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)

Part I: Part II: Part III: Solomon Mikhoels (1890-1948) was one of the most prominent actors and directors in early Soviet Russia. His career coincides with the brief flourishing of Yiddish culture under the policy of korenizatsiia, or “indiginization,” when the Communist authorities sought to develop folk culture as a means of developing loyalty to the……

Shimon Dubnow (1860-1941), a noted historian and activist whose theories of Jewish survival in the diaspora were extremely influential in the shaping Jewish identity in the modern world, from the future of Russian Jewry to the establishment of the modern Federation movement in the United States. Dubnow’s scholarship was inextricably intertwined with the effort to……
Moses Mendelssohn was a hugely influential thinker in 18th-century Germany. An unusually gifted intellect, he became the primary spokesperson for the emancipation of Jews in the 18th century, and his cause was championed by many non-Jewish liberals of the era. Heralded as the founder of the Reform movement even though Mendelssohn himself maintained an observant……

Nathan of Hanover is best known for his moving chronicle of the Khmel’nyts’kyi (Chmielnicki) Rebellion. Entitled Yeven Metsulah (“The Abyss of Despair”), it records with remarkable fairness the social, political, economic and religious background of the mid-17th century Ukrainian movement against the Poles, along with the horrible pogroms perpetrated in the context of that violent……

Here’s the Torahcafe.com edited version, in one piece, with the PPTs integrated. A little easier to watch.

Here’s a lecture I delivered at the Shul of Bal Harbour, not part of the regular HIS 155/156 Series, but kind of nice. Edited by the great people at TorahCafe.com. Please click on the icon above to see the video. I hope you find it interesting!

The nice folks over at TorahCafe took my lecture on Rabbi Yosef Karo and worked their magic on it, integrating the PowerPoint well with the lecture, and edited it down to a tighter presentation. Please click on the TorahCafe icon below to view the improved version.


