We are British Jews - BBC2

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Anyone watching? I am finding it very interesting and think it's an excellent mix of people they've thrown together

We watched. There are some people on both sides that dont listen. Was interesting viewing though

There are. I was disappointed with Ella walking off and she's starting to grate on me, and Duncan I think following.

I thought they both should really have squirmed when set the example by the two men who lost their daughters in the suicide attack as it is possible for them to have respect for each other

Lilly and Emma and Joseph I really like, I can't remember the others so much

It is very interesting viewing as I really don't know as much as I feel I should

the men who's daughters had died were so inspiring. if only their message of peace could be heard more widely

I found it disappointing that the girl (Ella?) wasn’t at the meeting with the Jewish and Palestinian men who’d lost their daughters. She “wasn’t well” I gather but I really think she’d have gained something from that meeting, however at the end of the programme I felt like she hadn’t learned much.

Very interesting programme and I don’t envy the producers having to carefully give both sides of a very messy and complex picture

Yes I felt like the "not well" really didn't paint her in a good light and along with her comments to the goats/sheep I thought she was a cow then but could have been edited rather than her actually being a stuck up princess. She may actually have been ill and it just cut the way it looked bad

I doubt she was ill. I missed the first five minutes of the first episode so I don’t know their stories and backgrounds. Was it just the young fella that was orthodox or was Ella as well?

At the end the girl (Ellie ?) proudly said she’d stayed ‘true’ to her beliefs which I took to mean she hadn’t changed her mind about anything and probably never intended to going by her demeanour throughout the programme. This kind of defeated the object of the show which was surely to encourage the participants to examine and question their securely held beliefs.
Was fascinated by the guy who had never visited Israel. The trip there obviously had an understandably emotional effect on him - possibly strengthened his sense of Jewish identity but it also closed his mind to the experiences of others.

He just came accross as been rude. As did Ellie.

I saw the second episode last night, missed the first but will catch up.

It was extremely interesting and, at times, very moving.

Jews in England really have little idea about Israel and Palestine and that was apparent in the programme.

Yup, very good programme.

I watched.
An all I could get from it is that even when confronted with true accurate accounts of what it’s truly like to live in Israel/Palestine, An with stories of loss an hardship on both sides , the group did not change any of their view/standpoints.From the start Ellie has firmly believed the “settlers” do nothing wrong, even with evidence.its so entrenched in her an she’s only young so this has been cultivated into her.
Good programme but nothing gained for the group or anyone watching that people can change.

Can we move this to tv?

"Jews in England really have little idea about Israel and Palestine and that was apparent in the programme." This is largely true but I would extend that to "most people in England"(and elsewhere come to that).

I found it very confusing I think I need to watch it again

Hi, we're moving this thread over to our Telly Addicts topic. Hope that's okay.

very impressed with Lilly and Emma and Joseph and Simon whom agreed that good dialogue was needed to be made between Palestinians and the Jewish people, but sadly some of the members looked as if they took advantage of what looked like a free holiday and probably a decent wage
did not like the comment that Ella made regarding Halal meat and slaughtering, there was no need for that type of comment you could tell she had a one sided view and nothing could change that which a I respect but to walk off and make nasty comments was totally unacceptable

Jews in England really have little idea about Israel and Palestine and that was apparent in the programme.

I wouldnt say necessarily just the Jewish community, the pro Palestinians in the UK seem equally one sided.
Thoroughly interesting programme- i didnt particularly expect anyone to radically change their views, though some were more closed off than others. Have to say I do love Alan.

Its interesting when you compare the programme to the original Muslim experiment "Muslims like us"- where debates got a lot more heated and divisive, mainly driven by the converts within the group.

I thought it was really well done. Attitudinal change takes a long time. It’s unlikeky those who say they haven’t changed their views will be unaffected. The trip and experiences and people they met will percolate and add to their life experience. It would be so interesting to revisit the group in five years or so to see how they feel about it looking back.

Very interesting and informative program. Taught me a lot about the history. I'd like to know more...

I wondered whether there was a thread about this. I grew up hearing my (Lebanese) grandmother badmouthing Jews because they had 'thrown my family off their land so many times' and used to try to be balanced and understand both sides of the arguments. Most of her family fled to the US and did very well for themselves (think they are mostly medics now). However, one of my great uncles lives in Gaza and life is horrific for him and his family. My parents support them financially otherwise they would starve.

So I found the entrenched positions of the Zionist Jews very hard to hear, especially when they didn't even do the Palestinians the courtesy of listening to what they were trying to tell them of their experiences. I also don't really understand how a Jew, who had never visited Israel, felt such a strong affinity to his 'homeland' and yet had zero sympathy for non Jewish people whose families had lived on the land for generations, and who also may have had an affinity to it. And who then wouldn't even try to understand WHY there are extremist Palestinians who commit terrorist atrocities - ie they have their land destroyed, their crops and homes bulldozed, are given a tenth of the water the Jews are and who are tried under military laws, rather than more lenient civil ones.

I really wanted to sit down and have a long chat with Lily at the end of the programme - and probably Joseph (I think - the young, very right wing one?) as they seemed to be the most reasonable and actually wanted to listen and learn.

But it is a hugely complicated issue and neither side is blameless - perhaps the ending, with the shared grief of the two men who had lost their children, may help people to better understand each other and move towards some sort of solution. I'm sure neither side likes living in permanent fear.

Hey there!

Simon here, from the show.

Not sure if you'll remember writing this, or watching the show but as everything has once again gone crazy I thought I'd do some investigating to find out if and what has and was discussed about the show since I was on it and what kicked off since.

To answer your query, my view point personally hasn't changed, by which I mean I still feel confused, stuck in the middle and just deeply upset by the whole thing.

I suspect my fellow cast members also feel the same as they did when they went on the show, if not slightly more emboldened by everything that has been happening.

A review of the show used the word taciturn to describe me, which I found quite a shame and insulting. I think it's a shame that the thoughtful, pensive and considered member of the cast was considering in such a light, rather than being the tempered, considerable and reasonable one, which is what I believe the word needs a bit more of right now.

Anyway, just thought I'd share an update from me. Thanks for asking.

SJ