Jewish history

Rabbi Shabtai HaKohen’s Genius Shined Through Even Amid War, Exile, and Tragedy

From Rashi’s divine insight to a 2,000-year-old bell unearthed in the City of David, uncover the symbolism, history, and spiritual depth behind the robe and ephod of the Kohen Gadol

From child prodigy to Renaissance rabbi and poet, his life bridged together Torah, scholarship, and personal struggles

In the early settlement sites of the Israelites, a massive public structure shaped... like a foot has been discovered. What's this unique design?

From refusing to contribute to the Golden Calf to supporting the building of the Tabernacle, Jewish women have shown extraordinary generosity. Discover how their legacy of giving has continued across generations.

Even amidst the turmoil and sorrow of a war thrust upon us by a cruel enemy, we discover tales of divine intervention. We must thank Hashem for events that didn't occur, as much as for the rescues in events that did. Here is a brief overview of wars in Jewish history that were suddenly averted.

The saga of familial disputes in ancient times led to destruction and exile, but the roots of this sibling rivalry and misplaced hate trace back even further. Set in 104 BCE, over a century before Jerusalem's downfall, this story still resonates two millennia later.

How a single forgotten copy in the Steipler Gaon’s library brought back a vanished classic of Lithuanian yeshiva scholarship

Through clever strategies, loyal priests and leaders protected the temple treasures from rulers and marauders, until the Temple's tragic destruction when Romans seized it all.

Rabbi Nathan Neta Hanover was more than a rabbi, kabbalist, and linguist. His documentation of the 17th-century pogroms in Eastern Europe provided a critical first-person perspective from the Jewish community.

Tortured by the Gestapo, sentenced to death, and miraculously rescued, Irena Sendler’s courage and compassion saved thousands during the Holocaust

An ancient Italian Jewish tradition traces the roots of Torah greatness to four noble families exiled from Jerusalem by Titus

A fascinating riddle appears in the writings of the Ben Ish Chai. Who was Flora Sassoon, and why did he dedicate a riddle to her?

Due to shortages, Jerusalem's situation worsened. In the small Jewish settlement, there were 700 widows, some refugees from previous conflicts, prompting this touching initiative by the women of Jerusalem.

Visionary, wanderer, and kabbalist, Abraham Abulafia stirred the Jewish world of medieval Spain and Italy, leaving behind both a mystical revolution and fierce opposition

How one man and his descendants sparked idol worship in Israel long before Yeravam

A towering Torah scholar, fearless leader, and master of both halacha (Jewish law) and trade in the Ottoman Empire

Rabbi Yeshayahu Pinto urges anyone with information about the fate of Elijah, the doctor from Safed, to come forward. Will the truth be uncovered?

On the 40th yahrzeit of Rabbi Yisrael Abuchatzeira, Jews across the world remember the Moroccan kabbalist who brought blessing, healing, and holiness to generations of Jews

A dramatic rebellion, a brutal execution, and the legacy of a young Jewish leader who defied a king in ancient Persia