Faith & Fate
MIRACLE OF ISRAEL 1945 – 1948
LESSON 19 THE STORY OF THE SHIP EXODUS AND HOW WORLD OPINION WAS AFFECTED
GOALS OF THE LESSON
- A. To learn the details of the exploits of the Exodus ship, how the British battled the Holocaust Survivors passengers, and who eventually prevailed and why.
- B. To discuss how and why the passengers resisted the British forces.
- C. To show how these defenseless survivors were able to turn world opinion in their favor.
View Video 6:15 min
SYNOPSIS OF FILM CLIP
The seven British ships surrounded the 4500 passengers of the Exodus after it left from France, eventually attacked it and water entered the boat. These Holocaust survivors did not permit the soldiers to enter the ship in a fierce two hour battle. When the ship was dragged into Haifa port, both the Jews on land and those on the boat sang Hatikva together. The passengers were loaded onto 3 boats and sent back to France as a deterrent. But these Holocaust survivors refused to get off the boats and would only go to Israel. After a three week standoff, the British threatened to send them back to Germany. The heroism of these unarmed people against the British and British tactics helped turned world opinion against the British and in favor of a Jewish state.
SUGGESTED QUESTIONS
- 1. Describe the ordeal of the Exodus ship in detail. What make this story unique and different from all other Jews trying to enter Palestine against the British blockade?
- 2. What were the goals of the British in all their actions in their dealing with the Exodus? What ironic result transpired as a result of their actions and these events?
- 3. Which moment in their entire ordeal was the most emotional and uplifting for the passengers of the Exodus? Why?
- 4. Show at least three ways that that demonstrates how the Exodus passengers behaved heroically.