Dafna Yachin
Directors’ Statement
“Far From Home” is deeply personal to me. I’m a first-generation American, raised by Israeli parents whose families fled Russia during the Pogroms and others survived the Holocaust. I’ve spent my life between two worlds—Israel and the U.S.—carrying both the weight of trauma and the longing to belong. Now, with my own family living through war in Israel while I watch from afar, I’ve turned that helplessness into purpose through this film.
What struck me most was watching Ukrainian children begin to heal—not just through art and therapy, but through connection. Elders who were supposed to be the ones interviewed ended up gently drawing the children out. It reminded me of the extraordinary elders in my own life, both in my multi-faith immigrant community in Harrisburg, PA, and the elders in my parents’ Israeli community, whose wisdom shaped generations. In a country where we often overlook our elders, this film offers a rediscovery of their value and the healing power they still hold.
I want to honor the quiet bravery of these children, and the compassion of the therapists and counselors who help guide their healing. At the heart of this story is the KleinLife Center. Originally founded to support Jewish families, Kleinlife is a diverse, inclusive community rooted in the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam—the call to help heal the world.
That’s what this film is about, healing across generations, across cultures, and across distance.
Todd Shotz
Director’s Statement
I spent my preschool years at KleinLife which was then called the Jewish Y. I remember taking swimming lessons in the pool and arts & crafts with my teacher Mrs. Forman. Then, many years later, my mom became COO at KleinLife, and I got to see first hand how the center has evolved in serving the Jewish community and beyond. I have been amazed by the breadth of the programs it provides especially with the Ukrainian and Russian immigrants since the 1990s and most recently for the many refugees since the war in the Ukraine began. My mom has retired from her work at KleinLife but she maintains a deep connection as one of its board members.
What drew me to wanting to make this documentary film was when KleinLife CEO Andre Krug, who I have known for many years, spoke with such passion about how his team is helping the Ukrainian refugees to feel acclimated in Philadelphia after their traumatic experiences. As a follow-up to my work making my daytime TV special about Antisemitism, I wanted my next documentary project to be about how the Jewish community has at its core the mission to help all in need.
As we have gotten to know the team Masha, Inna and Vicky, we have seen how their various therapeutic creative and storytelling programs are supporting these recent refugees. Through
my work as both a filmmaker and a Jewish educator, I have seen how we find comfort in telling
our stories. Stories make us reflect on our lives; stories move us. When the participants of
these programs share their stories with one another, the connection that is formed
we hope can start to bring about some healing from how it feels to be “far from home.”