Jewish history

Tzipora secretly adhered to Jewish practices, resisted the imposed religion, and most critically, acted as a covert agent for the Gedaion Kingdom while secretly sharing the emperor's military plans.

Onias IV, once slated to be the High Priest in Jerusalem, was disqualified due to a deformity caused by his envious brother. In anger, Onias left for Egypt and established an alternative temple dedicated to Hashem.

The most horrific event took place in the city of Hebron, where 67 Jews, including men, women, and children, were murdered. Many of the victims were students from the Hebron yeshiva. The perpetrators executed their plan with such brutality and monstrosity, recalling only the Simchat Torah massacre of the previous year.

In the spring, Vespasian stormed through Galilee and the Golan, city by city. The people of Sepphoris surrendered to the Romans, but those in Yodfat held their ground. For 47 days, they bravely defended their city, pouring hot oil on the Roman soldiers approaching the walls.

In Roman times, Jews in Cologne thrived and were recognized as a permitted religion, long before Christianity became dominant. Their community was influential enough to participate in city council elections, and their intellectual leaders were exempt from military and civil service.

In 922, a major event occurred in Jewish history. The Geon of Israel sent out a calendar to Jewish communities, only to face public opposition from the Geon of Babylon: The calendar was wrong, and Rosh Hashanah and Passover were to be celebrated on Tuesday, not Sunday, as the Israeli Geon declared!

From the Portuguese royal court to the stake: the mysterious life, prophecy, and martyrdom of a visionary who yearned for redemption

Queen Salome ruled with wisdom, choosing not to wage war but instead investing in a strong army, which kept enemies at bay. Her strategic diplomacy maintained a peaceful and prosperous Judea.

Last week, a surprising discovery was made in the city of Ramanathapuram, India: within an ancient well, a large stone was found, appearing to be a part of an old gravestone. Though the farm workers couldn't decipher the script or showed much interest, a student named Hatim Ali recognized the Hebrew letters.

Following Rabbi Menach Hendel's advice, a divorce was arranged, and Isaac divorced his wife. He was promised that if he recovered, they could remarry. Isaac did indeed recover, unwittingly igniting a significant debate within the Torah world that persisted for years.

King Yannai anticipated a fierce backlash when challenging the heart of the people, and preemptively stationed thousands of foreign mercenaries who emerged to massacre Jews. On that day, 3,000 innocent Jews perished to prove that Yannai was in charge, not religious law or the Oral Torah.

From royal treasurer to refugee scholar: The legendary statesman who saved lives, learned Torah, and stood tall in exile

Aristobulus, who quickly developed a tyrannical personality, began to fear Antigonus would take his place. His advisors and those around him decided to 'help' him get rid of his brother.

John, the High Priest, was a war hero and led many of his father’s battles. Yet, Antiochus Sidetes was relentless. As the king of the Seleucid Empire, why would he yield to a Jew ruling a small kingdom?

Honoring the Legacy of Ten Torah Sages Who Died for Their Faith

Her agents were scattered across Europe as spice merchants, but each of them kept an extra eye on smuggling routes, payments to smugglers, and connections with other Jews looking to escape.

Simon made a strategic alliance with the Romans, perceiving it as a strong safety net amidst the Middle East's turbulent landscape. Little did they realize, this connection would eventually lead to the land's destruction.

In a newly uncovered message to a New York welfare worker, Albert Einstein urges unity and moral courage

In 1427, Pope Martin V issued a directive to prevent Christians from transporting Jews from Italy to the Holy Land. This led to dangerous conditions for Jews on Italian ships. What sparked the Pope's anger?

Join us over the next three weeks as we unfold the tale of destruction—how the mighty Judean kingdom dwindled, weakened, and ultimately fell to Roman conquest. How did the Romans end up in Judea? What were they seeking? And what role did baseless hatred play in all of this?