Exodus’ sails again, 60 years on

French Jews reenacted the ‘Exodus’ ship voyage.

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French Jews reenacted the ‘Exodus’ ship voyage.

Some 300 Jews, most of them French and some of them new immigrants to Israel, docked in Haifa port Thursday after an overnight trip from Cyprus aboard a ship meant to commemorate the legendary “Exodus” of 1947.

The original Exodus, which was made famous by a Leon Uris novel and Hollywood film of the same name, carried 4,500 Holocaust survivors from France to what was then Palestine, only to be forced back by British authorities. Many of its passengers were interned in Cyprus.

“My parents were turned away from 68 countries 60 years ago,” said Israel Singer, honorary president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany, who joined Thursday’s voyage. “This is a pilgrimage for me.”

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