Director Jason Sherman recalls his bar mitzvah in 1975, and in particular, one gift still fascinates him 40 years later - a tree planted in his name in Israel. Keen to locate his seedling and uncover its origins, he embarks on a journey of discovery from Toronto to Tel Aviv. When he discovers that it may stand on the remains of razed Palestinian villages on a Jewish National Fund site called “Canada Park”, he is forced to question his own culpability. These afforestation projects are part of a national project to expel Palestinians off their lands, and green-wash pine forest monocultures as environmental projects. During his travel, Sherman connects with a range of people with diverse views of the JNF’s forest projects, and offers a rare in-depth glimpse into the operations of this secretive charity.

Hot Docs Film Festival 2021