The dramatic recent events leave us hopeful for better days ahead for Israel, the Mideast, and beyond. The time is right to pause and reconnect with another side of Israel and our shared humanity. To reconnect with beauty. With creativity. With the quiet depth of people simply living their lives.
We’re excited to announce DocuNation Season 3: The Heart of Israel — a carefully curated new series of outstanding Israeli documentary films for you to stream online from the comfort of your home. The films, plus followup live discussions with the filmmakers themselves, are available exclusively for members of our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community.
Beyond the headlines, beyond the conflict and noise, there’s another Israel. A place of storytellers and musicians, of dreamers, makers, and communities rooted in meaning and trust. Each film in this series opens a door to a different world: textured, intimate, deeply human. These are real stories — tender, layered, and full of life. We hope they bring you a fresh perspective on Israel — and a quiet kind of joy.
About DocuNation: You watch, at your convenience, a series of eight award-winning Israeli documentary films with English subtitles — then meet their creators in exclusive, live online discussions. The films illuminate fascinating aspects of contemporary and historical Israel. Then after each screening, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the creative process and the films’ subjects directly from the filmmakers – with the opportunity to ask the filmmakers your questions.
DocuNation is available exclusively to members of our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. All of the funds earmarked for this project go directly to Israeli documentary filmmakers.
For this series, we’re partnering once again with renowned documentary filmmaker Yonatan Nir, who will host the discussions with the filmmakers.
How it works:
Each film — with English subtitles — will be available to watch for seven days over a weekend. On that Sunday, you can join our live webinar, conducted in English, with the filmmaker. We will send out a reminder for each event.
We begin on October 23, 2025 and will present a film approximately once every two weeks, so the entire series will run until February 5, 2026.
THE FILMS:
Rain in Her Eyes – Ron Omer
2020 | 60 Minutes | January 29-February 5, 2026
Dvora Omer was a prolific literary icon who published 98 books over 40 years, becoming the definitive voice of Israeli children’s literature. Though she was awarded the Israel Prize in 2006 for her lifetime achievement, her celebrated career was built upon a foundation of childhood trauma and hidden truths. Journeying to the past, her son, the filmmaker, revisits the childhood of a mother with “rain in her eyes,” as she described herself – a mother whose tormented life story shaped her writing and her relationship with her children and family. Watch the trailer.
Earlier films this season:
The Museum – Ran Tal
2017 | 74 minutes | October 23-30, 2025
Housing one of the world’s greatest collections of art and antiquities, the Israel Museum poses for its own complex portrait in this elegant observational documentary, revealing its central role in the complicated narrative of the nation.
Sitting high on the brow of a Jerusalem hill directly opposite the Knesset, the sprawling institution – now more than half a century old – contains nearly half a million objects, from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Crusader armor to masterpieces by Rembrandt and Marc Chagall. The Museum is wisely constructed as a set of loose encounters with its human inhabitants. We eavesdrop on the curators, museum guards, archaeological conservators, visiting schoolchildren, and even the resident rabbi, who together form a kaleidoscopic picture of the way art, history and national destiny intersect in the galleries. Director Ran Tal (Children of the Sun), while showcasing the deep artistic and educational values that underlie the museum’s work, also gently exposes its ideological fault lines. Through it all, the Israel Museum emerges as a shining example of a nation’s highest aspirations for itself. Watch the trailer.
Shalom Italia – Tamar Tal Anati
2016 | 70 Minutes | November 6-13, 2025
Three Italian Jewish brothers set off on a journey through Tuscany, in search of a cave where they hid as children to escape the Nazis. Their quest, full of humor, food and Tuscan landscapes, straddles the boundary between history and myth – both of which really, truly happened. Watch the trailer.
The Wonderful Kingdom of Papa Alaev – Tal Barda & Noam Pinchas
2016 | 74 minutes | November 20-27, 2025
A modern-day Shakespearean tale about a legendary Tajik-Israeli musical family controlled by the charismatic patriarch Papa Alaev. Only his equally strong-willed daughter, Ada, dares to resist his will. As Papa nears 80 and generations clash over new musical directions, the family show must go on. But who will lead the band? Watch the trailer.
Dead Sea Guardians – Ido Glass, Yoav Kleinman
2022 | 78 Minutes | December 4-11, 2025
The Dead Sea – shared by Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians – is a unique salt lake, known for its exceptional geographical, biological, and historical value, and is the lowest point on Earth. Tragically, the Dead Sea is drying up, causing widespread damage including huge sinkholes, abandoned beaches and collapsing roads. This is not an act of nature. This is due to overconsumption and poor water management. If action is not taken soon, very little of the Dead Sea will remain. In a region of ongoing conflict, troubled politics and destructive economics, natural resources have been exhausted and are urgently signaling their demise. To save the Dead Sea, the surrounding countries must work together. Three people – a Jordanian, an Israeli and a Palestinian – feel they cannot just stand by and do nothing. They decide on a heroic act, an unprecedented, extremely dangerous swim across the Dead Sea, from Jordan to Israel, which will draw the world’s attention to the plight of the vanishing sea. This story can only happen now – when everyone and everything has been brought to their knees: the dying sea, the water deprived countries, and the people who live along its shores. Watch the trailer.
The King of Borek – Orit Ofir Ronell
2018 | 74 minutes | December 18-25, 2025
The rise and fall of the Alkolombris – a proud family of Bulgarian bakers who immigrated to the newborn state of Israel and introduced their famous bourekas pastry.
The Alkolombris’ success was rapid, and the family bakery in Jaffa soon became a well-known establishment, drawing crowds from all over the country. This led to the first franchised food chain in Israel: “Sammy Bourekas & Sons”. Run by the younger generation, Sammy’s two sons and son-in-law, bakeries selling bourekas popped up all over Israel. Money started to flow, accompanied by an extravagant lifestyle and celeb-status parties with Israeli high-society: politicians, soccer players, actors and models. They even opened an automated bourekas factory. But as the rival siblings began to clash, jealousy, honor and greed began to tear down the family empire. Watch the trailer.
Zelda: A Simple Woman – Yair Qedar
2015 | 56 min | January 1-8, 2026
Zelda published her first book of poetry at the age of 53 and became a prominent figure in the field of Hebrew Literature. A niece of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Zelda lived alone in Jerusalem, writing poems on assorted pieces of paper, surrounded by a small court of lovers and admirers. Through never-before-seen archival footage and meetings with her lovers and her friends (among them Amos Oz and singer Chava Alberstein), the film sketches a portrait of the first religious female poet in the Hebrew canon. Watch the trailer.
Imagine No Possessions – Amir Har-Gil
2024 | 80 Minutes | January 15-22, 2026
Kibbutz Samar, a collective village in the Arava Desert, was founded in 1976 by a group of young people who envisioned a unique community based on partnership and maximal personal freedom. Har-Gil, one of the founders, returns decades later to explore how these initial ideals have held up against the test of time and the pressures of modern economic and social realities. Watch the trailer.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
-
-
- When does DocuNation start?
The first film launch is scheduled for October 23 and the first live interview is scheduled for October 26. - Does the series cost money?
Nope, the series is included in your ToI Community membership – there is no additional cost. If you still need to sign up for the ToI Community, our reader support group, click here. - Do I need to register for DocuNation?
If you’re a ToI Community member, you will be sent an email before each session — screenings and online Q&As — with a link and the date/time information. - How long is each film?
Each film is between 50 and 90 minutes. Each live discussion will be around an hour. - If I sign up for the ToI Community after October 23, can I access previous films and discussions?
You can only watch the films during the 7-day period scheduled for each. We do, however, record every webinar discussion with the filmmakers, which you can watch at your convenience, even if you sign up after the series starts. - Where can I send any questions for DocuNation? We are happy to answer any additional questions you may have. Just email us.
- When does DocuNation start?
-
-