Jewish history

When Moulay sought funds from wealthy Jews to battle his father, the sultan, and was refused, his revenge was to wage war on the Jewish community upon gaining power.

One morning, Rabbi Kalonymus found a manuscript on his desk, known back then as a "Kuntres." Flipping through it, he discovered an incredible idea—a commentary on the Talmud! Although unaware of the author, Rabbi Kalonymus began using the Kuntres that very day to teach the Talmud.

In an exclusive interview, Ovadia Yerushalmi recounts the torment and abuse he endured in an Egyptian detention center until his personal exodus.

On Shavuot, we received the Torah. Our sages said Mount Sinai was named for the hatred it brought from the nations of the world. They hate us and try to seize the Torah through distortion and by opposing the Oral Torah.

Before World War II, the Great Synagogue of Vilnius featured a rather curious sight: a massive cannonball lodged into the roof. Despite its intimidating presence, this relic of war sparked more intrigue than fear. So, what was it doing there?

Experts gathered around the discovery site, slowly revealing the full inscription. Found to be part of a mosaic floor of Ein Gedi’s ancient synagogue, the text carried warnings, threats, and a secret.

For thousands of years, numerous conquests and battles occurred over this land, yet no permanent settlement took hold. Unlike any other nation, much of it remained desolate and seemingly uninhabitable.

Delve into the rich history of Honi the Circle Maker's cave, once a pilgrimage site for rain prayers in Israel. Join us as we uncover its fascinating past and cultural significance.

In 1837, a devastating earthquake hit Safed. While the Abuhav Synagogue was destroyed, the southern wall with the ancient Torah remained intact.

Visitors to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's tomb encounter a small display case holding a piece of an ancient olive tree labeled "Idra Tree." What's the story behind it, and how does it connect to Rabbi Shimon's mystical Idra?

A ruthless king, aware of the consequences, hid foreign mercenaries behind the walls. They entered and killed many. Thousands lost their lives that day.

The construction style described by the prophets—"three rows of hewn stone and a row of cedar beams"—was not understood until ruins from that era were unearthed. Recently, new findings emerged in Dan, in a site linked to the Golden Calf from Solomon's Temple era.

Before archaeology, myths reigned supreme—no Jerusalem, no Temple, no anything. Now, evidence surfaces confirming a city dating back to King David. What do the deniers have left?

Most Jews endured unimaginable torture and confessed to nothing. However, a few, nearly driven insane, had no choice but to "confess" under duress to the absurd accusations.

While Yemen's Houthis accuse Israel of being an artificial entity on ancient Arab land, they may not realize they reside on land that was once the powerful Jewish kingdom of Himyar 1,500 years ago.

Every carriage on the main road was stopped by bandit minions, its contents plundered, and passengers injured or killed. Despite numerous military expeditions, the bandits, masters of their terrain, ambushed the soldiers and defeated them effortlessly.

The assassination, famously dubbed "the shot heard around the world," triggered a chain of events that led to the outbreak of World War I.

In ancient times, when the Temple stood, Adar was filled with joyous celebrations marked in the "Scroll of the Fasts." On these days, people rejoiced, and mourning or fasting was forbidden.

The Romaniote Jewish community is one of the oldest yet least known. Tragically, most of its members perished during the Holocaust, leaving this ancient community largely unfamiliar.

Discover how King Ptolemy gathered seventy Jewish elders in Alexandria to translate a sacred text. Eager for precision, he isolated each elder to prevent shared versions.