14 March 2023 , 10:52
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Rob Rinder followed the lives of his Jewish ancestors in his well-known BBC One documentary, My Family, the Holocaust and Me, and now he's gone on another journey to learn about his relatives after World War II.
Rob's new documentary, The Holy Land and Us: Our Untold Stories, explores the history of his grandfather's cousin, Moishe Malenicky, who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust and started a new life in Israel.
The powerful and profoundly moving doc, which will air tonight on BBC Two at 9pm, gets to the heart of what happened to people on both sides of the conflict as the Middle East was reshaped 75 years ago.
Rob felt 'uncomfortable' at times and hopes viewers feel more open to discussing the conflict (BBC / Wall to Wall / Tom Hayward)Sharing his deeply personal connection with the programme, Rob told the Mirror: "I wanted to tell the history of Israel and Palestine in a way that is accessible and human to everyone.
"It was really important to me to share both sides of the origin story of the State of Israel, and what happened in its creation, to the Jewish communities and the Palestinian communities.
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"The story is really complex and my job, as a barrister and broadcaster, was to make it understandable and relatable to viewers who might not know anything of the conflict."
Rob, MBE, hopes that every single viewer will take away "more empathy and openness to discuss the issue".
"I was constantly surprised by things I knew nothing about. I saw the story of uncle unfold before me and I knew nothing of his life," Rob explained.
He says one of the hardest discoveries was hearing the painful stories of Palestinian communities (BBC / Wall to Wall / Tom Hayward)"It has helped me understand my ancestors' mission and purpose staying in that land and fighting for it."
As well as tracing the steps of his Jewish family, Rob went on a journey of discovery to learn about the catastrophe that shook Palestinian communities.
Actor and writer Sarah Agha co-presents her ancestors' side of the story and explores the circumstances under which her Palestinian family fled their village in Galilee in 1948.
"The programme has been made to intertwine opposing real-life stories with one another," Rob explained.
"One of the hardest discoveries was seeing all of the Palestinian stories and hearing their pain and listening to what they had to say. At times it felt uncomfortable.
Sarah Agha co-presents the Israel documentary as she follows her Palestinian ancestors (BBC / Wall to Wall / Tom Hayward)"But that is true of all conflict. I learnt about bravery on both sides, and despite all of the bleakness in the world, there is good everywhere."
Rob added: "The BBC, despite its limitless imperfections, has had the courage to address this issue, when no side wants the other's story told.
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"The documentary is completely impartial and I'm very proud that we succeeded in doing that."
Rob's mother, Angela Cohen, MBE, who is head of the '45 Aid Society - a charity set up in 1963 by Holocaust survivors - is yet to watch the programme and feels apprehensive.
"My mum was very nervous about me making this documentary and she still is, because it's such a topic of incurable contention and passion," Rob explained.
"She hasn't seen the video yet and she will watch it tonight like everyone else."
Watch Rob Rinder's two-part BBC Two documentary The Holy Land and Us: Our Untold Stories on Tuesday 14 March at 9pm.