Making history. IBA
IBA website to feature 'Pillar of Fire', 'Tekuma'
Israeli Broadcasting Authority said to upload two historical documentaries to its website for first time ever in honor of Israel's 60th birthday
A celebration of history: The Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced over the weekend that in honor of Israel's 60th anniversary celebrations it will upload "Pillar of Fire" and "Tekuma" ("Revival") – two of its legendary documentaries – to the IBA website for the first time ever.
No date has been given for the release of the programs, but the IBA did reveal it will upload the series on to the internet in full and viewing them will be free of charge.
Pillar of Fire, released in 1981, spans 19 episodes and depicts the Jewish people's history and the events leading up to the establishment of the State of Israel.
The series, which took five years to make, wove together rare archive footage with hundreds of interviews and immediately became a staple if Israeli documentary making. The series was also released in English, narrated by the UK's Sir Ian McKellen.
The revered endeavor did not, however, escape criticism and was blamed for being one-sided, for ignoring Sephardic Jews' contribution to Jewish history and for being less then critical of Zionism.
Tekuma came along in 1998, depicting the first 50 years of Israel, from its introduction as an independent state to the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
Pillar of Fire is expected to be broadcast on German television on May 14.
