Ninety years ago, American baseball star Hank Greenberg played on the Jewish New Year holiday, even hitting two home runs, but later sat out Yom Kippur


Marc Chagall’s Gift: A Mosaic of Generosity
The French artist once designed something special for his friends’ garden in Washington, D.C. In turn, they provided a unique experience for congregants of a synagogue across the street.

Moe Berg: Baseball Player and Secret Agent
The Ivy League-trained linguist and lawyer, professional baseball player and American spy was an enigma in life — and he remains so. Somehow, a number of Berg’s documents entered the collections of the National Library of Israel.

Stetl-Mentality and Non-Native Ignorance: David Weiss Halivni and Gerson Cohen on the Ordination of Women
An old letter that has recently surfaced at the National Library of Israel sheds new light on a controversy which rocked the world of Conservative Judaism some 40 years ago…

Persecuted for Their Judaism in Germany and for Their German Origins in America
The story of the Jewish refugees from Germany who fled the Nazis to Latin America and found themselves in internment camps in the United States during World War II

This Flamboyant New York Jew Amended Black Legal History
Eight Black youths were hastily sentenced to death in 1931 Alabama. Global outcry ensued, and a flamboyant New York Jewish lawyer was sent down to defend them…

This Jewish War Hero Protested the Nazis… Then Helped Defeat Them
A decorated German soldier in World War I, Richard Stern opposed Nazism from within. After fleeing, he joined the US Army at age 43, and soon became a hero there, as well…

This Remarkable Woman Made the First Israeli Flag in Jerusalem
Rebecca Affachiner trailblazed across multiple continents, and she did it all as a single, religious Jewish woman…

Kirk Douglas: Star of David and Hollywood
He starred in the first Hollywood feature filmed in Israel, but the legendary actor’s connection to the Jewish state and people certainly didn’t start or stop there…

Elie Wiesel’s Haunting, Mysterious and Brilliant Master
“Mr. Shushani” reportedly knew the entire Hebrew Bible, Talmud and countless other texts by heart. His Nobel-laureate student never knew his real name.