Jewish history

Behind a famous teaching lies a lesser-known sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak, and a cautionary tale about confusing great Torah figures

In 18th-century Germany, a revered Torah scholar was accused of witchcraft and condemned to life in prison. His story, almost lost to history, reveals a dark chapter of Jewish persecution

The Golden Age under Muslim rule is remembered as a unique period in Jewish history, where great Torah scholars emerged, guiding the nation and contributing their wisdom across all facets of thought, society, and governance.

In 1286, one of the greatest Torah sages of Ashkenaz was arrested while trying to reach the Land of Israel. His imprisonment and principled refusal to be ransomed shaped generations of Jewish law and leadership.

On Iyar 18, an earthquake struck, leading to the destruction of the Temple. Known initially as the day of Joshua's passing, it became forever linked with calamity, prompting a day of fasting, especially in Israel.

Researchers and scholars are still unraveling the vast material from the Genizah. For over twenty years, efforts have been underway to scan and upload these documents online, yet the task remains incomplete...

From Provence to the pages of Jewish history, the Ibn Tibbon family preserved and shaped Jewish intellectual life, one masterful translation at a time.

An event erased from history, never recorded in the annals, leaving the proud Jewish community of Portugal nearly nonexistent. This tragedy remains largely unknown in general historical literature.

Connecting the memory of murdered relatives in Warsaw to the ongoing fight against antisemitism today

Through sand and silence, researchers search for signs of the Israelites' path and clues to their mysterious survival

Egyptian writers didn’t ignore the Exodus. Their version just looks different and it reveals surprising details about our history

Rabbi Yeshayah Bassan of Italy, mentor of Ramchal, heard of the situation and was displeased. He promptly wrote a detailed letter to the scholars of Trieste: despite their intentions to instill respect for prayer, their "punishment" was an immense embarrassment to prayer, the synagogue, and the Jewish people, also posing a potential threat from non-Jews.

Uncover the mystical origins of the Jewish soul, the divine plan behind history, and why the Torah was destined for Israel from the very beginning of creation.

Beilis was thrown into a Russian prison without a clue of the charges against him. During his "interrogation," he discovered he was accused of murdering a boy named Andrei Yushchinsky, found dead in a cave months earlier.

A bold sermon on Divine Providence sparked fierce accusations of heresy, until Europe's greatest sage stepped in to defend the rabbi and restore peace.

Discover the fascinating stories of revered Jewish figures who became fathers at an advanced age, from Abraham to contemporary scholars.

The story of how the Jewish community of Kovno was attacked, expelled, and finally restored

In 1533, a 56-year-old rabbi galloped day and night to save 200 Jews from execution, leaving behind a legacy of courage, leadership, and Torah.

Whenever tensions flared between the Romans and the Jews in the Land of Israel, Roman citizens would incite hostility against the Jews of Alexandria. In what became known as the "Diaspora Revolt," the entire Jewish population of Alexandria was wiped out. The Jerusalem Talmud recounts this horrific event, noting that blood flowed into the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Cyprus.

A small figure clad in red ascended the stairs, flanked by two hooded executioners. Despite signs of torture, he paused on each step to shout in a hoarse voice, "Hashem is God," a total of 52 times.