Simchat Torah — Rejoicing in the Torah, the Jewish festival that celebrates the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings (and beginning of the new cycle), falls on Monday-Tuesday. To mark the occasion, here are some images of the Aron ha Kodesh, or … continue reading →
Jewish gravestones are personalized in specific ways: through names and dates; through epitaphs; through symbolic carved imagery; through, sometimes, family history timelines. From the latter part of the 19th century, gravestones in a number of Jewish cemeteries also (as was … continue reading →
The newly published second edition of Rediscovering Traces of Memory: The Jewish Heritage of Polish Galicia is a much-needed revised and expanded companion to the permanent exhibition at the Galicia Jewish Museum in Krakow — an exhibition that itself has … continue reading →
The remarkable new book Historical Atlas of Hasidism takes a deep dive into the physical realms of Hasidic Jews since the movement’s founding in eastern Europe the 18th century. Supplementing the text with 74 maps, plus historical and contemporary photographs, … continue reading →
Take a deep dive into the history of the so-called “secret synagogue” at Terezin, the town and historic fortress north of Prague that the Nazis turned into a ghetto/concentration camp — Theresianstadt. Along with JHE Coordinator Ruth Ellen Gruber, the … continue reading →
