History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast

1. How did she find the strength of mind? How did she become a beacon to others, learn to redefine freedom and turn her wounds into a source of hope? 

2. A...

Chapters

00:00 The Journey into Danger

01:40 The Context of the Holocaust

06:41 The System...

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00:00 Trapped in History: The Beginning of a Journey

01:35 The Holocaust Series: A Focus on...

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0...

How do we relate to the most recent events in the Middle-East?

In 638 the Moslems transformed the city; but what was their motivation? What created the divisions of Jewish observance in the 10th century?  Why was the Golden Gate sealed off? How did the Christian East-West Schism of 1054 affect Jewish lives in Jerusalem? 

To register for the Maharal - Prague Tour 8th-11th September contact: giana.elav@gmail.com

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00:00 The ...

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00:00 The Historical Significance of Jerusalem

03:05 ...

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01:51 The Importance of Oral Law

06:06 Understanding Halacha and Truth

11:50 The Role of Teacher and Student in Torah

17:59 The Nature of Disputes in Torah

24:10 The Concept of...

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00:00 Introduction and Reflections on Jewish Heritage

03:11 Understanding the Oral Law

05:58 Categories of Oral Law

09:00 The Role of Sages in Halach...

Was the 1919 Baseball series really determined by hardline gamblers?

Why did a Rabbi give the eulogy at a gangster’s funeral?

How did Issy Einstein become the greatest Prohibition Agent?

What were the Nazis trying to achieve in America in 1939?

Chapters

00:00 The Dark Side of Baseball: The 1919 World Series Fix

16:54 The Rise and Fall of Arnold Rothstein

26:07 Izzy Einstein: The Prohibition Agent Who Became a Legend

27:29 The Dan...

Between the wars - due mainly to Prohibition - crime flourished in America and Jews were not immune to the effects. 

Gangs of irreligious working class Jews, made their fortunes and met their untimely ends during the 20s & 30s. But the narrative is not without a number of surprising twists, particularly in Chicago - the home of Al Capone. 

And why did one notorious thief do Teshuva?

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00:00 The Rise of Jewish Gangste...

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Eiruv and Jewish Heritage

02:53 The Historical Context of Eiruv in Toronto

05:47 Rabbi Graubart's Contributions to Eiruv

09:01 The Evolution of Eiruv in Tor...

Documents and Responsa from across the Jewish world reveal that for centuries Jews discussed, debated and disagreed over the Shabbos Eruv

Walled cities, canals, telegraph poles, Kabbala, fires and powerful secular rulers all played their role and affected entire communities. And from the 19th century onwards, strong personalities would influence and colour the narrative.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Erevin and Halacha

03:04 Und...

(To book the Provence trip with Rabbi Tatz & Rabbi Hersh - email giana.elav@gmail.com)

Jewish leadership found itself in a crisis post-1881, affecting not only their options but their identity. In response, Rabbis turned to the international community for help, especially from  non-Jewish politicians.

This period was exacerbated by the public...

1855 brought a new dawn to Russia, and was embraced by many, although poverty remained a constant.

When the Czar was assassinated, all hell broke loose and the Jews were given a stark reminder of their status. By 1897 Socialism, Zionism & Emigration seemed to offer the only routes out.

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00:00 The Shift in Jewish Education and Identity

01:46 The Impact of Tsar Alexander II's Reforms

06:40 The Rise of Jewish Assimilatio...

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00:00 The Struggle Against Forced Assimilation

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Czar Nicholas hated Jews and Judaism in equal measure. He initiated 600 decrees against them over a 30 year period, and destroyed community life in Russia. The terror of his reign is relieved only by the faith and courage of families across the Pale of Settlement, carried out in defiance of the secret police and of Jewish informants. 

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00:00 The Jewish Plight in the Russian Empire

02:54 Russian Policies and Jewish Resettl...

For centuries, Russia was home to the largest Jewish community in the world. But why did Jews choose to move to a country that never wanted them?

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00:00 Political Intrigue

11:01 The History of Russian Jewry

25:48 Catherine the Great's Reign and Jewish Policies

27:41 The Transformation of the ...

In Eastern Europe quacks and soothsayers were in abundance, as were invented remedies whilst the Ottoman Empire provided refuge from Spain but came with its own risk.

But do the best doctors end up in Hell according to Jewish tradition? Can one give a vaccine that also kills people? And may one smoke on Shabbos to perform better surgery?

Chapters

00:00 The Landscape of Medical Practice in 18th Century Russia

02:55 The Role of Jew...

Why did Jewish doctors in the Middle East get involved in Politics?

How should modern day doctors combine ethics and law? How many Jewish women medics were there in Europe? Who were the Chinese Jewish physicians? How do we define sanctity of Life?

And should everyone own a copy of Pu Ji Fang?

Chapters

02:34 Jewish Doctors in the Islamic World

09:50 Cultural Interactions and Medical Ethics

15:04 Conversion and Identity Among Jewi...