Whenever tensions flared between the Romans and the Jews in the Land of Israel, Roman citizens would incite hostility against the Jews of Alexandria. In what became known as the "Diaspora Revolt," the entire Jewish population of Alexandria was wiped out. The Jerusalem Talmud recounts this horrific event, noting that blood flowed into the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Cyprus.
A small figure clad in red ascended the stairs, flanked by two hooded executioners. Despite signs of torture, he paused on each step to shout in a hoarse voice, "Hashem is God," a total of 52 times.
When the second stamp reached his hands, the collector tore it to pieces and, to be sure, burned the fragments. Now the stamp he owned became the only one in the world, and its value skyrocketed to over a million dollars.
The Romaniote Jewish community is one of the oldest yet least known. Tragically, most of its members perished during the Holocaust, leaving this ancient community largely unfamiliar.
Explore why ancient sages considered the communal bathhouse a place of great risk and the special blessings they instituted for it.
Discover how King Ptolemy gathered seventy Jewish elders in Alexandria to translate a sacred text. Eager for precision, he isolated each elder to prevent shared versions.
How Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon’s views on faith ignited fierce opposition, book burnings, repentance, and lasting lessons for Jewish history
Sometimes, parting with jewelry wasn't about mitzvahs, but rather necessity—paying taxes. Our ancestors in the Diaspora faced constant taxes, each time under a new pretext. Just as they earned a few coins, a new order demanded yet another tax.
The Torah mentions woven gold threads along with hammered gold. How were these threads created?
During a special prayer, the entire Jewish community of Metz gathered closely in the synagogue. Suddenly, amidst the emotional rendition by the cantor, a loud noise echoed "as if a great building was collapsing."
Peer review can obscure biases, hiding selective, arbitrary, and subjective decisions. Censorship harms the public's right to accurate information and reduces trust in science.
The so-called messenger from Israel turned out to be a con artist, exploiting the name of the well-known false messiah Sabbatai Zevi, who was not yet recognized for who he truly was, as multitudes followed him.
Picture Rabbi Shabtai leading the Shabbat melodies, with Prague’s most esteemed joining in, three centuries ago. But what if you could actually hear it today?
Professor Olaf Gerhard Tichsen regularly attended the lectures of Rabbi Jonathan Eibeschütz in Altona. After years of study, he was awarded a "Friend" certificate by the yeshiva. It was likely given out of fear of the monarchy, yet it remains intriguing.
About 300 years ago, a letter from Constantinople reached Jerusalem, detailing fashion do's and don'ts for Jews. What prompted this letter and who was behind it?
Explore fascinating house dedications in Jewish history, from the First Temple to the lavish "Zichron Menachem" synagogue.
Hidden beneath the soil of the Temple Mount are treasures and remnants from the ancient Temple services. Years ago, a significant find—a small, round 'beka' weight inscribed with Hebrew letters—excited archaeologists.
An extraordinary autobiographical journal revealing daily life, community, and history of Western European Jews in the 17th century
After leaving the rabbinical court, the widow Nechama declined offers from matchmakers, insisting she felt her husband was still alive. When asked if she doubted the esteemed Rabbi Heshel, she couldn't provide a clear answer but refused to remarry.
For the first time since Nebuchadnezzar, a foreign leader seized Jerusalem with an army. His life ended on a fisherman's boat in Egypt. Who was he?
עברית
