Search - The Jews: A People's History / Nina Koshofer on DVD

Not Based on Bible History...

Roy Dan | United States | 12/26/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The non-Biblical history is generally informative, no question about that. However, the first program, Exodus, has nothing to do with the Bible's Exodus. According to their liberal views, Ezra (about 500BC) returned from Babylon and gathered all the myths and traditions and fables of the Jews, to compile these "stories" into the Jewish Bible (OT)... Meaning: none of it actually happen, according to this documentary, i.e., Moses did not lead the Israelites out of Egypt with a might hand, Joshua did not command the conquest of pagan Canaan, David was just a little half-baked clan leader, Solomon's was a virtual nobody, and his temple was a little shack. Thus, in the second program, Diaspora, in keeping with the first program's notions, and after the destruction of the temple, Yochanan ben Zakkai felt free to change the need for actual atonement sacrifice to expiate sins to a do-it-yourself acts of kindness; he changed many other such biblical injunctions, thus resulting in Rabbinic Judaism. Again, the history that follows in subsequent programs detail the high and lows of this synthesized religion. Reflecting on this method of "worshipping" God, that it, making it up by reason and consensus, one can understand how the Bible would be interpreted as myths... or lies by some. As for me, I don't accept this... So, I was greatly disappointed with this revised view of ancient Israel's history."

Comprehensive & captivating

American in Germany | Germany | 12/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The documentary "The Jews" is a very entertaining and educational mix of narrative description and historical re-enactments. This is a vibrant and poignant history of a fascinating people. The persecutions repeatedly suffered are also accurately documented, but the focus is as much on Jewish diversity and the contributions they made to society."