BBC Pesach programme looks at Egyptian and French exodus
Never Again: Fear and Faith in Paris, gives insight into life as a European Jew and resettling in the London Jewish community.
Jacqueline Gordon is a journalist
This year’s BBC1 Pesach programme draws comparisons between the ancient Jews who fled Egypt and French Jews who have moved to Britain to escape anti-Semitism, writes Jacqueline Gordon.
The show, which airs on 26 April, focuses on St Johns Wood synagogue, which now holds services in French.
Some 8,000 Jews have fled France since the 2015 Charli Hebdo and kosher deli attacks.
Called Never Again: Fear and Faith in Paris, the programme gives insight into life as a European Jew and resettling in the London Jewish community.
Aaqil Ahmed, the BBC’s head of religion and ethics, said: “It is a very apt story that will resonate with a Jewish audience who understand the whole concept of being in exile; but for a wider audience it presents a story that hasn’t yet been told.”
“People are leaving France because of the rising anti-Semitism which is clearly an issue, and social economic issues such as for work. There is an exile element there but a different exile element in place to that faced by Jews in ancient Egypt. There is not a direct comparison but there is a similarity.”
- Never Again: Fear and Faith in Paris will be shown at 9pm on BBC One on Tuesday 26 April.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
