An in-person screening of "In Protest," a documentary about leading Israeli women's rights and democracy activist Moran Zer Katzenstein, founder of the nationwide women's movement "Bonot Alternativa" (Building an Alternative).
Monday, November 30, 20267:00 PM - 8:30 PMRoyce Hall, Room 314UCLA CampusLos Angeles, CA 90095
This in-person screening will be followed by a conversation with Moran Zer Katzenstein, the film's subject and the founder of Bonot Alternativa.
Registration for this event is required. After registering, you will be emailed an RSVP confirmation. If you do not receive your email confirmation, please check your spam or junk mail folders.
Organized by the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies.
Before October 7th, in a deeply polarized Israel, Moran Zer Katzenstein’s transformation from high-tech executive to feminist leader placed her at the forefront of a nationwide struggle for women’s rights, justice, and secular democracy. As she mobilized thousands, her movement became both a symbol of hope and a target of fierce backlash. The war of October 7th shatters the nation—and her worldview—while reshaping the public sphere, uniting a divided society and redefining priorities. As national consensus strengthens, the protest movement takes on a new agenda, confronting not only internal challenges but also global pressures and the erasure of Jewish women’s voices. Intimate and urgent, the film follows a woman navigating leadership at a historic turning point, showing that even in times of war, standing up for one’s beliefs carries both courage and cost—and remains vital for the future of any democracy.
In Protest was directed by Paula Kweskin and Carli Fogel and produced by The 49%, a media company founded by Kweskin to champion women's rights through storytelling.
The film highlights "the protests as a defining feature of Israeli life for the last three and a half years, and as a symbol of the strength of the country’s civil society," reported The Times of Israel.
About the Speakers
Moran Zer Katzenstein is the founder of Bonot Alternativa, a leading activist organization in Israel dedicated to advancing women’s rights and gender equality. Under her leadership, Bonot has grown rapidly, uniting over 120,000 women from diverse sectors across Israel. The organization champions the integration of women into all levels of public decision-making, combating the threat of democracy backsliding and its implications for women in Israeli society.
In just three years, Moran transformed Bonot into a powerful national movement with activists in more than 80 towns and cities. The organization has played a pivotal role in recent pro-democracy demonstrations, highlighting crucial issues such women rights and the role of the high court, religious legislation and protection of women's rights and more. After the October 7th attack, Moran and Bonot Alternativa were leading activists in highlighting issues of gender-based sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas terrorists as well as issues of the need to include and protect women in military roles.
Before founding Bonot, Moran held executive roles in global corporations including Google, Coca-Cola, L’Oréal, and Playtika.
Maura Kleeman Resnick (moderator) is the Senior Advisor at the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. Maura served as the Center's Executive Director for many years, during which she strengthened the center’s presence at UCLA, in Los Angeles and in the larger Israel Studies academic network; managed the Center’s public programming on diverse aspects of Israel; coordinated Center-supported teaching in Israel Studies; and served as chief administrative officer.
Maura lived in Israel for several years and maintains extensive professional and personal ties to the country.
DISCLAIMER: The views or opinions of our guest speakers and the content of their presentations do not necessarily reflect the views of the UCLA Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. Hosting speakers does not constitute an endorsement of the speaker's views or opinions.