My Tree is a documentary based on the history and events surrounding the Jewish people. Jason Sherman was given a tree as a gift which was planted in Israel using his name. He can’t remember who gave him the tree and the reason but he recalls receiving the gift. There are a lot of people telling him he has a connection to the Jewish tribe; in Jewish tradition, gifting trees is a way of bestowing environmental responsibility and a direct connection to the land of Israel at a young age.
After 40 years, Jason decides to look where the tree was planted. He starts the journey of tracing where the tree was planted and its meaning. It’s a rough journey since he doesn’t know in which region of Israel the tree was planted. He tours several countries trying to gather information so as to be able to find the tree.
The first region he goes to is Tel Aviv where he conducts some interviews with people who explain to him the history of Israel.
His frustration and exhaustion are tested more as his request for an interview with members of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) is repeatedly rejected. This raises a couple of questions concerning his heritage and what the JNF stands for.
My Tree is a documentary that doesn’t only involve the search for the tree but digs deeper into the history of Israel. Through his interviews, Jason learns more about his people’s history. After his return to Canada, he meets with a former official of the JNF who explains how the organization plays its games in planting trees and raising funds through the blue box.
Almost to the end of an eye-opening journey, he flies to the US where he meets a former resident of Imwas village who explains how Palestinians were violently removed from their homes now buried under the park. The destruction caused by JNF uprooted their good lives. Planting the tree in Israel was an act of injustice that was done under Jason’s name.
My Tree is an invigorating look at the undercurrents of Jewish and Palestine people and the chain of events that most don’t know. It is also an interesting examination of Jason’s personal journey and raises important questions that we all have to ask ourselves at some point. It is a thrilling watch.
What subjects or college majors would benefit from the content covered in this film?
My Tree is an educational documentary that involves environmental conservation as well as the history of Israel. The film is more suitable for environmental science and history majors. It shows them the importance of ecosystem conservation and also knowing one’s own identity.
What can this educational documentary be used as a resource for?
It would be a valuable resource for academic and public library collection as well as in high school and college classrooms looking into Jewish history as well as environmental classes.