Cupcake Dream Project - Feedback Wanted.
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I think I've mentioned this project before, but I thought this may be a smart place to get feedback.
My mother made aliyah in 1996; which is to say she emigrated and became an Israeli citizen via the Law of Return, which entitles anyone who can prove their Jewish heritage the right to become a citizen there. She passed away in 2007, and while I had been to Israel while she was alive, I haven't been since, and I've never been to her burial place.
It is of course, an insanely expensive trip, even if I was living in better means than I am now, which is basically paycheck-to-paycheck But having never said the Mourner's Prayer at her graveside or seen her headstone has weighed heavily on me, regardless of how complicated my relationship with her had been.
So I have come up with the idea over the years to crowdsource a trip to Israel, for the primary purpose of visiting my mom's grave, but also to try and discover, or rediscover, some semblance of the more spiritual aspects of myself. I'm not looking to become Orthodox, or even more religious than I am now, but I think it would be good for me.
However, the notion of simply crowdsourcing this seems kind of - I don't know. Like I'm expecting something for nothing, even though there isn't exactly a lot I can give. So I've wondered if maybe if I do engage this, I do a blog/vlog, not just of the trip itself, but of the experience of trying to fund the trip and engage with my heritage a bit more. Part of that process would be reaching out to various Jewish organizations and seeing if they're willing to offer donations as well. Would documentation of such an experience be worth people putting money into it?
Logistically, it wouldn't even go live until I have some concrete numbers. There's a lot to consider, even beyond the plane tickets, which would be insane to begin with. Hotel/Air BnB, food, travel money, passport renewal, transportation costs, etc. So before any sort of donation option was made available, those projections would go up for review.
I don't know. Would this be the sort of thing to attract people's attention, enough to make them willing to help? Is it innovative, or would it come off as just another person trying to con themselves a trip?
Feedback welcome.
"If you stand for nothing Burr, what will you fall for?"
-- Hamilton: An American Musical -
I think this is a great idea. I'd contribute to it.
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Me too! When I actually have more than two pennies to rub together. But there are times! I think the vlog or blog (or just take pictures like MOM, I'M FINE guy!), they'd all be fantastic.
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I think there is definitely potential for an interesting story. Having worked several film festivals, I have a good idea of what gets programmed. I believe your premise, if made a standard documentary and executed well-enough, has a good chance of being selected, especially with Jewish film festivals.
Speaking as someone who co-produced a feature-length documentary, doing some sort of blog or vlog would absolutely be the easiest route. Filmmaking -- especially independent filmmaking -- is a lot of work. Like, a lot a lot a lot.
To answer your questions, though, I think you have a market for the story, whether blog/vlog or standard doc. As long as you have a solid pitch, you should be able able to raise some funding from crowdsourcing. Getting funding from a film foundation is far more difficult.
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Also worth checking out:
http://www.bnaibrith.org/magazine-articles/beyond-birthright-a-niche-opportunity
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@Cupcake God this sounds like a great pilgrimage trip for you for so many good reasons. I'll keep an eye out and please keep us updated. I really hope that this happens.
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@cupcake Check with your local synagogues and rabbis as well, a lot of them do trips and may be able to offer some kind of scholarship or point you towards things that can help even if you don't do some kind of project around it. For actually planning the trip I always recommend checking out skiplagged (website) or hopper (app) for cheap flights and then if I recall correctly (though it has been uh, over a decade since I was last there) there are lots and lots of amazing hostels around that are usually cheaper than hotels and allow you to get to know your fellow travelers. Though with airbnb in the mix, I don't know that this is still true.
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Staying at kibbutz guesthouses is also an option, though they're generally separate from the communal living spaces, and not necessarily as 'authentic' an experience:
https://www.zimmeril.com/sSearch_EN.asp?Stype=1&Sreg=&Scity=&Ssubtype=@2@
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@quinn said in Cupcake Dream Project - Feedback Wanted.:
Check with your local synagogues and rabbis as well, a lot of them do trips and may be able to offer some kind of scholarship or point you towards things that can help even if you don't do some kind of project around it.
Also, your city may have a local film bureau, or something that promotes filming in the city (even my little city does). They may be able to sponsor your trip as a city-citizen, and provide a venue later for you to show it!
“It is better to live doing the things that you like. It is foolish to live within this dream of a world seeing unpleasantness and doing only things that you do not like.” -- Yamamoto Tsunetomo.
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@hedgehog Unfortunately I don't qualify for the Birthright older person trips - I'm over the age for the adult trips and too young for the senior trips. I've stayed in a kibbutz before, so that is definitely going to be amonst my list of options. I think there are even a few folks in mu*dom who reside in Israel that I might ask to look into accomodations for me at the houseguest slash kibbutz slash hostel level.
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I think this is a wonderful idea and that you should try to make it happen.
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I've been considering podcasts in lieu of blogs, but my concern would be...what do I talk about? If it's too random, it won't hold anyone's interest.
"If you stand for nothing Burr, what will you fall for?"
-- Hamilton: An American Musical -
@cupcake said in Cupcake Dream Project - Feedback Wanted.:
I've been considering podcasts in lieu of blogs, but my concern would be...what do I talk about? If it's too random, it won't hold anyone's interest.
Talk about what it is to realize this project, talk about the trip both literal and even getting there, talk about your mother, talk about what it is to be Jewish. Hell, talk politics if you want, because being religious in these days is to be political.
You have your focus, just stay around that topic and you should be fine.
You can't make anyone listen, but you can pay attention to what feedback you get. Where that feedback and your interests intersect, that's the feedback to act upon.
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You could also consult with your local chapter of the NCJW to see if they might have any resources. They'd probably be especially keen if you had an interest in the Women of the Wall or feminism in Israel or the work of the Hand in Hand school.
