G-DCAST

Ask a Jewish teenager who Captain Ahab, or Huckleberry Finn, or Elizabeth Bennet is. No problem.

But Isaiah? Ruth? Rabbi Meir? Forget about it.  

Why we exist

We’re "the People of the Book," but we’re increasingly illiterate of our own stories. G-dcast’s passionate commitment is to raise basic Jewish literacy using entertaining media that speaks to viewers where they are - not where we wish they were (synagogues, day schools, etc.) We believe that substantial learning can - and must - happen through online media, and we intend to work with established Jewish institutions to make it happen. We know that our schools, synagogues, JCCs and other agencies will benefit from online education opportunities.

Cracking open core Jewish texts for those who missed out on day school (and those who slept through it) strengthens the foundations that underlie spiritual and intellectual growth. Literacy – not pride, not community, not even our rituals - is what makes us Klal Yisrael, the entire Jewish people. We’re animated about a rich, thoughtful new media contribution to Jewish literacy.  

Our mission

G-dcast is a media production company with a nonprofit educational mission: to raise worldwide Jewish literacy, spark great conversations and revolutionize religion by demystifying core Jewish texts with accessible and entertaining media, including animated shorts, feature-length films and games.  

Our values

Pluralism & Diversity – We create content that speaks to Jews wherever they are – geographically and on the observance spectrum – and that reflects the diversity of Jewish thought…and people.

Accessibility – We make work that is engaging, clear and easy to understand, regardless of cultural/educational background or language spoken.

Affordability – Jewish texts belong to us all.  We make learning available regardless of ability to pay or proximity to institutions.

Innovation – We are devoted to a creative, cutting edge approach, in terms of process and product – even though the content itself is timeless. We will never sacrifice quality for experimentation’s sake.  

Our Products

In 2009 we animated the Torah (the Five Books of Moses) and posted it for free online at www.g-dcast.com as well as on Facebook and YouTube. A DVD will be released in the summer of 2010.

We will complete animation of the entire Tanach (Hebrew Bible) by 2014. We are in the midst of producing a series on the meaning and origins of the major Jewish holidays.

Creative teachers’ guides that emphasize comprehension and critical thinking accompany every episode that we produce. Sign up for our mailing list to stay informed about new work as it launches!  

The Team
Sarah Lefton, Executive Director and Producer
Sarah began her career in educational digital media at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, and went on to produce projects for The New York Times on the Web, the Village Voice, Princess Cruises, and several robotics companies. You may have heard about the social media avalanche she created for NutsOnline.com to “Save Jericho!,” the ill-fated but much-loved CBS drama starring Skeet Ulrich.

After leaving the tech media scene, Sarah served as JCCA Camp Tawonga’s Marketing and Outreach Director, doing outreach to unaffiliated youth and families, particularly in underserved communities, for year-round programs. She started the clothing brand JewishFashionConspiracy.com during that time, and blogged about Jewish and secular arts and culture for Jewschool and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Sarah is a past President of San Francisco’s pluralist independent Mission Minyan, and a marketing consultant sought-after by Jewish organizations and consumer brands. Her writing has been in publications as diverse as The New York Times, Yediot Achronot and Zeek. She serves on the board of the JCC of San Francisco and co-chairs its Jewish adult education committee. Sarah was named one of the Forward 50 most influential Jews of 2009, and is a recipient of the Joshua Venture Group fellowship for Jewish social entrepreneurs.  She was a guest of the Obamas at the 2010 reception at the White House for Jewish Heritage Month.

Matthue Roth, Editorial Director
Matthue Roth is an acclaimed writer, dynamic performer and student of Torah. In his 2005 memoir Yom Kippur A Go Go and 2004 teen novel Never Mind the Goldbergs, he combines his experience growing up in the Philadelphia punk scene with his life as a practicing Orthodox Jew, mixing in meditations on sexuality, gender, and the conflict between vegetarianism and his grandmother’s cooking.  Matthue is an associate editor at MyJewishLearning.com, where he also blogs and produces video clips about Jewish life. He has performed in HBO’s Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, the National Queer Arts festival, and Chabad’s San Francisco Menorah Lighting. His writing appears in most major Jewish publications, and he’s toured 4 of 5 continents as a solo performer.

Jeanne Stern, Lead Animator
Jeanne Stern creates surreal microcosms using animation and experimental puppetry techniques. Her work has shown internationally at venues including the Smithsonian, the Athens Video Art Festival, SXSW, PBS, the Providence Children’s Museum, Berlin’s Werk-Raum Gallery, and Heather Henson’s Handmade Puppet Dreams traveling puppet film festival. In 2009 she animated a short documentary, “Yizkor,” directed by Ruth Fertig, which earned a Student Academy Award.  In 2010 Jeanne’s film “Sprout” received Best Animation/ Experimental Film at the West Virginia Mountaineer Film Festival.  

Our Contributors
The 55 guest writers and narrators who are the weekly voice of G-dcast are an extremely diverse group. They are female and male, gay, straight and transgendered, living with disabilities, black, white and multiracial, Jews by choice and Jews by birth. They are single, married, young and old, Jewish professionals and rabbis, and represent every movement of Judaism, including the  secular one. They are right and left wing, unknown, famous and infamous. They live in California, New York, Texas, Illinois, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, London, Melbourne and the middle of nowhere.  

Our Supporters
G-dcast is made possible by the generous financial and creative support of the following organizations:

Individual Donors
G-dcast is delighted to have the support of individual donors including:

Tina DF Dinitz
The Khasidy Family
Leslie Schultz
Congregation Beth Israel of Houston, Texas
Howard Freeman
Alicia Cole
Charles Lowenstein
Susan Spivack
Marlene Herman
Kathryn Lambert
Jeffrey Brown

...and many more anonymous donors

Make a Donation
G-dcast is fiscally sponsored by the San Francisco Film Society. Your donations are tax deductible.

We encourage you to be old fashioned, and send a paper check if you have the time - it saves us 3% in credit card processing fees. Make checks out to the San Francisco Film Society with "G-dcast donation" indicated on the memo line. Mail to:

San Francisco Film Society
39 Mesa Street, Suite 110
The Presidio
San Francisco CA 94129-1025

Thank you for supporting independent Jewish film!

Contact Us
We'd love to field your feedback, inquiries, interviews, and collaborative ideas for future projects. Our G-dcast Live program brings us to cities around the world for in-person workshops for families, teens and adults, screenings and other speaking opportunities. You can contact us here.