Unpopular Porcelain & A Puzzling Provenance
A somewhat peculiar fact is that while glass and porcelain Judaica generally achieve disappointing results in the United States, they do remarkably better in the salerooms of Europe.
Defending The Zohar
Kunitz's intellectual pursuits and actions frequently placed him in tension with more traditional rabbis, yet he earned respect for his profound knowledge of Talmudic texts and his pivotal role in the evolution of Jewish intellectual life.
Do Tolkien’s Depictions Of Dwarves In The Hobbit Prove That He Was An Antisemite?
In an interview, Tolkien, while not specifically characterizing the Jews as warlike, nonetheless spoke to an explicit connection with biblical characterizations of the Jews, with the biblical narrative describing many wars of conquest, much as Tolkien does in The Return of the King, the third book of his trilogy; in a BBC interview, he referred to the immense warlike capacity of the Jews, which we tend to forget nowadays.
An Ancient Hebrew Edition Of The Ancient Prophets
This inaugural printed Hebrew edition of the Prophets, with Kimhi’s scholarly annotations, was produced in 1485 by the esteemed Joshua Solomon ben Israel Nathan Soncino. This edition, which predates the Soncino family’s migration to Casal Maggiore, marked the completion of the family’s premier Biblical publication.
Citroen: ‘The Jewish Henry Ford’ And Was Maurice Chevalier A Nazi Collaborator?
Captured by the Germans after being seriously wounded fighting for France during World War I, he was interned in a POW camp for two years, where he learned English from a fellow prisoner.
A Poem For A Princess
The poem was penned by Ber Oppenheimer, a prominent resident of Pressburg and a talmid chacham who authored Me Be'er, a sefer published in Vienna four years after the coronation.
Hitler’s Photographer And The Strange Case Of His ‘Jewish Daughter’
The story of the relationship between Hitler and Bernile had been generally unknown until the Alexander Historical Auction House auctioned this photograph to an anonymous, international buyer for a winning bid of $11,520 on November 13, 2018.
A First Edition Zichron Yosef, Harsh Critic of Chassidut
In his vehement denunciation of chassidut, he goes so far as to label it a cult. He writes, There is no respite from them… they make most of their days holidays… their prayers are unbearable to the ears… they produce various noises… like a monkey to man… G-d save us from them.
The Story Of Captain Of The Exodus 1947 And The Ultimate Fate Of The...
The Exodus, an old ferry boat originally called the President Warfield, became a symbol of Aliyah Bet (illegal immigration) – not to be confused with the Second Aliyah – as its famous voyage was designed to call the world's attention to the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Jews left homeless in the aftermath of the Holocaust.
Chess And Orthodoxy And the Famed Samuel Reshevsky
Perhaps most remarkable, however, was Reshevsky’s unwavering commitment to his faith as a devout and fully-observant Orthodox Jew. He dedicated a portion of each day to the study of Torah and steadfastly adhered to his religious principles, famously refusing to engage in chess matches on Shabbat.
What Are The Most Valuable American And Jewish Autographs?
According to this list – again, highly arguable – the most valuable American Jewish signature is Albert Einstein. But who really is the most valuable American signature? It is not George Washington, or Thomas Jefferson, or Abraham Lincoln but, beyond any dispute, it is Button Gwinnett! (Who?)
Florence Kahn, The First Jewish Congresswoman And The Antisemitism Of J. Edgar Hoover
As one of the very few women in Congress, Florence, never considered herself a feminist and was never seen as a suffragette.
First Edition Responsa Of Rav Akiva Eiger
Remarkably, the paper used for this edition bears watermarks identifying both the manufacturer and the individual who commissioned it: EIGER.
Richard And Robert Sherman And The Arguable Antisemitism Of P.L. Travers
When the stage production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang premiered in London in 2002, it became the most successful stage show ever produced at the London Palladium and it ran for three-and-a-half years, the longest run in that century-old theatre's history.
18th Century Fundraising In Hebron
Titled Limud VeSeder HaYeshivah Asher Be’Ir HaKodesh Chevron [The study and order of the day of the yeshiva in the Holy City of Hebron], this eighteenth-century document forges a connection between the Holy Land and the Jewish communities of the New World.
Shlomo Ben-Yosef And The Trial Of The ‘Rosh Pina Three’
As the bus approached, Schein fired several shots before his gun jammed and, when Ben-Yosef tossed the grenade, it failed to detonate and the bus, with its 24 Arab passengers, drove away with its passengers unscathed.
Fascinating Italian Tefillah Customs
Aleinu is never recited during Mincha. However, according to the earliest edition of the Machzor from 1486, Aleinu is indeed recited on erev Yom Kippur when Mincha is observed earlier in the day. This precedent suggests that Aleinu should always be recited when Mincha is scheduled early.
The Modern Orthodox Theology Of Rav Azriel Hildesheimer
Simple in his habits, fearless, and having an unusual capacity for hard work, Rav Hildesheimer joined his great Talmudic learning to his practical administrative ability and, financially independent, he never accepted remuneration for his rabbinical activities.
Dreidels On Display
Indeed, most of the 47 metal detector-find dreidels on display are of this design – but not all. I have come across six and eight-sided dreidels(!) as well, which I will expand upon.
Take Me Out To The Ballgame, Written By Albert Von Tilzer
Take Me Out to the Ball Game brought Von Tilzer great fame and, by the 1920s, he was no longer writing for vaudeville. He was now composing full scores for Broadway and then, after moving to Hollywood in 1930, he wrote songs for motion pictures.
Distinct Handwriting
In 1747, Rabbi Gershon traveled to Jerusalem, becoming one of the first chassidim to establish a presence in the Holy Land. There, he aligned himself with the study of the Rashash and the Kabbalistic circle, immersing himself in the study of mystical traditions.
Six Conductors And The Israel Philharmonic
Klemperer was deeply affected by the plight of Jews during the Holocaust and was supportive of the State of Israel and Jewish cultural institutions. His decision to conduct the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was partly driven by his connection to his Jewish roots and his support for Jewish causes, but he did not actively engage in Zionist political activities.
The World Of Rube Goldberg
Although he drew an estimated 50,000 cartoons in his life, relatively few of them were related to the eponymous machines for which he remains best known.
Unique Italian Jewry In The 19th Century
While Jews in certain Western European countries were abruptly thrust into modernity during the 18th century, gaining access to universities and achieving a measure of equality as citizens, Italian Jews had enjoyed the privilege of university attendance for centuries.
George Washington’s First – And Lesser Known – Letter To American Jews
When the British captured Savannah in December 1778, Levi lost almost everything, and after the Americans won their War of Independence and the Patriots regained control of the Georgia government in 1782, they banished him (he relocated to Charleston) and confiscated all his property.
Rabbi Hutner’s Scant Written Trail
Rabbi Hutner’s correspondence is imbued with the same rich, poetic, and heartfelt language that characterizes much of his literary style.
The Correspondence Of Menachem Begin
While it is virtually impossible to capture the essence and greatness of the man in a single article, or even in a full-fledged tome, I think that a good glimpse of who he was and what he represented may be gleaned through his correspondence.
Is Turkey Kosher?
Halachically, there is typically a requirement that a tradition of kashrut exists for a species, even if such a tradition is upheld by a community on the other side of the world.
Original Historic Documents Regarding The U.N.’S Recognition Of Israel
The odds against Israel seemed daunting, and many experts believe that it never would have made it through the Ad Hoc Committee (and ultimately, through the General Assembly) but for a passionate two-plus hour speech on May 5, 1949 by Abba Eban, Israel’s designee, to plead its cause.
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