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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Mass Jewish Politics in the Modern Era (Essential Lectures in Jewish History)
This lecture briefly covers the rise of mass Jewish politics at the turn of the 20th century, looking at the rise of Jewish Socialism, Zionism, and other movements. Part of the Essential Lectures in Jewish History series available at http://www.jewishhistorylectures.org. To view the Prezi associated with this lecture, please click here.
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Salomon Maimon: Incipient Rebellion
Blessed with a fine mind but an obstreperous personality, Salomon Maimon was one of the most erudite rebels against Judaism in the 18th century, leaving a powerful memoir that betrayed some of the stress points in traditional society.
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The Incident at Inmestar (This Week in Jewish History)
Murder on Purim? That’s the charge of Socrates Scholasticus, whose lone account of an alleged Purim celebration that got out of hand in the year 415 has become part of the historical record, for good or ill. Although the validity of the accusation is highly questionable, the incident at Inmestar had a larger impact centuries……
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The Haskalah (Essential Lectures in Jewish History) Dr. Henry Abramson
The Haskalah was a major intellectual-political movement of the 18th and 19th centuries. Seeking political emancipation and intellectual freedom, it challenged the hegemony of the traditionalist authorities, leading to widespread assimilation on one hand but exceptionally creative solutions to modernity on the other. Part of the Essential Lectures in Jewish History series. To view the……
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Eliyahu ben Shlomo: The Vilna Gaon and Lithuanian Judaism
Rabbi Eliyahu ben Shlomo, the 18th century Talmudic scholar better known as The Vilna Gaon, is revered as the father of traditional Lithuanian Judaism. Part of the Jewish Biography as History series by Dr. Henry Abramson.
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Dr. Bernard Lander and Touro College (This Week in Jewish History)
Dr. Bernard Lander (1915-2010) was one of the most influential Jewish educators of the 20th and 21st century. Scholar and social activist, he founded Touro College in 1971, which now serves almost 19,000 students world wide. This short video was prepared to commemorate the recent anniversary of his passing.
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Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi: The Alter Rebbe
Author of the Tanya, a hugely influential 18th-century work of Jewish spirituality, Rabbi Scheur Zalman of LIadi is considered the founder of the Chabad (Lubavitch) movement. People Of The Book: Classic Works Of The Jewish Tradition By Dr. Henry Abramson This article appeared in the February 25, 2016 edition of the Five Towns Jewish……
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The Eastern European Center (Essential Lectures in Jewish History)
A brief overview of the settlement and activity of the Jewish people in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Part of the Essential Lectures in Jewish History series by Dr. Henry Abramson. To view the Prezi associated with this lecture, please click here.
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Bilhah Abigaill Levy Franks: Jewish Women Building America
Bilhah Abigaill Levy Franks lived in New York City in the early decades of the eighteenth century. Her correspondence with Naftali, her eldest son, reveals much about the inner life of a Jewish woman in colonial America. Part of the Jewish Biography as History series by Dr. Henry Abramson.
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Jewish-Christian Disputation in the Middle Ages: This Week in Jewish History
Forced debates between Jews and Christians were a feature of medieval Jewish life, often with dire consequences.
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Johann Eisenmenger and the Talmud
Posing as a would-be convert to Judaism, Johann Andreas Eisenmenger studied Rabbinic literature for 19 years before publishing a massive two-volume denunciation of the Talmud called “Judaism Revealed” in 1711. His defamation of Jews and Judaism has been the foundation of much antisemitic diatribe for the last three centuries. Part of the Jewish Biography as……
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Sarah bas Tovim: The Power of Women’s Prayer
Sarah bas Tovim was one of the most prolific authors of tekhines, prayers composed specifically for Jewish women in Eastern Europe. Her work illustrates the deeply spiritual lives of simple women, and sheds significant light on the social history of the shtetl. Part of the Jewish Biography as History series by Dr. Henry Abramson.
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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Trailer for The Fatal Conflict: Judea and Rome
Okay, this is cool: just saw the trailer for a documentary project I worked on several months ago. I can’t wait to see the whole thing! I was especially honored to work with Dr. Lawrence Schiffman, world expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls and senior scholar in Jewish history (he’s the last talking head in……
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Who Was the Hatam Sofer (Chasam Sofer)? Jews of the Danube pt. 3
A scholar and a fighter, the Hatam Sofer articulated a definition of Orthodoxy for the modern era.
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Who Was Isaac of Vienna (Or Zaru’a)? The Jews of the Danube pt. 2
Brief video lecture on the life and work of Isaac of Vienna (c. 1180-c. 1250), author of the important Or Zaru’a.
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Jewish History Lectures Resume Monday Night!
We begin our discussion of the Jews of the Danube with the question: “Who Was Isaac of Vienna (the Or Zaru’a)?”
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The Tomb of the Hatam Sofer in Bratislava, Slovakia
Unexpected and unexplained, a phalanx of glass obelisks emerge silently from the earthen mound, punctuating the atmosphere above what appears to be an anonymous tel. Some are transparent, others pebbled and translucent, but all glow with a faint green hue. Unyielding, they stand in rigid formation on the angled surface of the earth. These mute……
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The Golden Age of Budapest Jewry: Today’s Excursion with Kosher River Cruises
When the Hungarians purchased their alphabet, vowels were on sale (also plastic sofa coverings and chandeliers). By the time the Poles came around, all that was left were the consonants. This helps explain why we anglophones are so challenged by both languages: in the case of Hungarian, there are just way too many umlauts and……
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Will the Danube Release its Wartime Secrets?
Abandoned Nazi trucks were discovered by children playing in the shallows of the diminished Danube.
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Tonight in Budapest, Hungary
Hello fellow students of Jewish history! Today our exploration of Jewish heritage along the Danube River valley begins in Budapest, home to one of the largest concentrations of Jews at the turn of the 20th century. I’m really thrilled to be together with so many people who share my passion for the amazing story of……
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The Saga of Danubian Jewry: Part One of The Jews of the Danube Series (Fall 2018)
Part One of The Jews of the Danube series (Fall 2018). Several lectures to be presented live in Europe this month, planning to return to Brooklyn for more live lectures beginning November 5. Enjoy in good health!
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The Murdered Piaseczno Rebbe Had No Dynasty. How Did He Build A Huge Modern Following?
This article appeared, in slightly abbreviated form, in today’s Forward. So many colleagues and friends–fellow students of the Rebbe–contributed moving quotations on the Facebook page dedicated to the Rebbe. Laura Adkins’ editorship at the Forward is really great, and the final version is certainly more appropriate for the wider audience. If you would like to……
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 