Much has been written about the Jewish community in Kiryat Arba and Hebron, but I would like to share three personal memories of Rabbi Eliezer Waldman, of blessed memory, who was among the founders of the renewed Jewish community in the city of our forefathers, who passed away on December 18th. [Toby Klein Greenwald]
Rabbi Eliezer Waldman, Hebron-Based Rabbi Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Toby Klein Greenwald
It’s never too early for a child to be inculcated with Jewish pride. This board book will be enjoyed both by parents (or grandparents) and the children sitting on their laps both because of the caricatures of famous Jews and the rhyming couplets with which they are described. [Donald H. Harrison]
Ever Met a Famous Jew? / This Book Tells of Quite a Few! Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History
Frieda Salvendy moved to Malvern sometime after the end of the Second World War, and died here, in obscurity, in 1965. A short notice of her death was placed in the local paper and probate details gave her address in Alexandra Road. Beyond that, it would appear that very few, if any, knew of her existence, or that she had been an eminent European artist. [JASHP}
Artist Frieda Salvendy Commemorated in British Town of Her Retirement Read More »
International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
Future historians will consider this book a great find as it details over 20 years of protest, militancy, press releases, controversy, speeches, victories, and defeats in the campaign by secular American Jews to win the right of refuseniks in the Soviet Union to emigrate. [Donald H. Harrison]
A Detailed History of the Campaign to Free Soviet Jews Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA
In retrospect, ethnomusicologist Yale Strom probably owes a thank you to the local klezmer band members who turned down his request to play violin with them. That rejection prompted him to decide to form his own band. However, he resolved that before doing that, he ought to search for material that other klezmer musicians weren’t playing. [Donald H. Harrison]
Yale Strom’s Search for Jewish Music throughout Eastern Europe Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Travel and Food
With about 45,000 residents, Tiberias is a relatively small town located on the western side of Lake Kinneret. The lake is one of Israel’s most popular holiday destinations, for tourists and Israelis alike. Named for the Roman Emperor Tiberius, the city is famed for the legendary rabbis who resided there, for its hot springs, and for Tiberias’ colorful lakeside promenade. [Steve Kramer]
A Trip to Tiberias on the Kinneret’s Western Shore Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Steve Kramer, Travel and Food
A 2000-year-old synagogue from the Second Temple period was recently discovered in Migdal, a large Jewish settlement from this period. Migdal served as the main base for Yosef Ben Matityahu (Flavius Josephus) in his war against the Romans in the Galilee during the Great Revolt. This is the first time that two synagogues have been found in a single settlement from the Second Temple period, the time when Jesus of Nazareth was active. [University of Haifa]
Second Ancient Synagogue Found at Migdal, Israel Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East
My grandmother brought up her sons, my father and his brother, in the spirit of loyalty to Communism. She herself could not have been a Bolshevik, for in her youth she had been tainted by her membership in the Menshevik Party. She did not hide her biography and taught her children to be honest and frank with their motherland and the Bolshevik party. In the upbringing of my uncle, her eldest son, my grandmother had tremendous success. [Alex Gordon]
Memoir: The Soviet Man’s American Dream Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
There are Jews here. This can be a simple statement of fact, but it is often phrased: There are Jews here?! Small towns are not where we usually expect to find Jewish communities. Such small town shtiebels are the subject of a documentary film, There Are Jews Here through America Reframed and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. [Eric George Tauber]
‘There Are Jews Here’ Documents A Dwindling World Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
The first-ever recognition of the extraordinary accomplishments of Jewish American Julius Rosenwald in a historical U.S. Presidential setting, was placed recently. The interpretive panel is located in President Roosevelt’s “Little White House” Warm Springs, Georgia. [Jerry Klinger]
Rosenwald Plaque Installed at FDR’s Little White House Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, USA
Let’s examine some of the abnormal and/or misleading terms which our enemies have managed to implant in the public’s mind about the situation here: “East Jerusalem,” “West Bank,” “Palestinians.” [Steve Kramer]
How Names Influence Middle Eastern Politics and Reporting Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Steve Kramer
It was Chanuka, 1986. I had arrived at the Gorky Prison in June. In September I was sentenced to three years of hard labor. As the time drew close for my appeal, to be held in Moscow, Chanuka also drew near. [Ari Volvovsky]
The Miraculous Bread Menorah: Celebrating Chanukah in a Russian Prison Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Toby Klein Greenwald
In the year since Facebook banned Holocaust denial from its platform and finally classified it as hate speech instead of “misinformation,” a new ADL (Anti-Defamation League) analysis of the platform has found “cracks in enforcement” that have allowed Holocaust denial posts to still be accessible to many users. [Anti-Defamation League]
ADL: Facebook Still Permitting Some Holocaust Denial Posts Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA
In early July, I set out with colleagues of the High Atlas Foundation—a U.S. and Moroccan non-for-profit organization—to meet with agricultural cooperatives in Morocco to understand their needs and goals and create action plans toward lasting development. Along the way, we visited Jewish and Christian cemeteries, and met their caretakers and neighboring community members to discover their heritage stories. [Yossef Ben-Meir]
Moroccan Cemeteries Waiting to be Visited and Remembered Read More »
International, Jewish History, Travel and Food, Yossef Ben-Meir