To all of you who made mention of the lack of interest of Freds grandchildren...or that his children and grandchildren have not been to Israel I welcome you to email me with your questions and comments before leaping to such conclusions based on 2 minutes of a two hour meeting with Avishai. My name is Debbie Monosson, daughter of Sonny Monosson, Fred's only son. I live in Boston and my email is djm200@hotmail.com. You know nothing about the man...or his descendents...you know only what he saw through a camera lens and his commitment to Israel.

Dear Avishai Kfir:   I just viewed " I was there in color."   What a great story.   I would say you did a great  job with what you started with and the result is magnificent.   Please accept my congratulations.   Your script is excellent telling the story of how all this came about and it is especially memorable when you say you never met Fred Monosson-- yet he had to wait for you to come along later to put all this together, as you have done so effectively.   I also wanted to mention that  using Phillip Glass' music was a superb choice.   I will keep checking with the Boston Jewish Film Festival for viewing times because I want to tell people about it and have them see it for themselves.   I wish you well in all your endeavours with this material.   Irene Garfinkle

A very touching and powerful film. Well done! Just leaves us wanting more.

Ben.

Shavua Tov

We just watched your great production. It really gave an insight into a great country and an exceptional man. I had never heard of him, although he was obviously a very influential person.

I am glad I was forwarded a link to the YouTube about your work.

The only regret was that his grandchildren did not acquire any part of his committment or enthusiasm.

The bonus disk would be enhanced by a little commentary, or even music.

Kol ha-kavod. WELL DONE.

So I want to tell you that I and my wife finally watched the entire film which you sent – and it was captivating and well done. But I want you to know the abbreviated version in Hebrew with you as the MC – was even more captivating because of your own bubbling personality and love of Israel and of Jews.

Do you think there is any way to get Fred Monosson’s grandchildren or great-grandchildren to come and visit Israel – either via Birth Right or some other organization that specializes in bringing American youth to Israel? It seems that we owe it to “Ephraim” Monossson. There was apparently a disconnect between Fred’s intense Zionistic activities and his children and grand-children.

You yourself made the point of the intense Jewishness of the American Jews of Monosson’s period – perhaps because there was still that connection with Europe and the memory of a Grandparent or Great-Grandparent. But now, if they are not religious, it seems that the Jewish psychic content of American Jews is diminishing at an astonishingly rapid pace. What puzzles me is that even the majority of the strongly committed Orthodox are also satisfied just to stay in the US.

I am an Israeli who lives in Boston.  I had the fortune to meet Mr. Fred Monnoson when I arrived here in 1964 as a student.  Mr. Monnoson was one of the giants among american Zionists.  Not only was he involved what you discovered as a documetor of the Zionist project in Palestine/Israel, he was also active here in Boston in many activities toward the establishment of the state.  I was told that he was involved in buying and smuggling guns ti Israel.  He was among the founder on Camp Young Judaea, a Zioninst camp in nearby New Hampshire.  This is the camp where Yoni Netanyahu spent time as a councilor.  When I arrived he was involved in providing medical services and medicine to the Isaelis who were studying in the Boston area, such as Harvard and MIT.  By the way Kfar Monoson is named after him.  We all owe a great gratitude to this special person.  Thank you Fred.  Zecher Tzadik Livracha.

I am blown away by this film.

And-to find my father on it was amazing. He is the man holding President Weizmann's right arm in the scene with Ben Gurion.  Name: Harry Levine. This was at the dedication of the Wezmann Institute.

Thank you for the gargantuan effort to produce this film.