The Spielberg Jewish Film Archive in Jerusalem has released a book and a movie, both on Zionist and Israel subjects. One reveals the history of Zionist film, while the other covers the first decades of the city of Tel Aviv.
The book Fresh Wind: The First Zionist Film in Palestine1899-1902, by Joseph Halachmi, focuses on the use of film to promote Zionism. The first Zionist film was developed following a meeting between Theodor Herzl and Avraham Neufeld, the book reveals.
The Spielberg Archive's latest movie, A Legend in the Dunes, covers the first several decades of Tel Aviv's history. The movie opens prior to the establishment of the city, beginning Tel Aviv's story when Herzl first visited the area.
The movie makes use of archived photos and images to tell the story of the city until the year 1949, shortly after the establishment of the modern State of Israel. The film was produced in cooperation with the Jerusalem Cinematheque and Yaakov Gross, and was released in honor of Tel Aviv's 100th anniversary.
The Spielberg Archive also recently created a page on the social networking site Facebook, allowing fans to rate online content and follow the release of new books and films.