My Jerusalem: Testimonial to Life in Jerusalem before 1948 (undated, 43 min.) is a documentary that uses family photos and interviews with members of well-known Jerusalem families—the Budeirys, Dajanis, Hamarnehs, Hananias, Husseinis, Sajdis, and others—to describe life in Jerusalem before the Nakba. Through their recollections, we learn about holiday celebrations, school routines, extracurricular activities, and interactions with cousins. In 1948, they were forced to leave their homes in the suburbs of the New City that became part of West Jerusalem after Israel was established, along with nearly 75,000 other Jerusalemites.1 They speak about what was taken from them when they were exiled—homes they cherished, neighborhoods where they belonged, extended family members nearby on whom they could rely. Decades after their exile, they recount the turmoil of war, the anguish of displacement, and their profound sense of loss and yearning for a return to their rightful home.
The documentary, a production of Second Circle Films, was produced by Lubna Dajani and directed by Jon Steele.