The Jews of Bukhara (Sunday in Denver); the Maimonidean Controversy; Save the Date for Roslyn NY
Really looking forward to speaking to the Or Avner community in Aurora, CO!
The Maimonidean Controversy
Save the Date: Shabbaton in Roslyn NY, December 20-21
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Parashat Pinhas in the Warsaw Ghetto (July 20, 1940)
July brought new tribulations upon the Jewish community as the Nazis, energized by their victories on the western front, formally eliminated virtually every non-governmental organization in the General Government. Charitable agencies, cultural leagues, and of course political groups were abolished, for both Jews and Poles. The ghetto population increased by tens of thousands as Jews…
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To the antisemitic vandal who defaced my car: thank you.
My fourteen-year old son was the first to see the damage, and you gave me the precious opportunity to teach him some ancient truths about our long-standing relationship.
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The Last Hasidic Rebbe of Warsaw: Interview with Zev Brenner on Talkline
I had the pleasure of speaking with Zev Brenner of the famous Talkline last week; really pleased that there’s a lot of interest in the work of the Piaseczno Rebbe. The broadcast was aired last Saturday night and will be rebroadcast again tonight at 8pm EST on WSNR AM 620. Here’s the link to the…
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Proud to Honor Dean Stanley Boylan at Harvard Club
Dean Boylan has been a mentor of mine since I joined Touro in 2006. Proud to be with him this morning at the Harvard Club as he receives the Education Update Outstanding Educator of the Year Award. With Dean Moshe Sokol of Lander College for Men and Executive Dean Robert Goldschmidt of the Mighty Avenue…
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Parashat Hukat in the Warsaw Ghetto (July 5, 1941)
Is it possible for a person to be struck and not experience physical pain?
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Mr. Hunter Ross Loren Receives Award for Scholarly Enthusiasm in Jewish History
Meet Mr. Hunter Ross Loren, a precocious 13-year old who, together with his uncle Alan Loren, contacted me this week to discuss Jewish history. Hunter is an avid fan of Jewish history–especially, of all things, the Jews of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth–and he is probably my youngest student online. As a follow-up to his Bar Mitzvah,…
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Jews and Ukrainians since HURI (1968-2018)
Video from “Ukraine in the World” conference, Harvard University, May 2018.
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SURVIVE JEWISH HISTORY: Take this free online course!
Colleagues, I’m pleased to post a version of my new experimental course online for the public good. Please visit bit.ly/survivejewishhistory to access the course. The course is divided into twelve Existential Crises, covering historical eras from the Hellenistic to the Spanish Expulsion. Undergraduate students are required to complete several academic exercises to “survive” each level and…
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Parashat Shlach in the Warsaw Ghetto (June 22, 1940)
Nonetheless, I proclaim my faith in God, that God is beyond limitation and nature, that God will save us. Let us go up and take it over, beyond reason and beyond logic.
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The Seven Jewish Survival Skills
The Seven Jewish Survival Skills HISN 155: Survive Jewish History I Divine Providence Two things: first of all, this isn’t a “skill” per se, since it is not directly dependent on human choice, and second, it’s very difficult to discern exactly when and how it operates. This is an academic course, as therefore we tend…
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New Experimental Jewish History Course
Hello Jewish History fans– Here’s a new project you might find interesting. A few months ago I came across the work of Ken Bain (What the Best College Teachers Do), which inspired me to take a dramatic new look at the way I’ve been teaching a bread-and-butter course for a long time: History of the…
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Parashat Naso in the Warsaw Ghetto (June 8, 1940)
“It is not sufficient for a person to merely perform a commandment to fulfill one’s duty as a Jew, rather one must transform one’s self into a Jew in the sense of and you will be a nation of priests unto Me, and a holy nation.”
The Jews of Bukhara (Denver, CO); The Jews of the Lesser Antilles; Varieties of Crypto-Jewish Identity; Wait, Alexander Hamilton was Jewish?
Looking forward to a wonderful Shabbat in the Denver Jewish community!
Our Itinerary of Discovery in the Western Caribbean
Channel Members
Premiering at 10am ET
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Who Was Rabbi Chaim Vital?
Rabbi Chaim Vital (1542-1620) was the principal disciple of the great Kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal). Three days after the death of his master, Rabbi Vital received a vision in a dream that consumed his scholarly life for decades: preserving the mystical heritage of the great Safed tradition. Please click here for the Prezi.
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Support Alexander’s Marathon Bid!
Hey, my son Alexander is training to run in the Miami Marathon next month to raise funds for Friendship Center. This is a really great cause and I believe in it: they do fantastic work with kids with disabilities, with special emphasis on helping them develop social skills. Please check out his donation page https://miami.teamfriendship.org/Alex, and…
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MONDAY NIGHT: FINAL LECTURE OF THE SEMESTER
We’ll be looking at the life and work of Rabbi Chaim Vital (1542-1620), the principal disciple of the great Kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal). Three days after the death of his master, Rabbi Vital received a vision in a dream that consumed his scholarly life for decades: preserving the mystical heritage of the great…
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Samuel Usque, Consolations for the Tribulations of Israel
Really fascinated by the history of Portuguese Jews lately. Please enjoy this latest column for the Five Towns Jewish Times! http://5tjt.com/usques-consolations/
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Who Was Uriel da Costa?
Living under the Portuguese Inquisition, Uriel da Costa (1583-1640) fled with his family to Amsterdam to reclaim his Jewish heritage. Tragically, the years of attempting to reconstruct authentic Judaism under the scrutiny of a zealous Church led him, like many crypto-Jews of his generation, to basic misunderstandings about the fundamental ideas and practices of his…
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Tonight: Uriel da Costa, 7 pm
Tonight’s Jewish History lecture will focus on the life and thought of Uriel da Costa, a tragic figure whose brief autobiography, “Example of a Human Life,” describes the psychic pain and spiritual loss felt by Jewish victims of the Spanish Inquisition, even generations after the expulsion of 1492. His thought had a major impact on…
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Heinrich Graetz, History of the Jews
Hey! I even got my picture in the paper with this article. Enjoy in good health! http://5tjt.com/history-of-the-jews/
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Who Was Dona Gracia Nasi?
Lecture on the life and work of Dona Gracia Nasi (also known as Beatrice de Luna Mendes), a heroic Jewish woman of the 16th century. Fleeing the Inquisition in Portugal, she used her considerable wealth and courage to spirit converso Jews out of Europe to refuge in Ottoman lands. Here’s the Prezi for this lecture:http://prezi.com/ezegvhtrjraf/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
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Tonight! Doña Gracia Nasi, heroic Jewish leader of the 16th Century
Jewish History @ Avenue J, 7:00-8:00 pm. A community project of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences, 1602 Avenue J, Brooklyn NY 11230. Admission is free.
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Avraham ben haRambam: Milhamot HaShem
Please enjoy this week’s People of the Book column in the Five Towns Jewish Times! http://5tjt.com/milchamot-hashem/
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Reminder: No Class Tonight!
Celebrating Hanukkah! We are scheduled to resume on Monday, December 14 at 7 pm with a presentation on Dona Gracia Nasi.
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Who was Avraham Maimuni?
Lecture on Avraham ben HaRambam, an important Jewish leader and scholar of 13th century Egypt. Best known as the son of the illustrious Maimonides, Avraham Maimuni was a brilliant thinker whose descendants led the Jewish community of Egypt for nearly 200 years. Here’s the link to the Prezi: http://prezi.com/3apfvk1ctjkg/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Visits to Synagogues in Bordeaux and Libourne (France); Another Open Letter to Jewish Participants in anti-Israel Protests re: Amsterdam; Conference Presentation on Sheptytsky and WW II
Fantastic Voyage of Discovery with Kosher River Cruises
A Difficult Conversation
Recent Conference Presentation in Toronto
Wait, Christopher Columbus was Jewish? Documentary on Roman-Jewish War now Online
Surprised how much attention this got.
Herod’s Tragic Reign
The Fatal Conflict
How Jewish Culture will Thrive after October 7; The Jews of Al-Andalus Part II
Remarks at Lander College for Men
Maimonides and the Controversy over His Work
Jewish Resilience After October 7; American Jews, Post-Honeymoon; The Jews of Al-Andalus
Three Strategies
Jews under the Visigoths II; The Spanish Golden Age
Public at 10am ET (44 minutes)
Online Courses in Jewish History
Jewish Life in Visigothic Spain; Commemorating October 7
This is one of the most bizarre periods of Jewish history, and that’s saying a lot.
New Lecture Series: The Sweep of Sephardic History; Faith in Times of Crisis: Commemorating the Tragedy of October 7
New Lecture Series: The History of Sephardic Jewry
