Really looking forward to meeting this community!
Shabbat in Rosyln, NY; Hello from Jerusalem;
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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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.
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Antisemitism: Mutations of the Eternal Virus (Recording of Webinar)
Recording of today’s webinar; the introduction begins at 36:00 and the presentation begins at 42:00. Difficult topic.
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Banning critical race theory will gut the teaching of Jewish history
No responsible teacher wants to teach students to “hate each other” or “hate America.” But we all participate in a sacred covenant with our students: They expect us to tell them the truth. Please click here to read this article on JTA.
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Antisemitism: Mutations of the Eternal Virus (Sunday, 1pm ET)
Please join me on Sunday, July 11 for a panel discussion on the history of antisemitism, appropriate for the Nine Days. Discussants include Professor Adam Mendelsohn, director of the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies & Research and Associate Professor of History at the University of Cape Town, Professor Karen Milner, Gauteng Chair of the SA Jewish Board of……
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 Primo Levi?
Primo Levi died in Auschwitz–forty years later. (Elie Wiesel)
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Announcing Jewish History in Daf Yomi
Good morning students of Jewish History! I am proud to announce a new pilot project: Jewish History in Daf Yomi, part of the Orthodox Union Daf Yomi Initiative under the leadership of Rabbi Moshe Schwed. Here’s the basic idea: brief (5-minute) videos discussing a historical issue raised in the world cycle of daily Talmud study……
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How an Italian earthquake in 1570 created the first Modern Orthodox Jew
“The Light of the Eyes” caused an intellectually seismic event whose aftershocks reverberate in the Jewish world 500 years later.
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Who Was the Dark-Skinned Woman in the Sarajevo Haggadah?
Who was the mysterious dark-skinned woman in the Sarajevo Haggadah?
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Who Was Shmuel David Luzzatto (ShaDaL)?
Brief overview of the life and work of Shmuel David Luzzatto (ShaDaL), an important 19th-century Italian-Jewish thinker.
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The Mystery of the Birds’ Head Haggadah
Brief description of the world’s oldest illuminated Hebrew manuscript–and a 700-hundred year mystery, solved recently by a 10-year old boy.
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Who Was Azariah de’ Rossi?
He survived the 1570 earthquake in Ferrara–and became the world’s first Modern Orthodox Jew.
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Who Was Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinoro?
Brief overview of the life and work of Rabbi Ovadiah of Bertinoro (Bartenura), best known for his commentary on the Mishnah but also an important communal leader in late 15th-early 16th century Jerusalem.
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The Romans Tried to Ban Wild Purim Parties in 408
Hello everyone–here’s a brief historical article for this time of year that appeared in today’s JTA. Thanks to my daughter Raphaela and Laura Adkins at JTA for some amazing editing help. Enjoy in good health!
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Looking for a Sponsor for Monday Night’s Lecture
Connect yourself with the Rav for as long as there is an Internet.
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The Ancona Affair of 1555-56 (Jews of Italy Pt. VI)
The remarkable story of two powerful Jewish women from Spain and Portugal and the challenge to Pope Paul IV for his maltreatment of Portuguese Jews in Italy.
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Who Was Natan of Rome? Jews of Italy Pt. V
True, he wrote a dictionary, but cryptic hints in his autobiographical poem suggest a more complicated background.
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.
Henry Abramson 