Don Canaan went from a Bronx tenement to success in television news film, immigration to Israel, return to the U.S. and print journalism. He edited news film and documentaries for NBC News in New York, and in 1974 immigrated to Israel as part of a group planning to settle Yamit in the Sinai.

Upon returning to the U.S Canaan became an unemployment statistic because news film had been superseded by videotape. The Ohio State University's School of Journalism came to the rescue with an offer to earn a master's degree while serving as an assistant in its TV news workshop.

Then Canaan was hired as staff writer, copy editor and photographer for The American Israelite where he enterprised many stories. His series, "Jews in Ohio's Prisons: Does Anybody Care?" won first place for best weekly journalism in Ohio from the State of Ohio Bar Association.