Really looking forward to meeting this community!

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




This is a really fascinating topic. Here’s a brief follow-up presentation related to The Jews of Africa lecture. Enjoy in good health! Was there a Jewish Dark Age? A “studio” version–meaning a recording of me talking into my iMac–is forthcoming, once I have a few moments to concentrate. For now, here’s the unedited/uncensored recording of……

Final Episode of Season One, and it’s PHENOMENAL. I feel so honored to have worked with this amazing team at Unpacked on the Jewish History Unpacked podcast. We are thrilled that it has received such a positive response, ranking #1 in Judaism podcasts for the first few weeks and remaining in the top ten ever……

Can’t wait to discuss this fascinating but little-studied period of Jewish history! Yael and Schwab discuss the tragic story of Uriel D’acosta in this amazing episode of Jewish History Unpacked The Saga of Dutch Jewry Really pleased to speak to some of my amazing Touro University students at the Yeshiva of South Florida last week!……

Join us for this free webinar! Speaking in Miami this Shabbos: Please drop by and say hello if you’re on Williams Island! Paul of Tarsus (aka St. Paul) Schwab and Yael explore this fascinating topic that is, believe it or not, a big part of Jewish history!

The Saga of Dutch Jewry (live webinar: please join us!) Premiering at Noon ET. Class delivered to The Habura in London A Tribute to Professor Michael Marrus ע׳׳ה from a Student

Some personal memories and appreciation of Professor Michael Marrus, a master instructor who taught at the University of Toronto for 49 years.

What an amazing history! Who Were the Radhanites? The Hebrew Hammer: The True Story of Hanukkah The Synagogue and the Church Emergent (Jewish Encounter with Rome series)
If you’re in the neighborhood of Shaarei Shomayim, please come by on Saturday or Sunday morning, would be nice to say hi.

Students of Daf Yomi! This one’s for you. Who are the Jews of Africa? Join me for Shabbat at Shaarei Shomayim, Toronto!

Proud parent: Aryeh running to support ADI Negev Very proud of our son Aryeh, raising funds to support the Respiratory Therapy and Hydrotherapy programs at ADI Negev, an institute that celebrates Ability, promotes Diversity and insists on Inclusion. Join us in supporting his worthy efforts! Please click here for more information: https://adi-il.org/campaign/aryeh-abramson/ How did Jews get to Africa……

Ach, here we go again. Who is a Jew, anyway? Join me for a discussion of the long history of Jewish communities of color, beginning with some historical observations relating to the current version of the perennial “Who is a Jew” debate. Register for free at https://bit.ly/JEWSOFCOLOR. The Genetic History of Ashkenazi Jews Related, strangely,……

What happens when two young Jewish history nerds start to schmooze? This. Visiting the Jewish Community of Mexico City Upcoming Lectures Brief discussion with Dr. Daniel Fainstein, Dean of Jewish Studies at Universidad Hebraica (in English)


This brief lecture inaugurates a new series: Essential Lectures in Jewish History, brief overviews of major themes and periods, designed as introductions to more detailed treatments in the Jewish Biography as History s series. Enjoy in good health! Lectures by Dr. Henry Abramson. To view the Prezi associated with this lecture, please click here.
My son Alexander shows up in official Miami Marathon video at 0:38 seconds (red bandana) http://youtu.be/gxJRzYzQfoQ Please sponsor him at http://www.teamfriendship.org/Alexander to help kids with disabilities!

Hello everyone: my son Alexander is once again training to run the ING Miami Marathon to raise funds for Friendship Circle, a non-profit organization that helps children, teens and adults with special needs. Alexander is an avid runner with a long history of running for charitable causes: in 2010 he ran his first half-marathon (at……

Emerging from the sixteenth-century Safed Circle of Jewish mystics, Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal) was a pivotal figure in the history of Kabbalah. His influence on later Jewish movements, in particular Hasidism, is still felt to this day. Part of the Jewish Biography as History lecture series by Dr. Henry Abramson.

David Reubeni was one of the most colorful messianic figures of Jewish history. A little person with a shady background, he was received with dignity by Popes and Kings in the fifteenth century, regaling them with tales of the Jews of the east and promising them great military victories should they enlist his service. He……

Nahmanides (Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman, or Ramban) was one of the most important thinkers of Jewish history. Brilliantly creative and intellectually courageous, his commentary on the Torah is widely studied eight centuries after his passing. Part of the Jewish Biography as History series by Dr. Henry Abramson.

American-born Henrietta Szold was an extremely influential Zionist leader and organizer, founder of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. To view the Prezi associated with this video, click here.

Nicholas Donin was an erstwhile Talmudic scholar who converted to Christianity and made a career of denouncing the Talmud. His charges, brought before the Pope, resulted in a massive destruction of priceless Jewish manuscripts in Paris, 1242. Part of the Jewish Biography as History lecture series by Dr. Henry Abramson.

Rabenu Gershom, Me’or Ha-Golah (Our Teacher Gershom, Light of the Exile) was one of the most influential Jewish legislators of the High Middle Ages, affecting a wide variety of Jewish practices including monogamy, divorce law, and the right to privacy. Part of the Jewish Biography as History lecture series by Dr. Henry Abramson.

Yocheved was the daughter of one of Judaism’s greatest scholars: Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, better known as Rashi. A fascinating woman in her own right, this lecture will survey some of the references to Yocheved (and her illustrious sisters) and what light this sheds on the history of medieval Jewish women.


