Lecture on the great 2nd-century Rabbi Meir, one of the most important figures in the history of Jewish thought in ancient Israel.
Here’s the link to the Prezi.
Who Was Rabbi Meir? Jewish Biography as History
Josephus Against Apion (Jewish History @ Avenue J)
Lecture on Against Apion, an important literary response to antisemitism in the Roman Empire written by the 1st century historian Flavius Josephus.
And here’s the Prezi: http://prezi.com/yzmhlmrhf2ac/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy.
Judah Maccabee (Jewish Biography as History) First Lecture of the Fall 2015 Lecture Series!
We begin the Fall 2015 Lectures in Jewish History series with a presentation on the life and work of Judah (Yehudah) Maccabee, famed military commander of the Hasmonean revolt. Enjoy in good health!
The Septuagint (This Week in Jewish History) Dr. Henry Abramson
[youtube=http://youtu.be/KDpoGsqKcPg]
The Septuagint, an ancient translation of the Torah into Koine Greek, had a tremendous impact on the later Christian understanding of Jewish theology.
What is Chanukah, and How Do You Spell it? This Week in Jewish History
What, exactly is Chanukah (or is it Hanukah, or Hannukkah)? This short video describes the historical origins of the holiday, notes the ironic nature of its observance in the American context, and has a couple of jokes besides.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/ZQbN5ZkgRAY]
Suggested Holiday Gifts (Maybe for people you don’t especially like).
Many titles available as eBooks.
Who Was Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai? Jewish Biography as History Dr. Henry Abramson
Emerging from a cave after twelve years of isolated Torah study, Rabbi Shimon Yohai went on to become one of ancient Israel’s most celebrated Kabbalists and leaders of the Jewish people.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/XP-MwKLC5tw]
Dr. Abramson in Print (and eBooks!)
Who Was Babatha? Jewish Biography as History Dr. Henry Abramson
Rolling her precious documents and carefully wrapping them in a leather pouch tied with twine, Babatha buried her entire legal history in the floor of the cave she shared with Bar Kochba’s rebels. They would remain entombed in that desolate refuge for 1800 years until their discovery by archaeologist Yigael Yadin, and then the life of an otherwise forgotten 2nd-century woman suddenly came to light: her marriages, custody battles for her son, property disputes, and much more. The Babatha archive constitutes an amazing source of information for the history of Jewish women in ancient Israel.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/xp5OLZKC8Xw]
Who was Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai? (Jewish Biography as History) Dr. Henry Abramson
Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai (d. c. 85 ce) was one of the most influential figures in ancient Jewish history. Emerging from the ruins of the destroyed Temple, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai led the Jewish people through the dangerous first years after the devastation of the last remnants of their state by the Romans. A disciple of Hillel, he was of the “national-realist” school that favored tactical surrender to the overwhelming power of the Roman Empire. In his most famous act, he arranged to fake his own death in order to escape his enemies among the Zealots to negotiate a peace treaty with Vespasian, who would later become Emperor. “Give me Yavneh and its scholars,” asked Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, setting in place the foundation for the existence of Judaism after the Temple could no longer serve as the center of Jewish religious life. Part of the Jewish Biography as History series available at http://www.jewishhistorylectures.com.
[youtube=http://youtu.be/BywrZNI8Ga0]