A silver Torah pointer, a shekel from the Jewish revolt against Rome and a basin and jug used for washing hands — the gift of a women’s burial society — are among the Judaica that crop up in Neil MacGregor’s new Radio 4 series, which begins on Monday.

The former director of the British Museum takes  a look at belief with the aid of some of the artefacts in the museum’s collection.

Along with the 30-part Living with the Gods, for which he travelled to Jerusalem and also interviewed Rabbi Dame Julia Neuberger, a companion exhibition opens at the museum next month.