Judaism

The sages of Safed created amulets, the Jews of Italy wrote prayers and other Jews warned of less conventional plagues…

How does one drown out the name of the most hated, evil man in the Megillah? By making good use of a Christian folk tradition of course!

The “Moskowitz Mahzor” was created by one of the Middle Ages’ most important Jewish artists, Joel ben Simeon; It is now available to the public online

The story of the three angels charged with safeguarding newborn babies and their mothers

Marvin Antelman, an American rabbi and conspiracy theorist, was one of the many strange figures who wrote letters to Gershom Scholem, the distinguished scholar of Jewish mysticism. Scholem, however, was not impressed…

The Twin Sets of Kehilot Moshe contain wonderful and unique illustrations, which feature rare examples of Jewish self-representation

A 16th-century Yemeni manuscript containing a wonderful illustration of a menorah is being restored in our Conservation and Restoration Department. Come have a look behind the scenes

Manuscripts belonging to Rabbi Isaac Jacob Reines, one of the founding fathers of religious Zionism, have been donated to the National Library

Israel’s first Prime Minister reveals: I do not envy soldiers who pray. A unique glimpse into David Ben-Gurion’s inner philosophy

What did Jews eat on Chanukah throughout the generations? When did the sufgania come along? And what were latkes made of before potatoes reached Europe in the 16th century?