The birth of the modern State of Israel on May 14, 1948 established a homeland for a people that had been stateless for 2,000 years. And it changed the course of history – in ways that could barely be foreseen at the time.

VisionTV honours the 60th anniversary of Israel with a week of special programming devoted to the past, present and future of the Jewish state.

The multi-faith network’s “Israel at 60” event begins on Monday, May 5.

Highlights include the world television premiere of the new documentary series Ralph Benmergui: My Israel; a first look at the new season of the acclaimed VisionTV series The Naked Archaeologist; and the Canadian premiere of a feature-length documentary entitled The Six Day War.

For more information on Ralph Benmergui: My Israel, please visit www.myisraelshow.com, which features trailers, a blog and links to the show’s Facebook group, Beliefnet page and YouTube channel.

Israel at 60 on VisionTV – Highlights:

MONDAY, MAY 5

*** Documentary Series: World Premiere ***
Ralph Benmergui: My Israel
In this five-part documentary series for VisionTV, one of Canada’s most renowned journalists immerses himself in the complexities and contradictions of present-day Israel. Award-winning broadcaster Ralph Benmergui ponders the past, present and future of the Jewish state, meeting with Israelis from all walks of life and revealing the Holy Land in ways that few Canadians have been privileged to experience.

Part One: “Jerusalem”
Monday, May 5, 9 p.m. and Midnight ET / 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. PT
Jerusalem is one of the oldest and most controversial cities in the world, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. Through the centuries, countless faithful have fought and died for this holiest of places. Now, as the members of yet another generation assert their competing claims of ownership, host Ralph Benmergui asks: “Has Jerusalem become holier than its people?”

Part Two: “The Wall”
Monday, May 5, 9:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. PT
In Israel, security trumps every other issue. Most Israelis consider the construction of the controversial West Bank barrier a necessary bulwark against terrorist attacks. But is segregating the two peoples who share this land the only solution to Israel’s strife? In this episode, host Ralph Benmergui speaks to both settlers and refugees about the vast political and religious divide that the security wall has come to symbolize.

*** Returning Series ***
The Naked Archaeologist – BRAND NEW EPISODE
Monday, May 5, 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. ET / 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. PT
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici (The Lost Tomb of Jesus) returns to produce and host a second season of The Naked Archaeologist, a fast-paced and often irreverent look at the mysteries of Biblical archaeology. In this hour-long special – a prelude to the new season ahead – Jacobovici sets out on a treasure hunt, hoping to discover the fate of the sacred artifacts plundered by the Romans from the Temple of Jerusalem. Could the holiest icons of Judea be buried underneath a bus stop in Rome? Did stolen Jewish treasure pay for one of the greatest architectural wonders of the ancient world?

Watch for new episodes of The Naked Archaeologist on Fridays, starting May 16 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT

*** Documentary Series: Encore Broadcast ***
Heaven on Earth: Judaism
Monday, May 5, 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT
From the dawn of civilization, human beings have used art and architecture as expressions of faith. This documentary series reveals what artifacts such as prehistoric megaliths, humble synagogues and soaring cathedrals have to tell us about the human yearning for the divine. Tonight: Host Christy Kenneally visits Jewish houses of worship located in Europe and North America.

*** Documentary Series: Encore Broadcast ***
Angus Skene's Building Faith: Jewish Synagogues
Monday, May 5, 11:30 p.m. ET / 8:30 p.m. PT
This informative series looks at the distinctive architectural styles of different faith communities here in multicultural Canada – from Greek Orthodox to Buddhist – and reveals their roots in ancient traditions that began a world away. Tonight: Building Faith explains why every synagogue can trace its ancestry back to a single building that was destroyed almost 2,000 years ago.

TUESDAY, MAY 6

*** Documentary Series: World Premiere ***
Ralph Benmergui: My Israel
In this five-part documentary series for VisionTV, one of Canada’s most renowned journalists immerses himself in the complexities and contradictions of present-day Israel. Award-winning broadcaster Ralph Benmergui ponders the past, present and future of the Jewish state, meeting with Israelis from all walks of life and revealing the Holy Land in ways that few Canadians have been privileged to experience.

Part Three: “Race and Class in the Holy Land”
Tuesday, May 6, 9 p.m. and Midnight ET / 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. PT
When it was founded, Israel represented the expression of a socialist utopian dream.  Now, 60 years later, it grapples with social problems common to all modern countries: race, class and poverty. In this episode, host Ralph Benmergui shines a light on the experiences of the Ethiopian, Moroccan and Arab Israeli minorities, and ponders what the future holds for Israel’s utopian vision.

Part Four: “Who Is a Jew?”
Tuesday, May 6, 9:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. PT
Orthodox Jews represent just 20 percent of Israel’s population. Yet their ways prevail in all matters relating to birth, marriage and death. In this episode, host Ralph Benmergui speaks to Orthodox and Reform Jews about one of the most controversial issues in contemporary Israeli Jewish life.

*** Documentary: Canadian Television Premiere ***
The Six Day War
Tuesday, May 6, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
The shooting was over almost as soon as it began – but the Six Day War has never really ended. Almost every crisis that has gripped the Middle East since 1967 has roots in this brief but profoundly consequential conflict, which reshaped the political landscape of the entire region. Ilan Ziv’s meticulously researched documentary traces the events that led to war between Israel and its Arab neighbours, and paints vivid portraits of the two flawed and fascinating men at the centre of the conflict: Israeli prime minister Levi Eshkol and Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. Using archival footage, re-creations and interviews with soldiers and politicians from both sides, The Six Day War explains why an avoidable war became inevitable. And it reveals how the events of June 1967 unleashed a potent new force: a dangerously volatile blend of faith and nationalism that remains perhaps the greatest obstacle to peace in the region.
» Visit the Official Website! www.sixdaysmovie.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7

*** Documentary Series: World Premiere ***
Ralph Benmergui: My Israel - CONCLUSION
In this five-part documentary series for VisionTV, one of Canada’s most renowned journalists immerses himself in the complexities and contradictions of present-day Israel. Award-winning broadcaster Ralph Benmergui ponders the past, present and future of the Jewish state, meeting with Israelis from all walks of life and revealing the Holy Land in ways that few Canadians have been privileged to experience.

Part Five: “The Future”
Wednesday, May 7, 9 p.m. and Midnight ET / 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. PT
As Israel commemorates its 60th anniversary, host Ralph Benmergui ponders the future of the country – and of the Jewish people. Created to bring an end to a legacy of torment and strife, Israel is a nation of formidable strength. Yet it struggles with the same complex issues that confront every Western democracy in the 21st century. Will Israel’s past continue to dictate its future?

*** Documentary Series: Encore Broadcast ***
Unearthed
Wednesday, May 7, 9:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. PT
Today, archaeology is shedding light upon the ancient history of the Holy Land. But often it raises more questions than it answers. Unearthed, an original series for VisionTV, digs into some of the most recent archaeological discoveries in the Middle East. Tonight: In 1967, Israel’s Ministry of Religious Affairs began an excavation at the Western Wall that unearthed many previously unknown facts about the Temple Mount. Join Dr. Dan Bahat, one of the original archaeologists, as he recalls this fascinating and controversial archaeological episode.

*** Returning Series ***
The Naked Archaeologist – The Would be Messiah
Tonight: One hundred years after Jesus was crucified, a warrior hailed by rabbis as the Jewish messiah led a massive rebellion against Roman occupation. Who was this would-be messiah? The Naked Archaeologist reveals the story of the rabbis' best-kept secret.
Watch for new episodes of The Naked Archaeologist on Fridays, starting May 16 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

*** Documentary Series: Encore Broadcast ***
Angus Skene's Building Faith: Jewish Synagogues
See Monday, May 5

THURSDAY, MAY 8

*** Feature Film ***
Yentl
Thursday, May 8, 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Barbra Streisand made her directorial debut with this labour of love, a musical adaptation of an Isaac Bashevis Singer short story. Streisand stars as Yentl, a devout Orthodox Jewish girl who disguises herself as a boy so that she can follow her dream of studying holy scripture – a pursuit forbidden to women. Complications arise when she falls in love with fellow student Avigdor, played by Mandy Patinkin. Amy Irving completes the romantic triangle as Avigdor’s beloved Hadass. Michel Legrand wrote the music, while Broadway veterans Alan and Marilyn Bergman supplied the lyrics. The film received five Oscar nominations, winning one statuette for best original song score. Streisand captured a Golden Globe for best direction. The Bergmans are reportedly in talks to develop a Broadway adaptation of the film.