Really looking forward seeing my friends at YILC!
RESURGENCE in Jewish History (Shabbaton at YILC, 5 Towns); Intrepid Rabbi-Explorers of the 3rd Century; Sephardic Diaspora in the New World
Eurafrican Jews in the Caribbean; Jewish Caribbean Migration Patterns; and a retrospective mini-documentary
Hard to believe such beautiful places exist!
Jewish Caribbean Migration Patterns
Eurafrican Jews in the Caribbean
The Sephardic Diaspora: Europe
Want to learn more Jewish History? Try one of these online courses!
Saga of Sephardic Jewry (New Online Course!); Volume II:Chapter 2 now online; Benjamin of Tudela; Guide for the Perplexed; Review of Koren’s New Mikraot Hadorot
Jewish History Lab Report: Friday, January 3, 2025
Benjamin of Tudela, Great Jewish Explorer of the 12th Century!
The Saga of Sephardic Jewry: New Course Now Online!
Stunning new work of Torah Scholarship: The Koren Mikraot Hadorot
Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplexed: Battle of the Translators
Shabbat in Rosyln, NY; Hello from Jerusalem;
Really looking forward to meeting this community!
Message recorded from Jerusalem last week
Medieval Antisemitism and the Spanish Inquisition
Invitation to LCM Breakfast; Caribbean Jews and the History of Chocolate; Spanish Disputations and the Pogroms of 1391
Please join me at our First Annual Breakfast!
Jews and Chocolate! Who knew?
Disputations and the Pogroms of 1391
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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Crash Course in Jewish History
Please join us at Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst for four lectures in Jewish History! Details below.
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What’s with all the interviews this week?
This week was unusually busy for interviews! Kind of surprised that people want to talk to me about this stuff, but really glad there are others who find this research FASCINATING. Yesterday I had a great convo with Rabbi Sholom Licht for a print article in Jewish Action. Our discussion began with the Jewish History…
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Siyum Ha-Shas in the Displaced Persons Camp, 1945
“We were only a few broken Jews with two books, but…the day of the Siyum HaShas was my day of victory, the day of victory for all survivors, and the day of victory for every ‘Talmud Jew.’” The brick crematoria of Dachau had barely cooled when the surviving remnants of European Jewry were called upon…
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Torah New York!
I think Torah New York is going to be amazing! Please come by and say hello. I will be hanging out with Rabbi Moshe Schwed and Ec Birnbaum, talking about the launch of the amazing new AllDAf app for Daf Yomi study. Please click here for more information on this amazing event!
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The Sages of Provence (Jews of the Rhone, Pt. IV)
Brief discussion of the encounter of Provencal Jewry with the writings of the great Spanish thinkers and other Arabic-language material, and its impact on European Jewish history. Part of the Jews of the Rhone series, more at henryabramson.com.
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Judaea Capta: The First Roman-Jewish War
https://youtu.be/F94bCi2hmBk Lecture delivered on Tisha B’Av 5779 (August 11, 2019) at the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst. The lecture is also posted here: https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=88833
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The Bizarre Story of Eisenmenger’s Obsession
This is what I’m thinking about during the Nine Days. Click here to read the article. Thanks to Laura Adkins for her superlative editing.
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Lost Wooden Synagogues of Eastern Europe
Answering a question from Dr. Fred Samuels of Rechovot regarding Synagogue architecture, I noticed that The Lost Wooden Synagogues of Eastern Europe (Carl Hersh, 1999) is available online for free. I think it’s especially appropriate viewing for the Nine Days and Tisha B’Av. Beautifully narrated by Theodor Bikel, the film documents the beauty and grandeur…
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Tisha B’Av Lecture: Judea Capta
Hopefully this event will be cancelled. If not, please join me at The Young Israel of Ft. Lee with Rabbi Zev Goldberg on Sunday, August 11 at 8:45 am or at the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst at 6:00 pm. Lecture is free and open to the community.
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Kabbalah of Forgiveness Now in Large Print
This one’s for my mother. Book interior beautifully designed by Danit Mills.
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The Nasi of Narbonne (The Jews of the Rhone, pt. III)
The amazing legend, repeated in several medieval sources, of a Jewish kingdom in 8th century France. Part III of the Jews of the Rhone series.
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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Origins of the Jews of India
GM–Join me today at 12 noon ET (New York Time) for a premiere and live chat on the origins of the Jews of India.
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Interview in Der Veker
I was delighted to participate in this in-depth, far-reaching conversation with the talented and insightful editor of @DerVeker, who insisted on asking a lot of hard questions. How’s your Yiddish?
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Origins of the Jews of China
This is an absolutely fascinating topic, I really enjoyed the research! Please join me for a live chat and video of Jewish Migration Patterns, followed by a longer look at the remarkable history of the Jews of China. Starting at 1pm ET (New York Time).
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The History of Jewish-Muslim Relations in the Medieval Period: A Discussion with Paul Williams of Blogging Theology
I enjoyed this conversation. Hope you find it meaningful as well!
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Jews in the Byzantine Empire, Elul in Jewish History
Good morning fellow students of Jewish History! In a few hours we’ll premiere a video on a topic that receives very little attention in Jewish history: the experience of Jews in the Byzantine Empire. Just a brief video for now (12m), but I hope to expand it in the print version. Join me for a…
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Ethical Literature (Mussar) in Jewish History: A Personal Reading List
Good morning fellow students of Jewish history! Today is the Rosh Hodesh Elul, the beginning of the month of Elul, initiating the annual season of introspection leading up to the High Holidays. I’ve prepared this brief video that surveys some of the most important works of the literary tradition that make up the loosely-organized Mussar…
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My lecture on the History of Antisemitism, censored by YouTube, is now back online. Here’s the takeaways.
Join me at 12 noon (ET) for a live chat on this topic. Here’s the link to the controversial video (my part starts around 41:00).
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My Father and Maimonides: A Personal Message
My father passed away on the 11th of Av, seven years ago. I miss him.
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Sectarian Infighting and the Fall of Jerusalem: Today at 1pm, 7pm ET
1pm on YouTube (pre-recorded with live chat), 7pm live presentation at Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst.
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Sectarian Infighting and the Fall of Jerusalem: Tisha B’Av lecture for Sunday
Good morning fellow students of Jewish history. In a few hours we will begin Shabbat Hazon, marking the last transition to Tisha B’Av, the most tragic day in the Jewish calendar. As in previous years, I hope to lecture on the history of the Roman-Jewish war that resulted in the destruction of the Temple. This…
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Regarding my recently censored video on the history of antisemitism
I wasn’t surprised that YouTube censored my recent video as “Hate Speech.” It’s happened before.
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
Henry Abramson 