Ancient/Medieval Jewish History

Sephardic Jews in Amsterdam

Amsterdam became a haven for Jewish refugees from the Inquisition.

Revelation at Sinai

The giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai is among the most significant events in Jewish tradition.

Mount Sinai

The desert peak upon which the Hebrew Bible says God gave the Torah to Moses.

Judaism after the Temple

Coping with destruction and building for the future.

The Golden Calf

As commonly understood, this biblical narrative condemns the first violation of the prohibition against idolatry--but it's not that simple.

Ancient Judaism 101

From the land of Israel to Diaspora.

Medieval Jewish Attitudes Toward Women

In the Middle Ages, a Jewish woman's social well-being was considered important, but her life was strictly guided by Jewish law.

The Temple and its Destruction

A look into the psyche of ancient Judaism.

Palestine Under Hasmonean Rule

The marriage of politics and religion contributed to both the expansion and destruction of this short-lived dynasty.

The Many Faces of King David

David was a warrior and an artist, a lover and an adulterer — and also Israel's greatest king.

Maccabean Revolt

The Maccabees fought both the foreign Seleucids and homegrown Hellenism.

King Solomon

Son of King David, builder of the temple, author of three biblical works and the wisest of men, Solomon looms large in Jewish tradition — and beyond.