1988: 40 Years Israel

Monument for Jewish Resistance in Amsterdam during the Second World War (© Nationaal Archief)

1988 marked the 40th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. This programme takes a look at Israel from a Dutch perspective. It was first broadcast on May 4th, which is the Dutch annual day for commemorating those who died in World War II.

The Holocaust claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Dutch Jews, about three-quarters of the entire Dutch Jewish community at the time. In this programme we speak with Jews living in the Netherlands today about how they deal with the past, how they relate to the state of Israel and whether they intend to move there.

Producer: Dorothy Weirs

Broadcast: May 4, 1988