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The Story of the Jews

Simon Schama

Nicolas Kent

Ella Bahaire

Tim Kirby

The Story of the Jews: Episode 3: A Leap of Faith

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Factual: History

A Leap of Faith

Episode 3

Episode 3: A Leap of Faith

BBC Two - The Story of the Jews, A Leap of Faith

How the Enlightenment allowed Jews to integrate into modern European culture and commerce.

Documentary series. Simon Schama examines how the Enlightenment brought the ghetto walls crashing down and how this integration ultimately stirred up old prejudices.

Simon Schama explores the bright, hopeful moment when Enlightenment thinkers and revolutionary armies brought ghetto walls crashing down - allowing Jews to weave their wisdom, creativity and energies into the very fabric of modern life in Europe. 

One of the most of fruitful branches of this Jewish renaissance was in music, and the stellar careers of Giacomo Meyerbeer and Felix Mendelssohn established the enduring tradition for Jewish musical prodigies. However, the remarkably successful integration of Jewish talent into the mainstream of European culture and commerce stirred up the ghosts of ancient prejudice, decked out in the new clothes of romantic nationalism and the pseudo-science of anti-semitism. The road to the hell of the Holocaust was paved by the diatribes of Richard Wagner, while the trial of Alfred Dreyfus led Theodor Herzl to conclude that without a homeland of their own, Jews would never be free of the millennia-old persecution.

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BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Simon Schama explores the Jewish story from ancient times to the present day.

Simon Schama explores the story of the Jewish experience from ancient times to the present day

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The Story of the Jews

Episode 3: A Leap of Faith

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