Report From Charlotte, North Carolina

The OPC Awards were a wonderful event. It was a real honour to receive the Edward R. Murrow Award for the second time with my colleagues Ric Bienstock and Felix Golubev. Ric, who directed the winning film “Tales From the Organ Trade”, was funny and gracious. I got to see Bob Simon of 60 Minutes get a Lifetime Achievement Award. I hadn’t seen him since I shot “Deadly Currents” in Israel in 1989/90 during the First Intifada. I also got to meet former journalist, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Powers, who gave a keynote address. I asked her how the US is going to stop Iran from going nuclear, and this cabinet member of the Obama administration had no answers. It was disconcerting because it felt to me like the administration was going to be satisfied with cosmetics when it comes to Iran i.e., Iran will agree to take its foot off the nuclear gas until the end of Obama’s tenure and the next administration will inherit a nuclearized Islamic Republic.

Anyway, it was nice to see my colleagues in the Overseas Press Club, many of them are risking their lives on a daily basis to bring us news from very bad corners of the world.

I’ve now landed in Charlotte, NC for Shabbat and the weekend. I’m here to attend my good friend Professor James Tabor’s United Israel conference. The organization, made up of Jews and gentiles, is celebrating 70 years of support for Israel and a Torah connected spirituality. For those of you in the Charlotte area, the conference takes place April 25-27th, 2014 at the Southpark Doubletree Hotel in the Clayton Room. On Saturday night, from 8-10 pm, a screening of my film “Falasha: Exile of the Black Jews” will take place followed by a Q&A. On Sunday at 9:30 am I will be speaking about “The Archaeology of the Biblical Exodus”. I hope you can join us. You can register at the door or online here.

See also my latest blog in the Times of Israel – The Verdict is in: Jesus Wife Papyrus Authentic!