American Israeli basketball legend Tal Brody charms fans at a pre-screening meet and greet session with admirers and fans at the JCC MetroWest, in West Orange, NJ, on May 21, 2019. Brody was a star of his Trenton Central NJ state champs before becoming an All-American guard at the University of Illinois in the early 1960s. A participant in the Maccabiah Games Jewish Olympics he decided to become an Israeli and after military service with both the American and Israeli armed forces, he become an established star with Maccabi Tel Aviv, gaining international recognition for the country at a critical point in its history, by leading the team to its first European pro championship 1977 in dramatic fashion. The film, `On the Map,` is a reference to Brody`s post-game interview at the European championship when he proudly proclaimed that the startling victory put Israel on the map---not only in basketball, but in all aspects of life. The film includes interviews with Israeli media chroniclers and close friends such as NBA legend Bill Walton, former NBA Commissioner David Stern, and former Israeli Ambassador to the the US and a former West Orange resident, Michael Oren. Brody, who has toured the world with the documentary, notes that it has continued to be the most popular film globally throughout the decades of Israeli film festivals.
|
