Jewish history

Half a millennium ago, a Jewish man found himself granted a rare audience with Pope Clement VII in Rome. This unprecedented encounter broke new ground, as no Jew had ever spoken to the Pope directly. Who was this enigmatic figure, and what prompted his meeting with the Pope?

A jealous Arab merchant persuaded his Jewish friend to disguise himself as a Muslim to enter Kairouan for trade. But as soon as he stepped into the market, the schemer shouted: 'A Jew has entered Kairouan and is defiling the city!' The authorities arrested him and put him in jail awaiting his fate.

Discover why the Jewish claim of divine revelation at Sinai stands unmatched in world history, and why imagination can’t replace historical truth.

Upon another glance at the book's title page, it's clear there's no mistake. The author is Rebbetzin Fruma Rozenberg. Who is this remarkable Rebbetzin, whose Torah greatness is universally acknowledged?

King Sisebut of the Visigoths became a formidable adversary to the Jewish people. He fervently embraced Christianity, rejected his ancestral pagan roots, and in 612, initiated the expulsion of the Jewish community.

Rabbi Samuel married his learned daughter to Rabbi Jacob Mizrahi, a top student, on the condition that Asenath would continue studying Torah, not engage in household chores.

How one visionary leader reshaped Jewish life after the destruction of the Second Temple and ensured its survival for generations to come

When anti-Semitic sentiment flared, even the nobility couldn't resist. The Jews of Blois faced horrific consequences as injustice and greed took center stage.

From slavery and blessing to holiness and restraint — why the Levites multiplied less, yet carried Israel’s greatest spiritual weight

Czar Nicholas implemented a policy requiring Jewish communities to provide a quota of soldiers. Skeptical of their loyalty, he targeted children with the infamous Cantonists' decree.

A renowned Jewish leader stood firmly against Napoleon, even declaring war on the endeavor to fall under French rule.

Herod, the outsider, tormented and suppressed the Jewish people in a manner unprecedented, disregarding the role of a king meant to protect rather than oppress.

The survival of the Jewish people through centuries of persecution has no natural explanation. Just as Jacob and his descendants were spared from annihilation by Esau at the last moment, throughout history, when the spiritual heart of the nation was threatened, a path to salvation emerged.

The spiritual and historical meaning behind the Torah’s ban on the “figured stone” — a command that bridges faith, symbolism, and the archaeology of ancient Jerusalem

A wild crowd of Muslims began to desecrate the body of Batto. Nissim Shmama, determined to prevent this outrage, sent his servants to toss coins from the windows. The crowd paused to gather the coins, allowing others to seize the body.

Behind a famous teaching lies a lesser-known sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak, and a cautionary tale about confusing great Torah figures

In 18th-century Germany, a revered Torah scholar was accused of witchcraft and condemned to life in prison. His story, almost lost to history, reveals a dark chapter of Jewish persecution

The Golden Age under Muslim rule is remembered as a unique period in Jewish history, where great Torah scholars emerged, guiding the nation and contributing their wisdom across all facets of thought, society, and governance.

In 1286, one of the greatest Torah sages of Ashkenaz was arrested while trying to reach the Land of Israel. His imprisonment and principled refusal to be ransomed shaped generations of Jewish law and leadership.

On Iyar 18, an earthquake struck, leading to the destruction of the Temple. Known initially as the day of Joshua's passing, it became forever linked with calamity, prompting a day of fasting, especially in Israel.