Season 1

Canaan was home to an ancient civilization in the Middle East. In the 19th century BCE, the Hebrews led by Abraham from the lower reaches of the Euphrates, entered Canaan and settled down in this region, which they called "a place flowing with milk and honey". It was these people who created the Jewish civilization that was vital and robust and a major influence on the development of the human civilization.

The Hebrews returned to Canaan in the 13th Century before Christ, and settled there. Saul founded the earliest Jewish state in history - The Hebrew Kingdom. Later, King David established Jebus, a town with strategic significance in Canaan at that time, as the capital of the Hebrew Kingdom. Jebus became the city of Jerusalem. Solomon, King David's successor, was a very capable king. Under his leadership, the Hebrew Kingdom became rich and powerful quickly, and entered its prime in history. However, why did King David select Jerusalem as the capital of the Hebrew Kingdom and the spiritual center of the Jewish nation? Why did the Hebrew kingdom, once so very powerful, decline so suddenly?

In 930 BC, the united Hebrew Kingdom was split into the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah, which were successively conquered by the Assyrians and the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The Jews suffered their first Diaspora in history. In the Persian Empire period the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem. However, after Alexander the Great conquered Jerusalem in 331 BC, the Jews were persecuted and dispersed again. In 64 BC, the Romans replaced the Greeks as ruler, and formally named this region Palestine. The Jews rebelled against the suppression. The most grand but tragic were the rebels in Masada Fortress. The Romans finally put down the rebellion, and drove the Jews out of Jerusalem. The Jews subsequently entered the third Diaspora, lasting up to 1800 years.

Jerusalem, an ancient city with a history of up to 5,000 years, bears the marks of many nations and religions. In the first century, Christianity emerged here, and Jerusalem subsequently became the Holy Land of this emerging religion. Later, the ancient city became one of the holy lands of Islam. Christians and Moslems added new cultural connotations to this ancient city. The ups and downs over thousands of years have buried numerous secrets under the city. Today, Jerusalem, full of legends and dense cultural connotations, is a magnet for archeologists. The dense debates triggered by archeological excavations have not affected the archeologists' endless enthusiasm to explore the secrets of this ancient city. What have people found? How are today's modern constructors treating these ancient relics?

The Old City of Jerusalem, also called the Golden Jerusalem, covers an area of only 1 square kilometer and boasts a strong contrast between, as well as the coexistence of, various cultures. In history, Jerusalem was always accompanied by ceaseless wars and conquests. Here, Khalifah, Mameluke, Crusades, Saladin and Suleiman I all played roles. Today, we meet two senior citizens: one is Ms. Ora Namir, who used to be ambassador in China and loves Chinese culture and people, and Mr. Shimon Peres, the Israeli President and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, who has unique insight into both Jewish and Chinese civilizations. The Bar Mitzvah of young Jews held at the Western Wall reflects the significance of this ancient wall in the hearts of Jews.

The ancient Babylonians created the time unit of a seven-day week, and the ancestors of the Jew selected one day to be the Sabbath, and specified in the first Jewish law that this day should be declared a day of rest. The profile of the menorah is an ancient sign of the Jewish nation and can be seen almost everywhere in today's Israel, from the national emblem to local people's daily life. The Jewish civilization has survived for almost two thousand years despite the prolonged period of time when they had no territory and suffered severe persecution. This should be attributed to the Jew's loyalty to their traditions. The national will of Jews is reflected through their festivals, weddings and other important events.

Yad Vashem Memorial Museum displays and records the most tragic history of the Jewish nation. During the Holocaust of World War II, nearly 6 million Jews were massacred just because they were Jews. The memorial bears witness to this tragedy by exhibiting a large number of objects, pictures and the testimonies of many survivors. In those days full of blood and death, the Jews established a special sentiment with the Chinese who helped them at the risk of death. After more than 60 years have passed, how are the remaining survivors facing life.

Agriculture is one of Israel's most impressive pillar industries. Israeli agricultural organizations have distinctive features. There are three forms, namely the publicly-owned collective farm (the kibbutz), the collective cooperative (the moshav) and the privately-owned rural household (the moshava). The land, owned by the state, is leased out by the government to the agricultural organizations to carry out agricultural production, and provides necessary support. Many Jews started out at these agricultural organizations. After decades of painstaking efforts, they enjoyed great success. What are they like today? What do people living there think about?

Today, the value created by Israel's agricultural science and technology has far exceeded agricultural planting. In face of land scarcity and tough natural conditions, how have Israelis created the miracle of efficient agriculture? Israel has established the agricultural technology promotion system featuring close cooperation among government agencies, scientific research institutions and farmers' co-operatives. Scientific research programs stem directly from actual production. Under this system, production guides scientific research, and scientific research is combined with production. It has shown to have strong economic and practical values. Now. Let's walk into the front line of Israel's agricultural research, and see how people apply advanced science and technology to cultivate new varieties with added value.

Israel is a thirsty land, with 60% arid areas. The shortage of water resources is a problem for people in the region. However, from ancient times to the present, they have never given up the effort to resolve the water issue for the sake of survival and development. Israel's reform in water use has experienced three stages - pressure irrigation, water recycling and seawater desalination. In the past 18 years, the aggregate water consumption of this Middle Eastern country basically has not changed, while its GDP and income per capita have grown by 100%. The quality of life keeps rising as well. This is truly a miracle. How did they make this happen?

Haifa and Acre, two ancient port cities in Israel, are still two shining pearls on the east bank of the Mediterranean. Today's Israel is full of music and songs every evening. It is said that Israel is one of the countries holding the most concerts in the world. The Jewish nation loves music, and has never given up this love even in the cruel years of wars, separation and massacre. The Jews may enjoy music everywhere. Besides theaters, streets, alleys and even flea markets may become musical venues at any time in the evening. On one such colorful evening, several excellent artists and innovative musicians describe their pursuits.

The Jews account for only 0.3% of the world's population, but constitute 22.35% of Nobel Prize laureates. Several Nobel Prize laureates have disclosed the underlying reasons. Attaching importance to education is one of the most essential factors that have enabled the continued development of Jewish civilization. From families and synagogues to schools and even the entire nation, education has always been the main focus of Jewish civilization. What are those outstanding scientists thinking about? Wisdom, persistence, unity and innovation have built up the extraordinary Jewish spirit. The ancient Jewish civilization continues to progress and continues to make eminent contributions to the development of economy, culture, science and technology.