Editor's Notes: Documentary filmed weeks before Oct. 7 essential viewing for elections years later

Jonathan Jakubowicz's documentary, "Soul of a Nation," filmed in Israel weeks before the October 7 massacre, offers a critical look at the country's internal divisions during 2023. The film captures Israelis from across the political spectrum discussing the proposed judicial overhaul, with both sides convinced they were saving the country. Jakubowicz, a Venezuelan-born Jewish director, observed that Israelis had "stopped asking each other anything" and instead directed their questions to him, an outsider. The documentary, which premiered in Israel recently, highlights how the nation's intense internal arguments persisted even after the devastating events of October 7, with the editor noting, "Less than three months before the first election Israel has held since the massacre, we are talking about each other again, in exactly the voice this film preserves, as if the worst three years in our history taught us nothing." The film aims to present a balanced view, refusing to pick a winner and featuring diverse voices from former prime ministers to protest leaders, urging viewers to reflect on the cost of such deep societal rifts.