Did a Christian censor help the Jews of Bohemia?
Who was Rav Sherira Gaon and why is the letter he wrote over 1,000 years ago, so important today?
What brought Jews to America in the 1600s?
And why did a Rabbi in Indiana write to the US Secretary of State - in Hebrew!?

The Letters Which Made History - Part I

History for the Curious 


The most talked-about Jewish History Podcast 


History for the Curious features the dynamic historian and famous tour guide & lecturer: Rabbi Aubrey Hersh,  live from the JLE in London, hosted by myself: Mena Reisner 

Join us as we cross continents, sail through the centuries, tracing lives, uncovering events and following epic journeys,  to reveal the untold stories, the scandals,  and the mysteries, that have impacted our history and shaped us into who we are today. 

Encounter leaders, visionaries, spies, heroes & traitors and unpack 2,000 years of Jewish heritage. 
Go back to the story of Jews in the Temple of Jerusalem.  Confront the dilemmas of the Holocaust.  Visit Paris, Prague, Vilna, London, Venice, New York & the Cairo Geniza.  Meet The Russian Czar, Ramchal, Maharal, Maimonides, Churchill, Shabbetai Zvi and the Hapsburgs.

History

Society & Culture

Religion & Spirituality

Other

Spirituality

Christianity

Buddhism

Hinduism

Judaism

Islam

A unique world existed for two centuries in which a  Jewish general lead Moslem armies into battle and authored 1,500 poems while Chasdai, the most famous Jew, discovered the antidote to poison and oversaw the creation of Jewish grammar.
Was Yosef Hannagid responsible for the death of an Arab prince? And how did Spain over-rule Babylonia?
 
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry
14:18 The Achievements and Influential Figures of the Golden Age
35:58 The Cultural Significance of Poetry and Literature
39:21 Emergence of Jewish Literary Works in Muslim Spain
41:37 The End of the Golden Age
43:28 Disputes Among Jewish Grammarians

Spanish Jewry II - The Golden Age : 711-1066

The history of the Jews in Spain has always been part of our collective memory. But the real story starts 1,000 years earlier.
 
Long before the Rishonim, flourishing communities existed. What were their lives like? Why do we not know more about them? And what happened in 711CE?
 
For the trip, please email: giana.elav@gmail.com
 

Chapters
00:00 The Visigothic Period: Anti-Jewish Legislation and Forced Conversions
15:40 The Muslim Invasion: The Golden Age of Spain for Jews
33:43 Uncovering the Forgotten History: The Jews of Spain

Spanish Jewry I - The Visigoths: 305 - 711

Do synagogues have rights over membership?
Why did a Chazan risk excommunication in Perpignan?
Why were responsa printed in defiance of the author’s wishes?
And the 1708 Chametz glue on a Pesach document…
 
 

Chapters
00:00 Excommunication and Imposing Bans
06:18 Excommunication and Scholarly Disputes
13:28 The Role of the Chazan in the Synagogue
26:04 Insights from Historical Responsa

Responsa in History III

For centuries Jews faced restrictions building their shuls.
 
Halachic questions arose across Europe concerning rights, ownership and use. And closer to our day, when communities split, the assets would often be fought over.
 
For the trip, please email: giana.elav@gmail.com
 
 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview
07:41 Shul as a Place of Assembly and Governance
14:13 Challenges in Shul Expansion and Renovation
29:14 Ownership and Rights of a Community in a Shul
38:13 The Changing Dynamics of Shuls and the Role of Trustees

Financial Responsa in History II - Shuls, Politics & Power (feat. Dayan Y Posen)

In times of war and peace and throughout the centuries, Jews have asked questions. Some became the foundations of halacha, others were forgotten.
In this episode we trace back through the ages to find that the new is often very old.
 
To purchase Dayan Hools book, click here -




Beth Din Commercial Arbitration:  https://amzn.eu/d/hSkOB53
 

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Urgency of the Question
03:04 The Importance of Responsa in Jewish Law
06:22 Preserving and Recording Responsa
10:45 Debates on Jewish Community and Communal Organization
14:04 Reduction in Responsa and the Need for New Answers
25:46 Communal Financial Responsa in Times of Crisis
26:42 Repurposing Funds and the Power of Handwriting
29:37 Contributing to Communal Projects in Tehran
30:06 Apportioning Funds for Weddings and Inflation
31:02 Returning Donations Given in Error
35:22 The Role of Community Contributions
51:01 Security as an Individual Requirement

The Letters Which Made History - Part I

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