Blog

2023: What a Year!

December 29, 2023

Thank you for your support in helping propel us to one of the most successful and impactful years ever! During these dark times, we see light in the power of art as a unifying force, bringing people together to create greater empathy. Reboot produces contemporary Jewish cultural content that engages, educates and inspires. Our work, along with accompanying resources and curriculum, expands and energizes the Jewish conversation and experience. We are helping to tell a new generation of positive, diverse Jewish stories – critically needed to bring brightness and insight to these challenging times.

What a Year!

We’ve just had a film shortlisted for The Oscars. That, on top of our first Broadway credit earlier this year, has us kvelling. We engaged 5.5 million people in our projects. And Reboot Studios’ commitment to new Jewish projects now tops a half a million dollars of support for television, film, podcasts, music, theater and publishing content.

With the alarming rise in antisemitism, our work has become more important than ever and we are inspired by the many creators seeking our support. But the ceiling of our impact is dependent on the funding we raise to empower artists to tell their stories. We would be honored if you would consider a year-end gift to Reboot. Any last minute gifts will be carried over to next year to provide additional project support. Your contribution will allow us to continue reaching a broad audience while developing inspirational and powerful new Jewish content.

Empowering Storytellers

At this unprecedented time in the Jewish world, in the midst of a historic rise in antisemitism, we believe that reclaiming Jewish narratives is more important than ever. Reboot Studios, the production arm of Reboot, funds and develops content for theater, television, film, podcasts, music and publishing, empowering storytellers to transform society through a Jewish lens.

THE ANNE FRANK GIFT SHOP Just shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short, the new film from Mickey Rapkin is a dark comedy short about collective trauma, the Holocaust—and tote bags. Full film streaming for a limited time at GQ.com.

JUST FOR US Reboot was a co-producer for the award-winning, one man show starring Obie Award winner Alex Edelman that explored identity and our collective capacity for empathy.

JUST THE TIP A provocative short film on male circumcision, religion and ritual from Reboot Studios and comedian Jessie Kahnweiler.

WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE From filmmaker Jacob Kornbluth, a short documentary exploring the role of the punk subculture in fighting back against white nationalists, featuring the story of Eric K. Ward.

KITCHEN RADIO PODCAST A podcast using food and ritual to explore the oft-overlooked Jewish history and heritage of Jewish communities from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, starring and produced by Regine Basha and Nathalie Basha.

BORSCHT BELT MUSEUM & FESTIVAL A dynamic, multimedia museum project exploring the golden age of the Jewish Catskills era and its outsized impact on mainstream American culture, which hosted its first festival this summer with art, comedy, food and more.

The Power of Conversation

The world is an ever-complicated place and will be even more complicated in the coming years. Reboot has seen first-hand the power of imagination and uncensored dialogue to translate and inspire the big issues of our time. Reboot hosts the critical conversations evolving the Jewish experience and impacting  society.

This year, our Reboot Ideas conversations engaged actress, director, and producer Elizabeth Banks, award-winning actress and activist Alysia Reiner, civil rights strategist Eric Ward, photographer Gillian Laub, bestselling author Adam Mansbach and more.

MONSTER MASH NY Times bestselling author Adam Mansbach and Dr. Justin Sledge, a professor with an emphasis on Jewish esotericism and the occult, discussed the historical and contemporary connection between the legend of the golem and Jewish links between the supernatural, creativity and tikkun olam (repairing the world). Moderated by Angelique Power of The Skillman Foundation.

WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE Emmy-winning filmmaker Jacob Kornbluth, civil rights strategist Eric K. Ward, and Molly Neuman (Downtown Music Holdings) joined in a conversation moderated by Jessica Yellin of News Not Noise. They explored the role of the punk subculture in fighting back against white nationalists in Kornbluth’s new film We’ve Been Here Before.

THE ANNE FRANK GIFT SHOP Actress, director and producer, Elizabeth Banks, and Anne Frank Gift Shop filmmaker Mickey Rapkin discuss his dark comedy short about collective trauma, the Holocaust—and tote bags.

THE ART OF VISUAL ACTIVISM Artist Gillian Laub and independent curator Maya Benton explore how art interrogates areas of societal conflict and how Jewish values permeate her work, especially in this moment of polarized politics.

Influencing the Cultural Zeitgeist

In 2023, Reboot radically expanded our cultural consultation work with studios, media companies, and creatives. Working with partners such as the TV Academy,  Nickelodeon and Penguin Random House, Reboot provided vital guidance on reaching Jewish audiences and providing authentic Jewish themes and representation in multiple forms of content, spanning many of the most popular platforms and reaching millions of viewers. Reboot also attended Variety’s first ever Summit on Hollywood and Antisemitism alongside some of the top creatives in the entertainment industry.

Looking Ahead

With many great projects in the Studio pipeline, Reboot is eager to jump into 2024. We hope you will join us!

ISRAEL THERAPY: A new column in The Forward by Libby Lenkinski and a forthcoming podcast produced in partnership with Reboot Studios.

THE BORING STUFF: From Alysia Reiner (Ms. Marvel, Orange is the New Black) and Shaina Feinberg (The Babymooners), a new comedy series on Tikkun Olam.

AKIVA AND SALIM: From Sarah Solemani (Ridley Road) a film showcasing Sephardic Jewish practices, underlying values of social justice and challenging stereotypes about males in the Middle East.

RABBI REX: A documentary that follows transmasculine artist and Sephardic Jew Marval Rechsteiner on his spiritual journey to become a Rabbi.