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…

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.

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…

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…

Is it possible for a person to be struck and not experience physical pain?

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,…

Video from “Ukraine in the World” conference, Harvard University, May 2018.

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…

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.

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…

“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.”

How to distinguish legitimate criticism from simple hatred.

Looking forward to discussing the history of Jerusalem!

Our Annual Charity Campaign begins March 25! The 1642 Synagogue of Tykocin (Tiktin) A Lightning Survey of Russian Jewish History The Guide for the Perplexed: The Fruit of Haste is Regret The Jews of Ashkenaz Lectures

The Decline of Ashkenaz in the High Middle Ages From its Origins to the 20th century Maimonides on Biblical Metaphor

Join us for a live lecture at Touro University, Monday night! Difficult Topic. The Jews of Bukhara

Lecture open to the public! RSVP required Live Zoom link available to YouTube Channel Members, check your Community Tab for the link. The Elders of Kairouan Wondered: Is this guy for real? Jews and Commerce in Medieval Ashkenaz

Monday March 3: Please join me for this public lecture! Today: The Takkanot of Early Ashkenaz Resurgence of Antisemitism after October 7 (Project Witness Conference) Want to learn more?

Very enthused to be speaking at the following Yeshivot in Israel! Contact their offices for details: Second lecture in the History of Ashkenazic Jewry series Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplexed 3. Blockheads are Gonna Block Please join me for these public lectures!

Enjoyed this conversation with President Kadish and Dr. Leiman! Who Were The Mysterious Radhanites? The Remarkable Shem Tov Bible With Dr. Sharon Liberman Mintz, Judaica curator for Southeby’s, at a private viewing of this amazing 14th century Spanish Bible. Eurafrican Jews of the Caribbean

Really looking forward to speaking to this amazing community! The Sephardic Diaspora: Safed and Rabbi Moshe Cordoeiro (Cordovero) New Series on Ashkenazic Jewry for Channel Members