The Story of the Jews with Simon Schama. Simon Schama presents an epic five-part series exploring the extraordinary story of the Jewish experience from ancient times to the present day. Drawing on original scholarship and Schama’s own family history, this is a story that is at once deeply historical and utterly contemporary, taking viewers on a journey from the Biblical past to tomorrow’s front pages. Traveling the globe from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, from New York and Berlin to Cairo and Jerusalem, the story unfolds with the help of a dazzling cast of historical characters, vivid storytelling, stunning location photography, and encounters with people who live with the passions and perplexities of the Jewish story today. At the heart of The Story of the Jews is a compelling argument about distinctiveness and difference, separation and isolation, tolerance and prejudice, but it is also a celebration of the ways in which Jewish thought, Jewish imagination, and Jewish achievement have transformed the world for us all.

EPISODE LISTINGS - 1. In the Beginning: Simon Schama begins his exploration of the Jewish story at the start, 3,000 years ago. 2. Among Believers: How medieval Jews struggled to preserve their identity under Christian and Islamic rule. 3. A Leap of Faith: How the enlightment allowed Jews to integrate into modern European culture and commerce. 4. Over the Rainbow: How the Jewish people of Eastern Europe made their mark on the modern world. 5. Return: How the Holocaust and the creation of Israel have changed what it means to be Jewish.