Videos

View some of our multimedia content

ELCA Produced Videos

• “Peace Not Walls: Making a Difference in the Holy Land,” offers a dynamic introduction to the work of Peace Not Walls, the ELCA campaign dedicated to peace with justice in Israel-Palestine. (2009)
• "Understanding Islam"  is a, 30-minute video documentary. What do Muslims believe? Who was the Prophet Mohammed? How does Islam relate to the Christian faith? This classic issue of MOSAIC will help members of your congregation gain insight and understanding into Islam, which is a mystery to many people. (2003)
• "Forbidden Family" is a story about the separation barrier and its effect on one Lutheran Palestinian family. This 9-minute video is a great way to help your congregation understand the conflict in the Holy Land from the perspective of Lutheran Palestinians. A user's guide is also downloadable. (2007)
• "Wailing Walls" is a 3-minute reflection on the walls of Jerusalem and Bethlehem from the Bishops' trip to the Holy Land as shared by ELCA videographer Brett Nelson. (2009)
• A 1999 episode of MOSAIC entitled "Healing in a Holy Land" , features Augusta Victoria Hospital and health care in the West Bank and education for the future through the schools of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.
• "Through my Eyes"  is the story of two young-adult women, one an American Lutheran, Hmong Ly, and the other a Palestinian Lutheran, Louna Tanous. As the two get to know each other on a trek through the Holy Land, we learn a lot about the current conflict in the Middle East. (1999, 16 minutes)
• "A Time For Speaking, A Time for Peace" was produced in 1989 by the ELCA Division for Global Mission. Though an older video, the issues provide background to the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, including some source issues to the intifada that began in 1987. (26 minutes)
• "Covenantal Conversations: Christians in Dialogue with Jews" contains nine interviews (each approx. 20 minutes) on various aspects of Jewish-Christian dialogue. The conversations explore the implications of recent studies and dialogues for Christians today. These interviews can be used on their own, or they can be used to introduce the chapters found in Covenantal Conversations: Christians in Dialogue with Jews and Judaism, edited by Darrell Jodock (Fortress, 2008). You will also find there a free, downloadable study guide for the book. Together this DVD, the book, and the study guide provide the materials needed for a nine-session study examining Jewish-Christian relations.

Videos from other Sources

Many of the views expressed in the materials listed below do not reflect official positions of the ELCA. This is only a small sample of the many available videos.

• "Keys to Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict"  is a talk given June 2010 by Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb in Madison, WI. Bright Stars of Bethelhem has now posted the talk in seven parts broken down around the seven points that Rev. Raheb centers his talk on: 1. Too Many Peace Processes and Too Little Peace, 2. Too Much Politics and Too Little Care for the People, 3. Too Much Religion and Too Little Spirituality, 4. Too Much Humanitarian Aid and Too Little Empowering Aid, 5. Too Much Passion and Too Little Compassion, 6. Too Obsessed by the Past and Too Little Focus on the Future & 7. Too Much Pessimism-Optimism and Too Little Hope.
• "Budrus" is a documentary about a Palestinian community organizer, Ayed Morrar, who unites local Fatah and Hamas members along with Israeli supporters in an unarmed movement to save his village of Budrus from destruction by Israel’s Separation Barrier. Success eludes them until his 15-year-old daughter, Iltezam, launches a women’s contingent that quickly moves to the front lines. Struggling side by side, father and daughter unleash an inspiring, yet little-known, movement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories that is still gaining ground today. The film is currently only being screened but will be available for purchase soon.
• "With God On Our Side" looks at the theology of Christian Zionism, a type of Christian occupational theology, and its belief that Jews have a divine right to the land of Israel and how this belief has led some Western Christians to unconditionally support the State of Israel, sometimes at the expense of the Palestinians. It also explores alternative biblical interpretations of how Christians can and have engaged this land and its peoples without prejudicing one over the other.
• "Little Town of Bethlehem" is a documentary that follows the story of three men of three different faiths and their lives in Israel and Palestine. These stories explores each man’s choice of nonviolent action amidst a culture of overwhelming violence. The film looks at the struggle to promote equality through nonviolent engagement in the midst of incredible violence that has dehumanized all sides.
• "Steadfast Hope:  The Palestinian Quest for Just Peace"  is a 44-page booklet and an 80-minute DVD produced by the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church USA.  The user’s guide suggests ways to do a one-session, four-session or seven-session series.  View the video or order copies of the resource at the above link.
• "New Hope for Peace: What America Must Do to End the Israel-Palestine Conflict" tells the story of four American statesmen, Jimmy Carter, James Baker, Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski, who believe the Israel-Palestinian conflict can be resolved and say the time is right for a new U.S. initiative. This 20-minute DVD is presented by Landrum Bolling with cooperation from the Foundation for Middle East Peace and Mercy Corps International. You can preview the video at YouTube.
• "The Voices Behind the Wall"  is a Twin Cities television report on realities for West Bank Palestinians by a news anchor accompanying an ELCApastor. The 8-minute video includes comments from ELCJHL Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb.
• “Building Holy Land Peace”  comes from an appearance by Congressman Keith Ellison who represents Minnesota’s 5th District in the House of Representatives. On a Holy Land visit early in 2009, he observed humanitarian services to Palestinians in Gaza and at the Lutheran-supported Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem. Ambassador (Ret.) Warren Clark is the executive director of Churches for Middle East Peace, a coalition of 22 church agencies, including the Washington Office of the ELCA. The two spoke together at several Minneapolis congregations recently on the topic “Building Holy Land Peace: Will Americans Play a New Role?”
• "It’s PalesTIME" presents a sober assessment of the degree to which Holy Land travelers omit Bethlehem from their itineraries or visit the city only briefly. As a result, these visitors often miss the valuable experiences of holy sites and Palestinian hospitality and culture. In addition, Palestinians are denied their fair share of the tourism dollars flowing into Israel each year.
• "Encounter Point" is an 85-minute feature documentary film that follows a former Israeli settler, a Palestinian ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother and a wounded Palestinian bereaved brother who risk their lives and public standing to promote a nonviolent end to the conflict. Their journeys lead them to the unlikeliest places to confront hatred within their communities. The film explores what drives them and thousands of other like-minded civilians to overcome anger and grief to work for grassroots solutions. It is a film about the everyday leaders in our midst.
• "Voices from the Holy Land" is available in all ELCA synod resource centers. This 45-minute video captures the thoughts and impressions of people in the Holy Land, especially the Episcopal diocese of Jerusalem, other Christians, Muslims and members of the Israeli peace movement. They incarnate for us the people there who so often are stereotyped in our consciousness. Comes with study guide.
• "After the Storm: Power and Peace in the Middle East" was produced by Friendship Press in 1992. This video, still relevant today, provides an overview of the Middle East as a center of world history for 5000 years. (29 minutes)
• "Caught in the Crossfire" is a PBS program on Arab-Americans featuring ELCA pastor Khader el-Yateem. Since the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, the spotlight has been shone on immigrants as never before. Foll the lives of three immigrants living in New York as they struggle to negotiate their lives in a changed America.
• "Stuck With the Truth" 30 minutes. Video. 2002. This video is based on the February 2001 Sabeel international solidarity gathering in Jerusalem and includes clips from conference speakers, interviews with key Sabeel members, scenes from worship services, and background footage of Palestinian communities in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The film is intended primarily for the education of faith groups seeking insight into the conflict in Israel/Palestine, with the hope that viewers will be inspired to become active in striving for justice and peace for the region.
  Available from Friends of Sabeel —North America, PO Box 9186, Portland, OR 97207 USA. tel: (503) 653-6625; friends@fosna.org.
• "The Iron Wall"  [April 2006] is a 58 minute film from Palestine that also includes interviews with Israelis.
• "Searching for Peace in the Middle East"  is a 30 minute overview with many Israeli and Palestinian perspectives; produced by peace maker Landrum Bolling and the Foundation for Middle East Peace.

Video Workshop

Lutheran documentary filmmaker Tim Frakes recently led video workshops for Palestinian Lutheran school students. The free workshops taught high school students the basics of website and video production.