April 16, 2008

As we recall the Exodus from Egypt this Pesach, the BBC is set to mark the festival by looking at the cases of British Jews who have followed in the footsteps of their ancestors by making the move to Israel.

Amid a rise in aliyah over recent years, the corporation’s annual Pesach broadcast looks at what makes families give up a comfortable life in Britain to live in a country plagued by the threat of terror and religious tensions.

Among those featured in the documentary are Marc and Miriam Kaye, who, in common with many who later realise their dream of living in the Jewish state, first knew they wanted to make aliyah as teenagers after contact with Israel through Zionist youth movements. “We didn’t know when or how it would happen,” Miriam said “but that one day it would.

“The first three months were hard as we were waiting for our shipment. Once we got practical things sorted, we began to really feel like we’re a part of it, and it’s now as if we’ve been here for years.”

While it is now only been eight months since the couple moved with their baby daughter Odelia, Miriam now plans to launch a branch of the Three Faiths Forum in Israel while Marc works for the Jewish Agency’s gap year programme. Miriam told the Jewish News she wanted to make Israel her home “firstly to give and secondly to take. To give - In our communal work we felt its impact would be greater in Israel which needs our contribution. We wanted to make our unique contribution to the homeland of our people. To take: to benefit from dynamic and thinking religious Jewish community, which we are happy to be a part of.

To bring up our little girl in a less materialistic environment where religious and pulic values are continually being analysed. To give her an unequalled Jewish education.” And while she acknowledged that the toughest part of their new life was being away from family and friends, her message to others considering the move was clear: “Once certain things are in place for you, it could the most amazing thing you ever do. There will always be great Jews in the diaspora but some of those great jews also need to come here and build up the country they are so busy defending.”

Andy Gross, who lives in Hampstead Garden Suburb, first made aliyah seven years ago but returned two years later after finding there were far less opportunities for osteopaths in Israel. Now focusing on his passion for music his is the co-founder of a music production company – he plans to return within the next couple of years after completing an album he is working on with an X-Factor contestant. For him, even being caught up in the suicide bombing at Mike’s Place in 2003 didn’t stop him wanting to fulfil his dream of living in the country. Despite suffering post-trauma responses, he said: “The bombing strengthened my resolve to want to live there. I think the reaction is to want to be with the people who were around you at the time or involved in the incident. It teaches you to value life.”

Programme Director Jane Drinkwater said: "The more we discovered, the more we really wanted to make a series, not just one programme! But I hope that what we did manage to squeeze into the half hour will be inspiring and thought provoking, and certainly help the non-Jewish community understand the concept of Aliyah - and their Jewish neighbours, a little better.”

Aliyah – the journey home? can be seen on BBC One at 23:10 on 23 April