(Well, not Yehudah Ha-Levi, but a lecture about the great Spanish-Jewish poet-philosopher of the 12th century). With Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum. 

Sponsored by Brandon Sultan in honor of the Sultan and Benarroch Families, whose Sephardic roots are expressed in a desire to honor the Convivencia; and also in loving memory of Mrs. Jean Milstein, whose relentless optimism was an inspiration to all.

Someone told me that this was printed in The Vues. I’m not a Rabbi, but I’m kind of pleased that Ari Hirsch asked for my opinion anyway. Makes me feel like I actually belong in Brooklyn, somehow, if I’m included in this paper known as “the Heimishe Voice.”

The last weeks of winter 1942, ironically, represented a kind of plateau for the Jews of Warsaw. The typhus epidemic abated, and the Nazis had established some work facilities (“shops”) that led many to believe that through productive labor, the Jews would endure. The general feeling was, in the words of historians Barbara Engelking and…

The life and times of an important woman of the early post-Expulsion generation of Sephardic Jews. Can’t see the video? Click here please.

We’re starting on Monday! Please visit http://www.jewishhistorylectures.org for details on the schedule. Free and open to the community, Monday nights at 7:00 pm at the mighty Avenue J campus of Touro College, 1602 Avenue J, Brooklyn NY 11230. Call (718) 535-9333 or write to me at henry.abramson@touro.edu. Some sponsorships are still available ($250 per lecture),…

Searching for an escapee from the notorious Pawiak Prison, the Nazis arrested 255 Jewish leaders in the Warsaw Ghetto, holding them hostage and demanding that the community turn over the 21-year old resistance fighter Andrzej Kott. The rebel was not found. The Jewish hostages were eventually killed.  The Rebbe was forced to spend that Sabbath…

  Just got my first copy of the hardcover edition of Torah from the Years of Wrath: The Historical Context of the Aish Kodesh. Special thanks to Mr. Sam Sapozhnik for making this possible! The hardcover edition hasn’t migrated yet to Amazon, but the good news is that I can offer my students, colleagues and friends 20%…

I’m really thrilled to be cruising the Douro River this summer with Kosher Riverboat Cruises, lecturing on the history of Spanish and Portuguese Jewry (my wife plans to come along, which means I really have to bring my A-game). I just learned that there’s only 18 cabins left, so if you’re interested, please click the…

On Parashat Beshalah (January 20, 1940), a young rebel escaped from the notorious Pawiak Prison, located not far from the Piaseczno Bet Midrash. Andrzej Kott, the 21-year old leader of the military wing of a resistance movement called the Polish People’s Independence Action, was a child of assimilated Jewish parents who had converted to Christianity.…

This is one of the most bizarre periods of Jewish history, and that’s saying a lot.

New Lecture Series: The History of Sephardic Jewry

Stories of Personal Transformation for Elul Napoleon’s 1808 Imperial Decree on Jewish Names The History of Sephardic Jewry (Lecture, 75 minutes) Jews, Wine, and Bordeaux (7 minutes)

Jewish Resilience after the Bar Kochba Rebellion New Series! Cool Things I Read in the Encyclopedia Judaica YouTube Colleagues: Volume II of The Jewish People: A History now appearing online

Revised with several more videos, new online quizzes to test your knowledge of Biblical Jewish History! Napoleon’s 12 Questions and the Fateful Jewish Answers Depictions of Jewish Women in the Tripartite Mahzor

I can’t believe the audience stayed for almost two hours. Tisha B’Av lecture at Congregation Ahavat Torah in Englewood, New Jersey Tu B’Av in Jewish History Shabbaton in Washington, September 13-14

Join us for this Tisha B’Av lecture, in person an on Zoom.

Tuesday, August 13 @ 6:00 PM

Fascinating look at a heroic Jewish woman of Bordeaux Who knew that Bilaam (Balaam) would have regional celebrity? Part III of Interview with Global Gambit (don’t judge by the thumbnail please)

An amazing encounter between two 18th century Jewish geniuses Not 100% accurate (e.g. I’m not a Rabbi) but I’m flattered by the attention Joanne Palmer devoted to my story. Can’t believe she included my Bar Mitzvah picture.

I am honored, and also humbled, by this promotion. Lander College for Men is a remarkable division of Touro University, ably led for 25 years by its founding Dean, Rabbi Dr. Moshe Sokol. (Courtesy of Touro University) Dr. Henry Abramson was named dean of Touro’s Lander College for Men, Touro President Dr. Alan Kadish announced. Most…

Surprising parallels to our contemporary situation Please join me for an all-night learning session on Shavuot!