They fled from Spain to neighboring Portugal but were soon forced to cross the Atlantic on their way to the New World. They were baptized as Christians against their will and were forced to remove any signs that hinted at their Jewish heritage. But they were willing to risk their lives to hold on to something. This is the story of the conversos who invented a Christian saint who was in fact a Jewish queen, to remind themselves of who they truly were.
“And Charity Will Save From Death”: How Rabbi Akiva’s Daughter Saved Her Own Life
The stargazers predicted that Rabbi Akiva’s daughter would be bitten by a poisonous snake on her wedding day. The great sage now faced a cruel question: How to contend with such a prophecy? The Talmud tells of his choice, and how his daughter ultimately saved herself, unlike a certain Sleeping Beauty…
The Lost Story of Hebrew’s First Female Author, Now Discovered
Sarah Feiga Foner’s story is found in an obscure handwritten text inscribed in Solitreo script from Ioannina, Greece…
Sukkah Scuffles: Surprising Testimony From the 12th Century
The only mentions of a sukkah in the Cairo Genizah refer to communal sukkot in synagogue courtyards. A fact that caused quite a bit of trouble.
Rosh Hashanah Pilgrimage Under Fire
Border smuggling, dancing, and prayer – What did Breslov Hasidim do when war made their annual trip to Uman a true matter of life and death?
Gershom Scholem’s Mishna Comes Home
About a year after the renowned scholar’s Talmud set finally found its way home, his Mishna has too…
The Temple Menorah in Kabbalistic Manuscripts
Kabbalistic literature looked for ancient symbols through which it could express its daring innovations. It found such a symbol in the Menorah…
Priests, Rabbis and Sweets: A Bold Approach to Interfaith Relations
The 19th century words and efforts of Rabbi Israel Moshe Hazan
Salvation from 500 Drunken Killer Elephants: The Other Maccabee Story
A different kind of redemption from Greek tyranny
The Missing Tomes: Gershom Scholem’s Wandering Talmud
The story of how Gershom Scholem’s Talmud set finally found its way to the National Library of Israel
