Really looking forward to meeting this community!

Lectures in Jewish History and Thought. No hard questions, please.



New class on Maimonides’ life, work and a mini-class on his Ways of Teshuvah for the month of Elul. Enjoy in good health! This video discusses the 8th edition of Maimonides on Teshuvah, with a commentary written during the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic.

A conversation with Nissim Black and Henry Abramson, moderated by Mordechai Yosef ben Avraham. The panelists and moderator will explore the idea of race and color in Jewish history and culture, and discuss the African and African-American Jewish experience over the centuries and in contemporary America, Europe and Israel. Recognizing that the world is at……

Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides, 1138-1204) was one of the towering figures of medieval Jewish thought, casting a long shadow even today. Renowned in his own day as a world-famous physician to royalty, he offered guidance both physical and spiritual in a time of pandemic. This lecture will review his life and work, including the controversy……

Elul is not that far off. Here’s a brief video on Moses Maimonides, is life and work, with emphasis on his remarkable Ways of Teshuvah (repentance).

Judaea Capta: The Roman-Jewish Wars in History and Representation Tisha B’Av: Thursday, July 30 at 12:45 PM EDT The Shul via Zoom: 645 705 4016, password 699576

The Kishinev Pogrom and Jewish History Young Israel of Fort Lee Webinar Tisha B’av: 7.30.2020 2pm EDT RSVP: bit.ly/cityofslaughter

Maimonides on Teshuvah, 8th edition revised during the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Forthcoming Elul 5780. Beautiful cover by Rachel Jackson.

Have to share this really sweet email from a student in the Jewish History in Daf Yomi podcast on the All Daf app (edited, and with permission) and his amazingly studious daughters. These kind of messages give me strength to continue! Howdy Dr. Abramson! I just wanted to say a special thank you for your……

Please join me tonight @ 7pm EDT for a discussion of the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz in historical perspective, focusing on the disastrous 1st century and its implications for Jewish life in the Coronavirus era. Introduction and concluding remarks by Rabbi Chaim Poupko, Congregation Ahavath Torah (Englewood, NJ). I am grateful to Rabbi……

Please join me for a far-ranging discussion, rooted in the caustic sectarianism of First Century Judaea but with implications for our current Covid-19 reality. Register for the free webinar at http://www.ahavathtorah.org/Tammuz.

The Humility of Rabbi Zecharyah: Jewish Sectarianism in the First Century, the Beginning of our Exile, and a Reflection of our Troubled Times. Webinar sponsored by Congregation Ahavath Torah (Englewood, NJ) in commemoration of the communal period of reflection and Teshuvah that begins on the 17th of Tammuz. Lecture by Dr. Henry Abramson, Dean and……

Enjoyed this far-reaching conversation with Rabbi Aaron Parnes on his innovative Chinuch Podcast. Enjoy in good health!


OPRAH SPONSORS JEWISH HISTORY LECTURE! Well, almost, not exactly, sort of actually even better–Dr. Gary Neuman and his wife Michal have sponsored the lecture on Elie Wiesel, scheduled for December 19. As I’m sure you are aware, Dr. Neuman is a world-renowned psychologist who has appeared on Oprah many times, so that’s almost like Oprah……

I really got a lot out of researching Korczak’s life and work. Personal recommendation! Heroic pioneer of modern educational theory, Henryk Goldszmit (who wrote under the pen name Janusz Korzcak) ran an orphanage in the beleaguered Warsaw Ghetto, ultimately accompanying his youthful charges to the gas chambers of Treblinka. Part of the Jewish History @……

https://livestream.com/accounts/18514275/events/6706730/videos/143129283/player?width=640&height=360&enableInfo=true&defaultDrawer=&autoPlay=true&mute=false Unfortunately, my usual recording setup failed the night I gave this lecture last week, but b”H we have a backup from the Young Israel’s livestream account! Enjoy in good health.

From Betty Jean Lifton’s biography, citing Korczak’s memoirs of his years working in the Jewish Orphanage of Warsaw (How to Love a Child): An eight-year old boy woke with a toothache. Grabbing Korczak’s hand, he spilled out his anguish: “…then my mother died. Then I was sent to my grandmother, but she also died. Then……
“Korczak felt that within each child there burned a moral spark that could vanquish the darkness at the core of human nature.” (Betty Jean Lifton) https://www.crowdrise.com/friends-of-jewish-history/fundraiser/avenuej

If so, here’s two great causes to add to your list. Jewish History @ Avenue J Scholarship Fund goes directly to support undergraduate students at the Mighty Avenue J campus of Touro College. Friends of Jewish History supports the public Jewish history lecture series. Nu? Make your Bubbie proud, do something good. Thanks! (Can’t see the……
Here’s an experimental introductory video–let me know what you think! https://www.crowdrise.com/friends-of-jewish-history/fundraiser/avenuej

Friends and colleagues! One of our core values is that high-quality, academic information on Jewish history should be FREE. We’re very proud of our altruistic approach, and we don’t want to change. At the same time, we have a Jewish History student intern to support, a shoestring advertising budget to spread the word, and of……

“If I can’t dance to it, it isn’t my revolution!” A fiery orator and fearless iconoclast, Emma Goldman was one of the most notorious and controversial left-wing thinkers of turn-of-the 20th century America. Sponsor a lecture in the Jewish History @ J Series! https://www.crowdrise.com/friends-of-jewish-history/fundraiser/avenuej

Good morning fans of Jewish History! Really pleased to have positive response on the beautiful Jewish History bookmarks we’ve been sending out (send your mailing address if you’d like one)! Thanks to donors Max Sklar and Suzanne Parella who recently contributed to the Jewish History Scholarship Fund for our students. Meanwhile, we’re still looking for……

Brief overview of the controversy that surrounded the writings of Rabbi Moses Maimonides. Lecture delivered at the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst.


