Really thrilled to be part of the inaugural visiting faculty of the Ashkenazium! Please check out this introductory video that beautifully captures the historic “vibe” of the school and its Dean, Dr. Michael Chigel.

A brief overview of the history of Jewish life in Egypt. After looking briefly at the Exodus itself, we look at some major population centers in Elephantine, Alexandria, and Cairo, to the present day. To avoid any possible confusion: this lecture does not argue for continuity between the Jewish population described in the account of…

A brief look at the social and economic background of the post-Talmudic era in Baghdad, with an important digression into the 8th-10th century revolution in information technology that helped propel the authority and influence of the Geonim. The following video will look at the early history of North Africa, an area influenced by their scholarship…

Premiering today at 12:00 noon ET.

Preliminary remarks on the study of the Jews in Africa, followed by The Jews of Ethiopia (origins to 1862). Premiering today at 12 noon ET. Note: for some reason this particular topic attracts an unusual amount of inappropriate commentary. Scholarly, collegial discussion is welcomed here; but I intend to remove hateful remarks, and commentators who…

Jewish History Lab Report February 12, 2021 Jewish History Lab Lectures Scheduled for Next Week (Advance access for YouTube channel members at the Student Level) 49. Early Jewish Settlement in Spain (Scheduled for Sunday @ 1:00 PM ET) 50. Jews in Visigothic Spain (Scheduled for Monday @1:00 PM ET) Researchers: The Amazing Journey of Yisrael…

Good morning fellow students of Jewish History! Do you watch the Jewish History Lab series? If so, please contribute your thoughts in this brief, anonymous survey. We’ll be starting the second semester later this month, and I value your opinion! https://bit.ly/jhljanuary2021

Emma Goldman, “The most dangerous woman in America.” Yael and Schwab knock this Jewish History Nerds podcast OUT OF THE PARK. Really proud to work with the team at Jewish Unpacked! Listen where you get your podcasts. Jews and the Right to Bear Arms in Early Ashkenaz Register for the History of Ashkenaz Course!

Really looking forward to speaking in the Holy City of Brooklyn for Project inspire! Please join us. Jewish History Nerds, Season 2, begins with King Herod! Really enjoy working with Yael, Schwab and Rivky at Unpacked! Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Birth of Ashkenaz Series Continues: New Videos!

Did this 9th century Churchman read the Bible–and convert to Judaism? Why did this Iranian Muslim save Jews in the Holocaust? Really proud to work with the talented team at Unpacked on these new videos. Two New Videos for the upcoming Ashkenazium lectures in Budapest

Please join me at the Young Israel of Fort Lee for a discussion of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalmish Shapiro, hy”d. The Catalan Atlas Part I of The Birth of Ashkenaz: A New Series

Episode #1 of Talk Jewish To Me What is the Extra-biblical Historical Evidence for the Exodus?

This is just an amazing find. The Birth of Ashkenaz: Graduate Seminar in Budapest this May Thrilled to be returning to the Ashkenazium later this summer to spend time with some really brilliant European students looking at the Birth of Ashkenaz. Here’s the course description, please visit https://www.ashkenazium.eu for more information: A survey of the…

YouTube recently made it easy to transform my playlists into Podcast format, which has long been a demand from fellow students of Jewish history. I just uploaded one list to start: the Jewish History Lab (114 videos). Should be populating on Google Play and (I think) Apple Podcasts, but for now it’s available on my…

Really enjoyed visiting Edmonton last week for this conference, very intelligent and receptive audiences. My keynote was preceded by a general welcome to the conference from Dr. Ryan Dunch, and starts with something that is widespread at the University of Alberta: an acknowledgment that the University is situated on land that originally belonged to First…

Wishing you all a Purim full of light and gladness!

I am deeply honored to address the Chevra Kadisha at the Riverdale Jewish Center at their annual 7 Adar celebration. The “Holy Association” is a group of men and women who undertake, usually on a volunteer basis, the difficult task of preparing our deceased loved ones for burial. If you are in the neighborhood, please…

Please come by and say hello!

Please join us for the final lecture in the Jewish Life in the (Not So) Dark Ages series! Wednesday night at 7:30 ET. RSVP at https://bit.ly/YILCNotSoDark. Welcome!