Jewish History

An overview of the history of the famous Aleinu prayer.

Ancient Trade Routes, Global Networks and the Emergence of a Sephardic Community in late 16th-Century Poland.

What was Rashi trying to accomplish with his commentary on the Torah?

A fascinating look at one of the most famous illustrated manuscripts of Tanach.

A fascinating look at how some Second Temple texts fell in and out of favor.

How an early Hebrew dictionary influenced Rashi's Biblical commentary.

Glimpses into the lost world of Judeo-Arabic thought and literature.

Professor Schiffman showcases a variety of items that showcase the historical accuracy of the Hebrew Bible.

What is the status of an individual forcibly converted to Islam according to Maimonides?

The Manuscript known as Huntigton 80

2000 years of Jewish history in under an hour!

The daily lives and affairs of the Jewish community of Sudan.

An inside view of the Temple. Where on Temple Mount was it built? Was the Temple Mount always as large as it is today? How many gates were there?

What attracts 2 million people yearly to this site?

How recent excavations in the city of Oxford, England, point ot the existence of Jewish residents.

A look at the history of this prayer as told through manuscripts held in the Bodleian Libary, Oxford, and in the Cario Geniza collection held at Cambridge.

Does Rashi lean toward Midrashik and Talmudic interpretation? Or does he attempt to uncover the simple reading of Esther?

How the Book of Esther set the tone for the Jews in Exile

What do ancient inscriptions tell us about ancient synagogues and communities?

How and why Isaac Israeli's 'Yesod Olam' (Toledo 1310) underwent textual changes.

The tragic story of the Iraqi Jewish Community: how an ancient community was destroyed.

Judith Olszowy-Schlange traces the history of the oldest complete manuscript of the Babylonian Talmud, completed in 1342.

The key to understanding the Kabbalah of the middle ages, though the lens of Nachmandies' commentary on the Pentateuch.

Exploring the Ramchal's life, his conception of creation, and his belief in societal perfection.

A detailed analysis of the famous 13th-century mikveh in Friedberg Germany, and other medieval mikvaot, looking at the architecture, and attempting to answer the question, why were they dug so deep?

The importance and uniqueness of Jewish education. How the Mishnah, arranged by Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, shaped generations of Jewish children.

Assessing the context of the biblical corpus through the lens of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

A close look at the composition of a typical study hall during the early Mishnaic period. Looking for clues in the Kaufmann Manuscript of the fifth chapter of Ethics of Our Fathers.

A fascinating look at the manuscripts of Rashi found in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Drawing conclusions from variations in the text.

A look at the development of this iconic prayer based on manuscripts housed in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, one of the largest collections of Hebraic manuscripts in the world.

The Jewish moral code and the reason for the destruction of the Second Holy Temple.

An illuminating look at the Regenburg Pentateuch from 14th century Germany, housed in the Israel museum, Jerusalem, Israel.

Benjamin Wright takes an in depth look at manuscripts of Ben Sira's Sirach from the Cairo Genizah and part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, found in the caves at Qumran.

Textual analysis of fascinating manuscripts housed in Oxford's Bodleian Library, some written in Maimonides' own hand.

The interplay of positivity and negativity in the context of Jewish history and Sefirat Haomer.

A case study of how the close analysis of manuscripts yields new insights into the intellectual, social and cultural history of Chabad.

The reinvention of the Hebrew language in Europe and Israel in the mid 19th to early 20th centuries.