The Jews Who Sailed with Christopher Columbus

Valentine’s Day Difficult History with Jews

The history of Valentine’s Day shows there’s more to the day than greetings cards, flowers and chocolate – and some good reasons why it’s been avoided by many Jews.

Queen Esther and 6 Other Extraordinary Jewish Women

Jewish history abounds with strong Jewish women who ensured the survival of the Jewish people.

The Damascus Affair

The blood libel – a throwback to the antisemitism of the Dark Ages – was initially accepted as fact by almost the entire European press, shocking world Jewry into action.

Jews in the Land of Israel #2: From Ottoman Conquest to the 18th Century

A comprehensive overview of the Jewish presence in the Land of Israel, from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Excruciating Choices: Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg and the Israeli Hostages

How far should we go to save a life?

The Ongoing Jewish Presence in the Land of Israel, Part 1

A history of Jews in the holy land, from Roman times through the Mamluk period.

6 Ways Jews Shaped Thanksgiving

How Jews helped to create the quintessential American holiday.

Napoleon: The Jewish Story You Never Knew

The French emperor had a complicated relationship with the Jews.

The Long, Tragic Jewish History of the German City of Erfurt

The city, recently designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site, was a place of significant Jewish scholarship and horrific antisemitic violence.

Jewish Heart of Marrakesh in Ruins

Morocco’s ancient Jewish quarter was severely damaged by Friday’s earthquake.

When Jews Found Refuge in the Sikh Empire

A storied kingdom saved the lives of hundreds of Jews.

Was Shakespeare a Believing Jew?

It’s debatable but the abundant evidence is certainly intriguing.

Judaism’s Best Travel Writing: Rabbi Bartenura’s Excellent Adventure

Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura, author of the go-to commentary on the Mishna in the 15th century, was an adventurous traveler who went on an epic journey from Italy to Jerusalem.

5 Influential Jewish Artists You Should Know About

Take a short stroll through Jewish art history.

Were These Historical Figures Good or Bad for the Jews?

Can you get all the answers right?

Jews and Booze: The Fascinating History of Jews and Alcohol

Why Jews played an enormous role in the alcohol business.

Chances Are Leonardo da Vinci Was Jewish

Italian historian Carlo Vecce set out to debunk rumors of da Vinci’s foreign origins, but a newly discovered document changed his mind.

Mimouna: The Ultimate Passover Afterparty

A Moroccan-Jewish custom with mysterious roots has gone viral.

The Life and Times of Glikl bas Leyb: a 17th-Century Woman for the Ages

Nearly 300 years after her death, Glikl has become an unlikely literary celebrity.

 

5 Jewish Languages You Didn’t Know Existed

Jews share aspects of the same religion, culture, and history, but they don't all share the same languages.

 

The Spanish Inquisition: Why Spain Expelled Sephardic Jews

Sephardic Jews still carry the memory and the legacy of the centuries of vibrant Jewish life in Spain. This video honors the astonishing resilience of a community that refused to be destroyed.

Dona Gracia Nasi & the Spanish Inquisition’s Underground Railroad

Gracia Nasi defied the Spanish Inquisition to ferry thousands of Jews to safety.

Jews of Venice’s Ghetto

Confined to a tiny island, Venice’s Jews put on magnificent Purim shows for the whole city.

Codex Sassoon: World’s Most Expensive Book for Sale

Horrific Valentine’s Day Massacre of Jews

On Valentine’s Day 1349 thousands of Jews were burned to death, accused of poisoning wells.

Van Gogh, Peron, Thomas Edison, Shah of Iran, Joan of Arc, Mozart: Good or Bad for the Jews?

Test your history knowledge with this fun, interactive quiz.

Were These 6 Historical Figures Good or Bad for the Jews?

Take the second quiz and see if you know all the answers.

Who Are the Karaites?

The inside story of a rebellious Jewish sect that began in the Middle Ages.

The Crown and the Jews: 12 Facts

British royals have had a long, sometimes tempestuous history with their Jewish subjects.

The Maharal: Savior of the Jews

The greatness and wisdom of Rabbi Judah ben Bezalel Loew far exceeds the dubious story of the Golem.

The Jewish History of Prague

A snapshot of Prague’s Jewish history and legacy.

How did Medieval Jewish Tombstones End Up in an Italian Monument?

The appalling story of desecrated tombstones from the 16th century Sephardic cemetery of Ferrara, Italy.

Pivotal Shofar Blasts throughout Jewish History

The shofar has become the voice of the Jewish people at different occasions throughout history.

 

Defiance: The Astonishing Shofar Blowing During the Spanish Inquisition

In a Barcelona concert hall, one man's insane act of rebellion in 15th century Spain.

17 Victims Murdered in Medieval Pogrom in Norwich Identified as Jews

Through DNA analysis, the remains of a family murdered in 1190 has been identified as Ashkenazi Jews. Here’s the fascinating history you need to know.

Jamaica, Jews and Christopher Columbus: The Fascinating History of Jews in Jamaica

What did Bob Marley have in common with Jews?

Denigration: A Tragic Story of Jews in Art from the Late Renaissance

Italian-Jewish businessman Daniele da Norsa removed the outdoor painting of Madonna and Child, triggering a terrible series of consequences.

I’m a Gamblin’ Man: The 17th Century Rabbi who Battled Addiction

The remarkably honest autobiography of Rabbi Leon Modena, a great Italian rabbinic scholar, describes his heroic struggles to overcome his gambling addiction.

Napoleon and the Jews

Was the diminutive ruler a friend or foe to the Jews?

Saadiah Gaon, Rashi and Maimonides: How Three Rabbis Revolutionized Judaism

How three great Jewish scholars transformed our views of the Bible, education, Judaism, science and life.

Jews and the Chocolate Trade

Chocolate played a pivotal role in Jewish survival amidst the throes of the Inquisition.

When King Louis IX Tried to Wipe Out Judaism

King Louis IX had a Jewish problem. They still named a city after him.

The Tragic History of the Jews of Spain

A comprehensive overview of the persecution, scholarship and expulsion of the Jews of Spain.

When England Expelled the Jews

And the rabbi who was instrumental in gaining them re-entry 400 years later.

Rare Documentation of the Portuguese Inquisition Revealed

A recently discovered manuscript documents the first 130 years of the Portuguese Inquisition’s tribunals against newly converted Christians accused of secretly practicing Judaism.

Death at Sea: The Tragedy of the Struma

In 1942, the dilapidated ship carrying 769 desperate Jewish refugees en route to Palestine, was blown up. There was one sole survivor.

Jews Changing Their Surname at Ellis Island

Why everything you've been told about the name changes at Ellis Island is a big, fat lie.

Black Christmas: December 25 in Jewish History

For generations, Jews have faced danger on this day.

Christopher Columbus, Secret Jew

What is the evidence that Columbus was a Jew?

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