Redrawing the People of the Book
Sarah Lefton, Executive Director of G-dcast
Sarah Lefton has held some impressive titles - tech media producer, journalist, and entrepreneur are just a few. She was also named as one of the Forward 50 most influential Jews of 2009.
I heard a story from a friend that made me reply ‘Who knew that’s Jewish?’ said Sarah, “and that made me realize I could teach people things and start an interest in a learning adventure.” That’s why since 2008, she and her crew of editors, animators, educators, and 55 diverse guest writers and narrators from across the globe have been working feverishly to restore credibility to the phrase The People of the Book. “Animation allows you to have fun because it’s playful," she says.
Sarah’s goal is to raise basic Jewish literacy by introducing the building blocks that make Jewish life accessible. Her work has impacted everyone from kids to teachers, from secular to Hassidic, sometimes even people she wouldn’t expect to hear from. To date, G-dcast has created 62 short films - all available for free on their website - based on Jewish texts that have been viewed nearly a million times on the web, social media networks and mobile devices. Their companion curricula are in use by over 3000 educators at institutions across the Jewish spectrum and around the world.
