KAN 11 Short Documentary about the TMSP

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the creators of ‘Docutym’, a documentary series produced by Israel’s Public Broadcasting Corporation. They told me that filmmaker Itay Asher was interested in creating a short feature about the Temple Mount Sifting Project. I have to admit—I was a bit concerned.

Docutym specializes in very short documentary films. I usually need two full hours just to begin explaining our story, so how could anyone possibly convey it in just five minutes? I was also concerned that the editing process might take things out of context—especially since our work involves analyzing archaeological finds that were themselves removed from their original contexts. Explaining our statistical methods and how they reveal the unique material culture of the Temple Mount—even to archaeologists—usually takes time and nuance.

But when Itay came to film and kept stopping me every time I tried to go into detailed explanations—telling me I’d already lost him—I realized he might actually be the perfect person to deliver our story into something accessible to the broader public and to younger audience.

After two days of filming, we ended up with a five-minute video. Here it is—the final result.