Jewish History Soundbites

With the Altalena’s arrival at Kfar Vitkin, the situation escalated rather rapidly. The Israeli government was keen on asserting its authority, maintaining one state and one army, while the Irgun was insisting that the weapons aboard the ship be allocated according to its demands. Following an ultimatum from the IDF, a skirmish broke out which led to several tragic deaths. The Altalena then sailed for Tel Aviv, where the final showdown took place the next day. With the Irgun refusing to surrender, the government of the State of Israel decided to take the ship by force. The resulting battle led to death, injury and the shelling of the Altalena. Civil war was averted, but scars and animosity remained. Was there another way this could have ended? Who fired the first shot? Could the violence have been averted had the Irgun submitted to the State’s authority?

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With the resurfacing of the Altalena weapons ship of the Irgun, the controversies and story of its tragic ending have resurfaced as well. In this first part of a two part series on the Altalena story, the background of the Irgun’s position in the early days of the State of Israel is clarified, along with the background to the purpose and goals of the Altalena ship. What was the relationship between the Irgun and the new State of Israel? What was on the Altalena and who was it for? What took place during the first few weeks of the State’s existence that dramatically changed the fate of the Altalena? Who was to fight the War of Independence for the State of Israel - the newly founded IDF or prestate private politicized militias? 

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One of the most prolific researchers and writers of Chassidic history, Yitzchak Alfasi amassed an enourmous amount of valuable historic material related to the Chassidic movement, that without his prodigious efforts would have been lost to posterity. Among many others, his invaluable three volume Encyclopedia of Chassidic Personalities is one of the most impressive works of chassidic history ever compiled. When taking a broader view of chassidic historiography, Alfasi fits right in the middle of the dynamic field of researching chassidic history. With its roots in the prewar research of eminent historians such as Shimon Dubnow, and continuing today with new methodologies and sources enriching our knowledge of the chassidic movement, the field of chassidic history research is better than it has ever been before.

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What happened to the Mussar Movement following its near decimation in the Holocaust? Were there attempts to reestablish it? Were those attempts successful? If not, why not? If yes, how can that limited success be measured? How broad in scope was the success of the Mussar Movement even prior to its destruction in the Holocaust? A Mussar Movement history episode in honor of Elul.

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Coming off a rich and diverse series of Jewish history tours throughout Europe, Jewish History Soundbites presents a summary of these journeys throughout our storied past across the length and breadth of Europe. Classic sort of tours included Poland & Lithuania in Eastern Europe, to Prague, Bratislava & Vienna in Central Europe. Another one was an in depth exploration of the rich Jewish history in northern Italy - Venice, Padua, Stra, Mantua, Cento, Bologna, Trieste and so much more. Presented here for the benefit and enjoyment of listeners of Jewish History Soundbites, insights and stories from each and every one of these fascinating locations and narratives from the many stops of our collective Jewish journey. 

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The great Rabbis had their favored vacation spots in the Prewar era. Where were they? What went on there? An inside look at the relaxing times and locations known as the "Dachas".

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The Mountains, the Catskills, the Borscht Belt, upstate, the country. Monticello, Liberty, Woodridge, Swan Lake, Woodbourne, Fallsburg. A place of many names with one thing in common: a place rich in Jewish history and lore. As a summer destination, the Catskills would be home to countless bungalow colonies as city Jews organized their communities for a mountain air getaway. Generations of children attended the many summer camps that dotted Sullivan County. Camps included Mesivta, Agudah, Munk, HILI, Kol Rinah, Torah Vodaath, Ohr Shraga, Sternberg and many more including the Betar Jewish self defense camp where Vladimir Jabotinsky died in 1940. It was also famously known as the Borscht Belt, and the legendary hotels/resorts/country clubs like Grossinger's, Kutscher's and the Concord made their mark as vacation sites. Most Jewish comedians of the time commenced their careers there. In addition to the summer crowd, the Catskills were home to many year round Jewish communities over the years. These towns built shuls, mikvas, hired Rabbis and even Jewish owned farms burgeoned for a time. This included Yeshivas as well such as the Mountaindale Yeshiva of Rav Yehuda Davis and the famous Yeshiva of South Fallsburg.

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Aside from the Rabbi's Sons discussed in Part 1 of this miniseries, the 1960's saw the first music groups in Ohr Chadash, Pirchei and the London School of Jewish Song. From Israel came Chaim Banet and Jo Amar, the latter a pioneer of Morroccan Jewish music. No less important than the performers, the production, composition and arrangements were handled by architects of Jewish music Suki & Ding, Sheya Mendlowitz, Yisroel Lamm and later Moshe Laufer, Mona Rosenblum and Yossi Green. The 1970's saw the new sounds of Diaspora Yeshiva Band and Dudu Fisher, bringing Jewish music to ever wider audiences. Abie Rottenberg commenced his illustrious career this decade with Dveykus and the soon to be crowned king of Jewish music Mordechai Ben David burst on to the scene as well. Capitalizing on their earlier involvement with Pirchei-JEP, Rivie Schwebel and Ali Scharf collaborated once again with a series of albums of Schwebel, Scharf & Levine.

Check out the story of Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys Choir on this popular episode of Jewish History Soundbites: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/great-american-jewish-cities-14-miami/

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For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]

Modern Jewish music developed from the chassidic music of old to the new sound of the Jewish music revolution led by Shlomo Carlebach in the 1960's. The music world of pre war Europe was brought over to the emerging post war world by Yankel Talmud, Yom Tov Ehrlich, the Chabad niggunim, David Werdyger and Bentzion Shenker of Modzhitz. They served as the bridge to bring classic chassidic music to the new generation.

This was followed by Shlomo Carlebach and the revolution of Jewish music in the 1960's. Baruch Chait with the Rabbi's Sons, Yigal Calek and the London School of Jewish Song, the Pirchei-JEP albums all contributed to the early flourishing of the new style Jewish music which would continue to develop in the ensuing decade.

Check out the other Jewish History Soundbites episodes on Jewish music: Shlomo Carlebach mini-series: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/from-lakewood-to-lubavitch-the-early-years-of-shlomo-carlebach/

https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/from-all-night-learning-to-all-night-kumzitz-the-early-years-of-shlomo-carlebach-part-ii/

Chazzanus: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/yossele-rosenblatt-and-the-golden-age-of-chazzanus/

Modzhitz: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/chassidic-symphony-the-modzitz-dynasty/

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For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]

Special Tisha Ba'av Episode with an all new introduction. 

The 1903 Kishinev Pogrom was a tragic massacre, with reverberations within the wider Jewish world remaining until this very day. Goaded on by antisemitic newspapers with cries of 'Death to the Jews', a blood libel was fabricated and a mob was unleashed on Easter Sunday, April 19, 1903. Leaving 49 killed, hundreds maimed and injured in its wake, Jewish property was destroyed and looted as well. Claims of complicity of the police and government were voiced in many quarters.

But it was primarily the after effects of this pogrom which had a long term transformative effect on Jewish society in Russia and worldwide. The great immigration to the United States was already long underway, but it significantly intensified in the years following Kishinev and the subsequent 1905 revolution. American Jewry was galvanized to assist the victims, and this cemented the relationship US Jewry was to have with their brethren back in Eastern Europe.

Within Russia, many of the Jewish youth became radicalized as a result of the massacre, joining clandestine revolutionary organizations with the goal of overthrowing the Czar.

The most profound impact was felt within the nascent Zionist movement. Chaim Nachman Bialik was dispatched by the historian Shimon Dubnow to gather testimonies from survivors. Following his five week stay in Kishinev, Bialik penned 'Be'ir Hahareiga' - In the City of Death, a poem about the pogrom. Powerfully written, it also included strongly worded accusations in regards to the perceived passivity of the victims. The poem and its message was to have an immense impact, as it was published and translated and became immensely popular. Vladimir Jabotinsky's conclusion was to organize Jewish self defense, and Theodore Herzl's conclusion was the Uganda proposal at the Sixth Zionist Congress. The shadow of the Kishinev tragedy was to hover over the many subsequent, and ever greater tragedies of the bloody 20th century.

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