Jewish History Soundbites

Self-hating Jews in Jewish History

Unfortunately the phenomenon of isolated instances of Jews consumed with self hatred, while projecting antisemitic stereotypes on their brethren is nothing new. It has existed in one form or another throughout Jewish history. This historical saga is worth examining, coupled with specific stories of Jewish self hatred during the Nazi era. 

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Marriage Age in Jewish History

During the 18th & first half of the 19th centuries, many members of the financial and rabbinical elite in Jewish Eastern Europe engaged in the practice of marrying off their children at a very young age. Why did they do that? How widespread was this practice? Why did it end? And what ramifications did this have on European Jewish life during this time and afterwards?

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RERELEASE: Tales of Sukkos & Simchas Torah (update)

In honor of the upcoming Sukkos & Simchas Torah holidays, here's an updated version of an old episode of Jewish History Soundbites, containing entertaining historical tales & tidbits from Jewish history. With updates and additions to enjoy.

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Tribute to Rav Dovid Kamenetsky

Torah scholar, author of many acclaimed seforim on the Torah of the Vilna Gaon and others, historian and author of the definitive work on Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski, are just a few of the many accomplishments of Rav Dovid Kamenetsky. His untimely passing leaves a void in the realm of his important historical research, but more importantly in what he represented as a person. He was beloved by all who knew him, whether it was in the National Library where he conducted his research for over four decades, or in his many interactions in his personal and professional life. This modest tribute is but a slice of his legacy and accomplishments, and may it serve as an albeit small contribution in cementing the legacy of this great man. 

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Tourbites: Paris

Aside from the generic tourist attractions & fantastic restaurants, Paris is also rich in Jewish history. Some locations evoke tragedy such as the Drancy transit camp which was the point of deportation during the Holocaust, and the Place Hotel de Ville where the Talmud was burnt on the orders of King Louis IX in 1242. Others are more quaint, such as the Pletzl, the historic neighborhood of Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the heart of the city. We also visit the gravesite of Rav Yosef David Zintzheim (1745-1812), a towering leader of French Jewry during the challenging times of the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, emancipation of French Jewry and the Napoleonic era. As the head of Napoleon’s ‘Sanhedrin’ in 1806-1807, he navigated the challenging questions posed by Napoleon regarding integrating France’s Jews without compromising an iota of Halacha or Jewish tradition. 

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Book Review: Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski Volume II By Rav David Kamenetsky

The newly published excellent book in Hebrew about the life and times of Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski (1863-1940) by Rav David Kamenetsky, entitled Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski: Rabban shel Kol Bnei Hagola Volume 2, is a great contribution to our historical understanding both of this great leader and the entire era in which he operated. This second volume covers the years 1910-1930, and - just like the first volume - utilizes the vast repository of Rav Chaim Ozer’s own many letters to tell his story using his own words. This meticulously researched work organizes Rav Chaim Ozer’s and his correspondent’s letters for the first time, allowing the narrative of major events in the Jewish world to be told by the protagonists themselves. Topics include the Katowice conference of Agudas Yisrael in 1912, World War I and its aftermath, the first Knessiah Gedola of Agudas Yisrael in Vienna in 1923, the Vilna Jewish community, the Vaad Hayeshivos & its Dos Vort newspaper, the dispute surrounding the Vilna rabbinate, and many others. This highly recommended book is a vital contribution to our understanding of Jewish history of that era. 

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Voice of the Silent Generation: The Life & Times of Rabbi Berel Wein

The recent passing of Rabbi Berel Wein (1934-2025) is an opportunity to reflect on the Jewish world in which he grew up and later had such a wide impact. A child of Lithuanian immigrants, he grew up at a crossroads of American Jewish history. The children of the immigrant generation were overwhelmingly secularizing, and yet he emerged from the yeshiva in Chicago with a deep connection to his parents and teachers world of prewar Lithuania. In serving as a bridge between generations, he greatly amplified the role of Jewish history and continuity in transmitting the values of the past to future generations.

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Bridge to our Glorious Past: A Tribute to Rabbi Berel Wein

The recent passing of the great teacher of Jewish history Rabbi Berel Wein (1934-2025) provides a moment to reflect on his historic contribution and trailblazing efforts in bringing Jewish history to the entire world. Due to my personal relationship with Rabbi Wein, this tribute focuses on that relationship, and his influence on me, while exploring his rich and diverse legacy.

 

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Escapees from the Chelmno Death Camp

Special Tisha B'av episode: A recording of a live lecture delivered in May 2025 at the Shappell's Darche Noam Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, on the topic of the first Nazi death camp at Chelmno, near Lodz, Poland. The story of the daring escape attempts from this extermination site, and the escapees efforts at spreading the word to their brethren in nearby ghettos in order to sound the alarm regarding the Nazi implementation of the Final Solution.

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Traveler, Chronicler & Scholar: The Chida

Journeying through large swaths of the Jewish world of the 18^th century, Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai (1724-1806), known by his acronym the Chida, was privy to the broad range of the various Jewish communities across Europe and North Africa, as well as observing the happenings within each community as an objective observer. He recorded his impressions of his travels, which remains an invaluable historical document, produced by one of the greatest Torah scholars in recent centuries. As a world class Torah scholar who served as a fundraiser on behalf of the Sephardic Old Yishuv of the Land of Israel, the Chida spent the majority of his life on the road, eventually settling in Livorno, Italy, where he served as rabbi until his passing. His literary output was immense, with his many seforim remaining popular until this very day.     

 

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