Henry Abramson

The final Ashkenazium lecture is now online! With this lecture, the online course A Thousand Years of Ashkenaz is now complete! Twelve Modules and 56 lessons in length (mostly videos). Enjoy in good health! Chapter Six of The Jewish People: A History Now Online! Over 200 pages of draft text are now available to studentsContinue reading “What is Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day)? A Thousand Years of Ashkenaz Online Course now Complete! Chapter 6 of The Jewish People: A History now Online”

Formally emancipated in 1790-91, the rights of Jews as citizens were challenged a decade later. In his typically grandiose fashion, Napoleon addressed the question by reconvening the ancient Great Sanhedrin and asked the Jews of France twelve basic questions. The Holocaust in Ashkenaz Part 11 of The Ashkenazium Lectures, premieres today at 12:00 noon ET.Continue reading “Napoleon and the Jews of Paris; The Holocaust in Ashkenaz; Chapter 6 of Jewish History online; Renewal Fundraising Goal exceeded!”

Proud to work with Unpacked on this brief yet sophisticated discussion of a complex topic. New Draft Chapter in Biblical Jewish History now Online Very pleased to be receiving comments on the draft chapters in my forthcoming book with Koren Publishers! Students registered in the Biblical Jewish History course are welcome to read and critique.Continue reading “Should Jews Support Ukraine?; New Draft Chapter in Biblical History online; The Soviet Experience (Ashkenazium Lectures pt. 10) premieres at 12 noon ET; Thank you to Renewal Supporters!”

My friends, it’s almost Shabbos. Will you participate? Inscribe your name in the Book of Life by joining the list of donors to Renewal. Your contribution, large or small, will help them find a kidney for someone in desperate need. We can’t all be heroic altruistic kidney donors. But we can certainly be altruistic dollarContinue reading “Yossi needs a kidney. He’s three years old.”

900 years later, a document from the Cairo Geniza describes the tragic story of a French convert to Judaism during the Crusades Three years ago, my wife donated a kidney. Here’s why. Three years ago, on erev Yom Kippur, my wife Ilana donated a kidney to a total stranger. Although she literally gave someone theContinue reading “The Letter of the Convert; Personal Appeal; National Awakening in Ashkenaz today at 12 noon ET”

Here’s your opportunity to get an advance look at the first volume of my forthcoming The Jewish People: A History. Dear fellow students of Jewish History! I am in the last few months of producing the manuscript of volume one of my forthcoming book, The Jewish People: A History. I’ve been trying an experiment inContinue reading “Update on Forthcoming Book; Hasidim vs. Mitnagdim vs. Maskilim; Ukraine and its Jews”

Official languages of the seminar are Ukrainian and English, with simultaneous translation. The conference is open to the public. Here is a brief translation of the program with the full details in Ukrainian below. Petliura and “The Petliura Affair:” De(constructing) an Imperial Myth Friday, April 29, 2022, 10:00am-1:00pm ET Via Zoom: http://www.bit.ly/HREC-Petliura. Zoom address: 874Continue reading “International Seminar on Symon Petliura (Friday, April 29, 10am ET, in Ukrainian and English)”

Wishing you all a redemptive Passover season.

“My parents went to Mt. Ebal and all I got was this lousy lead curse tablet.” This video is part of the Biblical Jewish History online course (click here for information and registration). Judaism in Medieval Ashkenaz (The Ashkenazium Lectures Part 3) Passover Thoughts on Jewish History and the Situation in Ukraine Lecture delivered asContinue reading “Judaism in Medieval Ashkenaz; Passover and the Situation in Ukraine; The Lead Curse Tablet from Mt. Ebal; Oldest Jewish Building in France”