Extended Footage: A Beautiful Childhood

In this outtake from The Story of the Jews, Simon Schama speaks with Levana Zamir, President of the International Association of Jews from Egypt, about her childhood in Egypt.

“Well as far as I remember, my childhood it was a very beautiful one. I was born in Cairo but four years later we moved to Helwan, which is a very nice suburb twenty minutes from Cairo — gardens and villas and it was quiet and so beautiful. I was going to Christian school because it was then the private ones and the best schools and we were all there: Christians, Muslims, Jewish girls, all of us we were so friends together.

My best, best friend was a Muslim… she was my best friend for years and the third one was a Christian, Yvonne Feudal — we were a trio, you see, a Jewish girl, a Muslim girl and a Christian.

It was like that. It was for granted. We never thought that something could happen.”