For the monsters in the book “Where the Wild Things Are”, Maurice Sendak had in mind people he actually knew. The dark themes of his children’s books, which have been the subject of repeated criticism, reflected the world he inhabited
The Wise Men of Chelm: The Unfair Shaming of a Jewish Community
How did the Jews of Chelm, a city in Poland, acquire their reputation as a “town of fools”? Could Chelm have actually been a community of great sages? We set out in search of the true story behind this odd piece of Jewish folklore…
Separation: The Origin of the Women’s Section in the Synagogue
Some of us find it hard to believe that in Talmudic times women and men prayed together in the synagogue. When did a separate gallery for women become mandatory in Orthodox synagogues, and how did the separation of men and women in the prayer service come about?
Is Fish and Chips a Jewish Delicacy?
The little-known Jewish connections to a few of the world’s favorite foods
In the Shadow of Death: The Revival of the Jerusalem of Lithuania
Rare photographs newly revealed by the National Library of Israel document the cultural life of the Vilna Ghetto in the years 1942-1943.
