historical subject and event.
In addition to interviews with the grandchildren, the filmmakers found several creative devices to weave an engaging audience experience. In location scouting trips to Independence House, where the declaration was announced by leader of the “People’s Council” David Ben-Gurion, they found professional tour guides walking various visiting groups through the official version of the event. Utilizing historic recordings for dramatic effect, tour guides present a story as Israel’s government wish it to be told and understood.
“This is where it happened,” the film opens with a tour guide dramatically declaring, “as they say in Hebrew Ashkara”. The official presentation ends the same with every tour group as they are asked to rise for the singing of Hatikvah, reenacting the emotional summation of that Friday afternoon ceremony in May of 1948.
Well known pre-state cultural touchstones also abound including home movies from Kibbutz, crowds gathered outside in anticipation, and post announcement dancing in the streets of Tel Aviv. Yet it is the personal memories shared by the grandchildren that provide the emotional centerpiece of “Our Natural Right”.
Tel Aviv advocate and progressive political activist Nitzan Kahana recalls her grandfather, orthodox Rabbi Kalman Kahana, who at 36 was the youngest signer. Nitzan, clearly feels a special responsibility as a direct descendent saying “I do not have the privilege not to be optimistic,” of his 60 grandchildren “I inherited the political initiative from my grandpa and decided to devote my life to the prevention of sexual assault.”
Yet it is granddaughter of famed diplomat Dr. Avraham Katznelson who lays bare the challenge of facing the failures of modern Israel to achieve the idealistic vision of its founders who signed the declaration. Hebrew University History Professor Nurit Peled Elhanan at one point bathes in the personal glow of her beloved grandfather, a cultured man who advocated for a bi-national state, advocate of labor Zionism serving on the central committee of Mapai and Hashomer Hatzair.
Says Peled Elhanan, “the words are genius, ‘by virtue of our natural and historic right’. It’s a mythological right, yet it left a mark on education and the culture.”
She provides a stark point of dissonance that switches direction of the film from the celebratory to the questioning. Many have noted the word democracy is missing from the declaration, and no mention of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was included as well.
Producer Udi Nir explained that working through the film-making process with Yulie Cohen and the interviews with grandchildren of signers allowed him to “understand my parents better, in how they think and talk about the Zionist enterprise.”
“My generation has a more reserved attitude about what the document represents. As we watched the debates arise over the Nation-State law, we had a more distant attitude, but we became aware and more critical of the text and what is lacking, how that’s been a factor in politics and elections process.”
“Our Natural Right” made its Israel debut at the December 2020 Solidarity — Tel Aviv Human Rights Film Festival as a featured selection. The filmmakers hope the airing on Keshet 12 will spark interest and provoke discussion both within Israel and in the Diaspora as it airs at various Jewish film festivals in North America and Europe. Perhaps underlining the dramatics of Israel’s founding moment, and the humanity of the descendants who carry the banner toward perfecting the Zionist vision of their grandparent’s generation.
