Jewish History

Who Was Anne Frank?

The story of the young diarist who became a symbol of the Holocaust.

Maimonides (Rambam) and His Texts

One of the greatest Jewish scholars of all time, he was both a traditionalist and an innovator.

The Sephardic Exodus to the Ottoman Empire

How Jews fleeing Spain and Portugal transformed the region.

Jews and Finance

The idea that Jews are good with money is one of the oldest Jewish stereotypes. But it's undeniable that Jews are well-represented in finance and business.

History of the Reform Movement

America's largest Jewish denomination, Reform began in 19th-century Germany.

Conservative Judaism: How the Middle Became a Movement

The second-largest Jewish denomination in the U.S. maintains that Jewish law remains binding, but is open to adaptions that reflect modern realities.

Nazi Germany 1933-1939: Early Stages of Persecution

How Hitler laid the groundwork for genocide.

Jewish Immigration to Pre-State Israel

The story of who went to Palestine, and how these successive waves of Jewish immigration shaped Jewish life there from 1881-1939.

Zionism 101

The Jews as a nation in the land of Israel

All the Holocaust Memorial Days Explained

From Yom HaShoah to International Holocaust Memorial Day, there are a variety of dates for commemorating one of the worst tragedies in Jewish history.

Synagogues of Ukraine, Past and Present

Photos and illustrations of Ukraine's historic synagogues provide a glimpse into Eastern European Jewish life throughout the last 500 years.

Who Was Asenath Barazani?

Asenath Barazani (also spelled Asnat or Osnat) led a yeshiva in 17th century Kurdistan.