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Miriam and Youssef

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Drama: Relationships & Romance

A 10-part drama about the founding of Israel

A 10-part drama about the founding of Israel.  Miriam is a Jewish immigrant to Palestine, and Youssef is an Arab inhabitant driven into exile.

A 10-part drama about the founding of Israel. Miriam is a Jewish immigrant to Palestine, and Youssef is an Arab inhabitant driven into exile. At the heart of it all is the city of Jerusalem.

Miriam and Youssef: Miriam and Youssef: Ep 3. The Holy Places

Factual

13/05/2020 GMT

Ep 3. The Holy Places

BBC World Service - Miriam and Youssef, Miriam and Youssef, Ep 3. The Holy Places

1929. Violence seems unavoidable as tensions grow over access to Jerusalem’s sacred sites

1929. Violence threatens as tensions grow over Jerusalem’s sacred sites - and the ruling British seem powerless to prevent it. Episode three of the epic drama.

1929. The drama series continues. Tensions boil in Jerusalem. Arabs and Jews feel they are being denied access to holy sites. Both take to the streets in protest - and the ruling British seem powerless to prevent blood being spilt in the holy city.

Written by Steve Waters

CAST
Miriam: Shani Erez
Youssef: Amir El-Masry
Young Miriam: Ava Merson-O’Brien
Young Youssef: Jo Ben Ayed
Sara: Jessica Turner
Yehoshua: Philip Arditti
Abu Khalid: Rami Nasr
Zahra: Lara Sawalha
Harry Lister: Blake Ritson
Mahmoud: Daniel Rabin
The Mufti: Dana Haqjoo
Major Dennis: Clive Hayward
Judah Magnes: Neil McCaul
The Rabbi: Elliot Levey
Other parts: Heather Craney and Hasan Dixon

Original music: Glenn Sharp
Sound design: Caleb Knightley
Produced by Radio Drama London for BBC World Service

Miriam and Youssef: Miriam and Youssef

BBC World Service

A ten part drama exploring the founding of Israel.

An epic ten-part drama charts the turbulent decades leading up to the founding of Israel.

Miriam and Youssef, a ten part series for the BBC World Service, dramatising the tragic history of the founding of Israel.  Driving it is a dual narrative, told by two former neighbours: Miriam, a Jewish Immigrant to Palestine and Youssef, a Palestinian Arab driven into exile in 1948 - both asking the question, ‘how did we get here?’.  
At its heart is the city of Jerusalem, during the three decades of the British Mandate, represented by a third core character Harry Lister, an idealistic colonial official avid to implement the ‘Balfour Declaration’ but increasingly disenchanted with its implications. 
The history of the creation of Israel is a story of triumph and disaster, of attacks and reprisals, of good intentions and misunderstandings. The series highlights the fact that at one moment one group may rejoice while another despairs. Although Big Events are taking place, both in Palestine and across the world during this period, and although it includes some important historical characters and epic scenes of riot and battle, the story is told through the intimate personal experiences of Miriam and Youssef and their families.

Although the series is fictional, it is based on fact. Every effort has been made to ensure that the series is culturally, linguistically and historically accurate.

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Miriam and Youssef

Miriam and Youssef

Ep 3. The Holy Places

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