Jewish history

In 1809, the first group of the Vilna Gaon's students, led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Shklov, embarked on a perilous journey to Israel. They withstood a grueling year-long sea voyage before settling in Safed.

In a time of profound danger for European Jews, Western nations turned their backs. Explore the heartbreaking journey of 937 Jewish refugees aboard the MS St. Louis, sent back to a Europe under Nazi threat after being denied asylum.

In an era of tribal unrest, Bedouin leader Daher el-Omar sought to develop the land and welcomed Jewish settlers known for their deep connection to Israel.

Once a thriving Jewish community with 300-400 families in Jerusalem faced heavy taxes and persecution, making expansion difficult. Despite this, dedicated efforts by Jerusalem's Jewish residents attracted scholars and fueled a renaissance in nearby Safed during a time of relative peace.

Despite knowing the risk, the soldiers chose mercy, leading to their ultimate stand against thousands. Surrounded and outnumbered, they fought bravely before falling one by one.

As Nazi leader Fritz Kuhn began his speech, a bold young man suddenly stormed the stage, seizing the microphone to denounce Hitler and the Nazis in front of 20,000 fervent followers... That man was Isidore Greenbaum, a 26-year-old Jew from Brooklyn.

Jews once thriving in major cities were forced out, finding new homes and livelihoods in the Pale of Settlement towns. Established families were shuffled from one settlement to another based on arbitrary bureaucratic maps. The allocation of Jews in these regions was impractical and inefficient.

Moments before the chaos, a mail carriage arrived carrying a letter from Emperor Leopold II himself. Sent from the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, the letter held the police chief of Bamberg personally accountable for any harm to the Jews.

Dr. Guy Stiebel and his team have challenged the long-held belief about Masada's Roman siege duration with groundbreaking research, revealing it only lasted a few weeks.

Discover how Halberstadt, Germany, became a hub of Jewish learning and culture, all thanks to a visionary banker who lived centuries ago.

Beneath the bustling city of Rome lies a forgotten world—Jewish catacombs filled with stories from the past. These chambers, unseen for centuries, reveal the vibrant lives of Jewish communities during the Roman era.

Rabbi Abdullah Somekh was the influential mentor of the Ben Ish Chai and numerous other great figures. Here are 10 fascinating facts about his life and legacy.

The horrific riots that claimed numerous Jewish lives challenged Enlightenment-era theories. However, for some, these events ignited a return to faith. Among them was Dr. Joseph Salvador, once a staunch proponent of the Haskalah movement.

In southern Egypt lies a small island in the heart of the mighty Nile River. It's likely that the Egyptian children playing in the park have no idea that this island once held a Jewish temple! Priests and Levites served around the altar and offered sacrifices. But who built this temple, and how do we know about it?

They leaped at the gates and opened them, allowing the Muslim army to enter the city. The city contained three hundred markets and two hundred thousand Jews, whose lives became spoils.

On September 22, 1948, a seemingly innocent ice cream cart rolled into Cairo's Jewish quarter on a scorching afternoon. Dozens of children gathered around it. The 'vendor' lit a cigarette, left it on the cart, and disappeared. The cart was a massive bomb. Two buildings collapsed, causing many casualties.

Madame Kaula supported a kolle for Torah scholars in her hometown of Hechingen and provided aid to the poor throughout the country. She established kosher inns for traveling Jews with dignified accommodations and gained fame for her generosity, devotion to Judaism, and fear of Heaven.

Judith Montefiore, the wife of Sir Moses Montefiore, was a remarkable woman in her own right. Her contributions to the Jewish community were as significant as her husband's.

From royalty to rebels, these righteous converts left a lasting legacy

He didn’t face the entire army head-on. Instead, he targeted the precise spot where Lot and the captives were held, descending with his men in one swift move to overcome the guards, gather the captives and spoils, and vanished as quickly as he arrived.