Delicatessens once served up Jewish comfort food, but have been disappearing in recent decades. In North America and even in Israel, some outposts remain, though the concept of the “Jewish Deli” never really caught on in the Jewish state.
Dreaming of Aleppo and Damascus … and Peace
American Jews with roots in Syria followed the recent revolution there and dreamt of returning, if only to visit. Some also hope it heralds a change in Syrian policy toward Israel.
Seven Torah Scrolls in the Mosque Wall
Forced conversions of Jews are often associated with the Middle Ages, yet the case of the “Anusim” (forced converts) of Mashhad in northern Iran occured in the 19th century. Some of them even made their way later to the Land of Israel. This is a story of secret identities put to the test and a community that defied the odds to survive.
The Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Joseph Knafo, and Moses Montefiore Meet in Morocco
No, this isn’t the start of a joke but rather an inspiring story about the meeting between the famous British-Jewish philanthropist and the Moroccan rabbi—and how it all connects to a letter preserved at the National Library of Israel.
The Undercover Operation to Rescue the Crown of Damascus
The incredible story of how a priceless Hebrew manuscript written nearly 600 years ago was smuggled out of Syria and eventually brought to the National Library of Israel
October 7, Mariampol, and Me: Living in the Shadow of Trauma
When Sharon Taylor first heard the term “intergenerational trauma,” she was oddly filled with a sense of relief – finally, a phrase that could describe the familiar anxiety that had always been there. Here, she shares some of her own family history, the kind of history that is familiar to many of us.
Ghosts, Evil Spirits and Kabbalistic Teachings: A Very Ashkenazi Christmas
“Nittel Nacht” is an Ashkenazi Jewish term for Christmas Eve. Although it is certainly not a Jewish holiday, it has, in very particular Jewish communities, become a night marked by strange and even provocative customs. Where did these Nittel Nacht traditions come from, and how are they connected to historical attempts to protect oneself from the forces of darkness?
Libyan Jewry: A Personal Perspective – How Rabbi Mordechai Ha-Cohen of Tripoli Documented His Community
In recent months, the archive of Rabbi Mordechai Ben Yehuda Ha-Cohen of Tripoli has been cataloged and made accessible at the National Library of Israel. He was a scholar, halakhic jurist, and significant chronicler of Libyan Jewry in the early 20th century. Professor Harvey E. Goldberg, a researcher of Libyan Jewry who edited Mordechai Ha-Cohen’s book, “Higgid Mordechai”, shares the story of an exceptional rabbi and Renaissance man.
In France, It’s The 14th of July. Elsewhere: Bastille Day
Whatever the holiday’s name, the French Revolution brought Jews equality. The National Library of Israel’s holdings help tell the story.
Keepers of Jewish Treasures: Meet the Participants of the International Judaica Curators Conference
Some 50 men and women charged with preserving the cultural treasures of the Jewish People came from all over the world to attend a professional conference which now took on a different, deeper, and more urgent significance. “Here, we felt a little less alone” was something we heard from everyone we spoke to. Here’s a peek behind the scenes into the world of those who seek to protect the cultural heritage for the Jewish People.
