The Torah explicitly forbids lending money at interest, yet the Hetter Iska document seems to allow it. Is it legal? Should we all have one? Did the 17th century create a watershed moment?

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

02:26 The Historical Context of Money in Jewish History

08:11 The Role of the Vaad Arba Arotzos in Creating the Hetter Iska Document

11:29 Navigating Financial Transactions within the Framework of Halacha

19:27 Understanding the Document

35:04 The Prohibition of Ribis (interest bearing loans)

43:18 Different Types of Hetter iska

Rabbi Yossi Steiner spent the war years on the run - as a child - and survived through a series of miracles.   He found himself alone in a ghetto, needing to take care of his 5 year old brother. He hid in a bunker for 9 months, whilst Nazis came searching with trained dogs. He crossed borders through forests and fields and spent months pretending to be a mute child.   His story and that of the non-jewish family who saved him, must be heard...   To see a clip of the bunker that saved R' Steiner, click here - https://www.jle.org.uk/pages/podcast  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:19 Life Before the War

03:46 Imposition of Decrees and Restrictions

06:14 Escape to Hungary

09:38 Safety in Hungary and the Divide Between Hungarian Jews and Jewish Refugees

13:25 Dangers for Foreign Jews in Hungary

16:20 Desperate Attempts to Save Loved Ones

21:52 Life Under False Identities

27:03 Return to Slovakia

29:00 Escape and Disappearance

30:28 Hiding and Seeking Refuge

31:57 The Mosulak Family's Heroic Act

32:55 The Consequences of the Slovak Uprising

34:22 Nazi Threats and Close Calls

36:20 Living in Fear and Constant Danger

37:19 Jan Mosulak's Courageous Denial

43:29 Honoring the Mosulak Family

46:40 The Fear and Resilience of a Child

50:33 The Importance of Not Giving Up

52:49 Finding Meaning in Loss and Tears

The Golden Age was over but what drove Jews to settle in Christian Spain? What is the true story of the pirates in Cordoba? Why was the commentary of the Rif so vital and why did the Ba’al HaMaor critique it? Who controlled the Jews: The Church or The Kings?  

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:05 Legends and Stories in Jewish History

08:50 Prominent Jewish Scholars and Physicians

16:30 Transition from Muslim to Christian Rule

24:48 Power Dynamics: Kings and the Church

29:00 Challenges to Jewish Authority

31:58 Clothing and Distinguishing Marks

36:12 Freedom and High Profile

39:01 Tensions and Uncertainty

   

Ukraine has housed Jews for almost seven centuries. How do we view them? And where do we stand during this conflict?

How did Poland create the Ashkenazim - with what authority and with what outcome? A revolutionary insight.

Two  intellectuals dominated the halachic arena in the 1500s. Cousins by birth, writers by nature. The timely & the timeless.

Making a Life whilst Making a Living. A 500-year tale, with humble origins. Sought after by nobility, given rights and self-governance, the early Jewish communities spread across Poland and Lithuania.

But not everyone was a success story.

When communities came under threat, timing often made the crucial difference. Invasion, Blood Libels & Siege. Reminders of the Original Purim.

Across entire continents, Jews have had to deal with political intrigue and corrupt rulers. Occasionally these were overlaid with decrees of destruction and sincere prayer. And throughout the ages, the unexpected outcomes inspired communities to create a Purim which celebrated their particular miracle. 

What happens when Torah becomes a fable? Where was Aristotle's error? How did Meiri's writings suddenly re-appear after 600 years? And why did Jews go to hear sermons in church on Shabbos? 

For over a century, Provence split between those who banned (& burned) the works of the Rambam, and those who excommunicated their opponents. Philosophy vs. Kabbala. Rabbeinu Yonah, Nachmanides & the authors of Tosfos all took strong positions - echoes of which continued into the 20th century.

What made the Provencal sages write critiques of the greatest rabbinic scholars? Why did the Baal Hamaor never wear Tzitzis? Which sefer was written entirely by angels -  And was it accepted halachically? Why was the Ravaad imprisoned?

Jews existed there continuously for 1,500 years; at one point being forced into the only four ghettos in France. 

Neither Ashkenaz nor Sefarad, they produced some of the greatest scholars of the era. Who were they? How did they survive the storms for so long? And at what cost?

Were the Jews the victims of WWII? How did they experience Time? The passing of a single day... And how did a few unsung heroes sanctify Shabbos and give hope to those around them?

A unique world existed for two centuries in which a  Jewish general lead Moslem armies into battle and authored 1,500 poems while Chasdai, the most famous Jew, discovered the antidote to poison and oversaw the creation of Jewish grammar.

Was Yosef Hannagid responsible for the death of an Arab prince? And how did Spain over-rule Babylonia?

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry

14:18 The Achievements and Influential Figures of the Golden Age

35:58 The Cultural Significance of Poetry and Literature

39:21 Emergence of Jewish Literary Works in Muslim Spain

41:37 The End of the Golden Age

43:28 Disputes Among Jewish Grammarians

What year are we in? When is New Year’s Day? (Not Rosh Hashana - The other one !)? Why did Jews celebrate Yom Kippur on different days 1,100 years ago? A look at 2,000 years of disputes and the occasional ex-communication

Travelers often leave imprints, but perhaps none as mysterious or eye-opening as a Jewish explorer in the 9th century. An enigma which will very probably impact events at the End of Time. And of course there is the matter of the elephant in the room

The Jews are unwelcome across Europe although England now offers the appearance of hope. But it's a high-stakes game which someone will lose and the tangled politics may just be too much too soon.

Ancona was a place of refuge for Portuguese Marranos, until the betrayal. Which left the Jews of Pesaro with a choice: Take revenge and risk the anger of the Pope or flee to Turkey.

Dreyfus - a watershed event in France’s history. But it is preceded by dire scandals, leaving France looking for a scapegoat, which would linger until the French holocaust in 1942

In the game of politics, an American passport is the ticket to freedom, but not necessarily for the Jews. And victory is often short-lived.

But who was She? The Jew described by the NY Times as the most politically powerful woman in the USA? 

It took enterprise to survive in the early years, with some taking their 'careers' to an extreme. But The Forverts was always around to offer advice - some of it decidedly UnOrthodox

To Go or Not to Go - that was The Question. Although the German Jews got there first, as did Jewish America’s first congressman (1845-1851), only to be committed later to an asylum for the insane.

The Gold Rush brought thousands of Jews from all over the world to the untamed Wilderness of the West, arousing the interest of the Rothschilds, Strauss and the Orthodox community of Jerusalem.

Three Jews in Colonial America:  An Officer serving under Benedict Arnold, a Spy who worked for George Washington and a Chocolate manufacturer who tried to make peace.

The history of the Jews in Spain has always been part of our collective memory. But the real story starts 1,000 years earlier.   Long before the Rishonim, flourishing communities existed. What were their lives like? Why do we not know more about them? And what happened in 711CE?   For the trip, please email: giana.elav@gmail.com  

Chapters

00:00 The Visigothic Period: Anti-Jewish Legislation and Forced Conversions

15:40 The Muslim Invasion: The Golden Age of Spain for Jews

33:43 Uncovering the Forgotten History: The Jews of Spain

Sholom Aleichem - a Friday night prayer of possible heresy, that breaks one of the Rambam’s 13 Principles of Faith. And how did Hollywood get it so wrong?

“Times are a Changing” and change brought a clash between Kabbala & Halacha, Orthodoxy & Reform, The New World & The Old.

How loyal were the Jews to Czar Alexander II ? Why was there a fast day in England in 1803 & in America in 1812? Salvation isn’t always Redemption.

A new emperor & new clothes. Language. Education. Freedom?. And a eulogy in Shul for Maria Theresa by the Noda Biyehuda, the world-famous Rabbi of Prague.

An 8 year war involving Vienna, Berlin & Prague, which leaves the Jews no option other than a face-to-face meeting with King George II of England.

Why would a zealous missionary priest, print the Talmud for the Jews of Prague? And what controversial role did a famous Dayan in Prague play?

The revenge of an apostate Jew and the clash of Politics, Religion and Money over a library valued in the millions. 

How do you survive lying alone in a grave for 2 months? Where does a teenager find the determination and belief to overcome betrayal, loss and danger through the terrible years of war?

Who were the Kapos? Listen to an unknown story of tragedy and heroism. A Kapo in Auschwitz. A family pulled apart. A truth eventually uncovered.

What would you do if you were told a truth which you could not do anything about, but which would change lives forever?

Do synagogues have rights over membership? Why did a Chazan risk excommunication in Perpignan? Why were responsa printed in defiance of the author’s wishes? And the 1708 Chametz glue on a Pesach document…    

Chapters

00:00 Excommunication and Imposing Bans

06:18 Excommunication and Scholarly Disputes

13:28 The Role of the Chazan in the Synagogue

26:04 Insights from Historical Responsa

   

Two prominent Jews in Parliament, the sinking of the Titanic and insider share trading made up the ingredients of a scandal that threatened the foundations of the UK Government - 2/2.

Two prominent Jews in Parliament, the sinking of the Titanic and insider share trading made up the ingredients of a scandal that threatened the foundations of the UK Government - Part 1 of 2

In the 19th century, Jews may not become Members of Parliament. But somehow they get elected anyway. Apostasy, division and determination, in pursuit of the greatest political goal: Prime Minister of Britain. The story of the Disraelis 

Why was a Jew subjected to an excommunication in 1705, that was never revoked? And how did it create a power struggle in the Ashkenzai community of England? 

 

Jews lived across England from 1070 onwards, but 600 of them were imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1278? Why? And how did the Jews add Hebrew words to the English medieval language?

For centuries Jews faced restrictions building their shuls.   Halachic questions arose across Europe concerning rights, ownership and use. And closer to our day, when communities split, the assets would often be fought over.   For the trip, please email: giana.elav@gmail.com    

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

07:41 Shul as a Place of Assembly and Governance

14:13 Challenges in Shul Expansion and Renovation

29:14 Ownership and Rights of a Community in a Shul

38:13 The Changing Dynamics of Shuls and the Role of Trustees

In times of war and peace and throughout the centuries, Jews have asked questions. Some became the foundations of halacha, others were forgotten. In this episode we trace back through the ages to find that the new is often very old.   To purchase Dayan Hools book, click here - Beth Din Commercial Arbitration:  https://amzn.eu/d/hSkOB53  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Urgency of the Question

03:04 The Importance of Responsa in Jewish Law

06:22 Preserving and Recording Responsa

10:45 Debates on Jewish Community and Communal Organization

14:04 Reduction in Responsa and the Need for New Answers

25:46 Communal Financial Responsa in Times of Crisis

26:42 Repurposing Funds and the Power of Handwriting

29:37 Contributing to Communal Projects in Tehran

30:06 Apportioning Funds for Weddings and Inflation

31:02 Returning Donations Given in Error

35:22 The Role of Community Contributions

51:01 Security as an Individual Requirement

     

Unlike the secular worldview, Jewish history looks at individuals and at details. And although we have closely followed the general conflict in Israel, we are at arm’s length from the war.

Hearing first-hand some of the challenges that Yona Pinchos Gedalia ben Soroh Chana faced, will thereby give a deeper perspective to what Israel is experiencing.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Episode

03:04 The Importance of Individuals in Jewish History

06:28 The Jewish View of History

09:20 Lessons from the Story of Esther

12:10 Interview with a Soldier who Fought in Gaza

19:25 Powerful and Evocative Moments in Gaza

22:15 Worrying about Family and Coping with Breaks

27:55 The Role of Faith and Processing the Experience

35:10 Takeaway: Making Sacrifices and Supporting Soldiers

To Watch This Podcast, click here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRbtzDOtBAY&t=2021s   A wide-ranging discussion with author & international broadcaster Douglas Murray, on the questions: Why the Media Lie - The Liberal Left -  Antisemitism, modern and ancient - The Future in Israel.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal Connection

00:38 Interview with Douglas Murray

06:50 Journalistic Bias and Bigotry

09:40 Media Coverage of Israel-Palestine Conflict

11:37 Displacement of Israeli Families

14:30 Impact of Advocacy and Truth

21:33 Denial and Response to Terrorism

22:41 Complacency and Strategic Thinking

24:35 Israel's Technological Advantages

25:24 Living with Rockets

26:21 Deprogramming Hate

27:48 Education and De-Radicalization

29:40 The Insoluble Problem

30:09 The Future of Palestine

31:28 Anti-Semitism and Humanity

32:27 Anti-Semitism on Campuses

33:20 Sinister and Stupid Anti-Semitism

34:29 The Disappearance of Adults

35:25 Liberalism and Judaism

36:18 Two Types of Liberalism

37:09 The Rise of Anti-Semitism

38:08 The Perception of Jews

39:04 The Danger of Open Borders

40:27 Anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe

41:18 Anti-Semitism and Liberalism

42:37 Anti-Semitism as a Reality

43:06 Decency and Solidarity

45:32 Running for Public Office

46:28 Supporting Threatened MPs

The Karaites arrive in Ponovezh, Lithuania; Seraya Shapshal abruptly changes direction; Ibn Ezra writes Zemirot [link below]; the Nazis preside over a Karaite debate; Voltaire quotes a Karaite scholar; The 21st century reconfigures Karaism.

 

Ki Eshmera Shabbat - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Um8Z5Wdok-WeA7zNmKFkEjG06eH21Sax/view?usp=drivesdk

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:16 Karaites in Ponovitch

04:42 Karaites in Trakai

06:35 Relations with Orthodox Jews

09:27 Karaites under Tsarist Russia

15:15 Secularization and Reform

19:28 Communist Rule and World War II

24:12 Karaites and the Holocaust

28:30 Communist Rule and Decline

29:57 Karaites in the Middle East

32:47 Karaites in Europe and the USA

35:10 Karaites in Israel

39:24 Halakhic Status of the Karaites

44:43 The Evin Ezra and the Karaites

47:05 Conclusion

Refugees arrived in Egypt from Toldeo in 1459, with ideas of their own.

But as the centuries progressed, the Karaites spread out from the Middle East. Crimea became the headquarters of the movement.

However Abraham Firkowitz had his own ideas about history, in which facts did not necessarily feature. Although St. Petersburg owes him a continuing debt of gratitude.

 

Chapters

00:00 Quarrel between Karaites and Rabbinites in 1833

03:17 Karaites in Egypt in the mid-1400s

06:05 Karaites and Rabbanites in 1465

07:01 Karaites seeking religious answers from Muslim jurists

08:30 Karaites' status as Jews

10:22 Karaites in Crimea and Eastern Europe

13:17 Karaites in Crimea in the late Middle Ages

19:33 Russian rule over Crimea and discriminatory laws

20:58 Avram Firkovich and his forgeries

25:35 Firkovich's influence and success

36:29 Firkovich's efforts and legacy

1945. The war is over and Germany is in chaos. But now the church has to explain its silence. And two other groups emerge.   There are thousands of Jewish orphans scattered across Europe. At the same time there are thousands of Nazis on the run. Will justice prevail?  

Chapters

00:00 The Church's Denial and Defense

04:19 Suppression of the Draft Encyclical

16:17 Treatment of Jewish Children in Convents

25:43 Collaboration with the International Red Cross

28:06 Complicity and Deficient Moral Map

30:30 Complicity of the Red Cross and the Catholic Church

38:39 The Role of the Red Cross in Aiding Nazis

46:10 The Vatican's Opposition to the Nuremberg Trials

54:39 Positive Contributions of the Red Cross and the Church

1,200 years ago, a new form of Judaism was created, and it has lasted through the centuries. How far did Karaism spread? Did the Rambam allow them to be circumcised? Did Islam bring about the new ideology? And why would they observe Rosh Hashana without a Shofar?   Please email giana.elav@gmail.com for details on the upcoming Vienna Trip.   Chapters  

00:00 Introduction to the Karaites

03:07 Beliefs and Practices of the Karaites

05:32 Rav Saadia Gaon and the Defense of Orthodoxy

06:29 Origins and Founding of the Karaites

09:19 Historical Context and Factors Influencing the Karaites

11:12 Interaction between Karaites and Orthodox Jews

15:24 Halakhic Requirements and Practices of the Karaites

20:04 Stringency and Uniqueness of Karaites' Observance

21:24 Differences in Shabbat Candle Lighting and Prayer

23:50 Comparison with the Sadducees and Tzadokim

24:46 Relationship between Karaites and Orthodox Jews

25:44 Spread of the Karaites in Iraq, Jerusalem, and Egypt

29:08 Presence of Karaites in Constantinople and Cyprus

32:56 Decline of Karaites in Jerusalem

35:20 Karaites in Egypt and Influence of the Rambam

39:34 Karaites in Toledo and Mixed Marriages

When Europe became the battleground between opposing armies, a very unlikely candidate met up with the Pope and proposed a solution.

It would involve the Jews, and start in the heart of Inquisition Portugal.

But it brought about unexpected results.

Ultimately we have a cloak and a flag to reflect upon.

 

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Trip Announcement

01:24 ICJ Case Against Israel

03:16 Ongoing Case and Accusation of Genocide

04:12 Podcast Achievement and Offline Listening

05:07 Introduction to the Story of Shlomo Molcho and David Reuveni

06:05 Arrival of David Reuveni in Venice

07:02 Encounter between David Reuveni and Diego Pérez

09:26 David Reuveni's Background and Travels

10:52 David Reuveni's Arrival in Rome

11:47 David Reuveni's Meeting with Pope Clement VII

12:45 David Reuveni's Visit to Portugal

16:29 Shlomo Molcho's Life in Salonika

18:50 Shlomo Molcho's Return to Italy

20:12 Shlomo Molcho's Meeting with Pope Clement VII

22:31 Shlomo Molcho's Imprisonment and Execution

23:29 Meeting with Emperor Charles V

24:47 Emperor's Reaction and Execution of Shlomo Molcho

25:43 Conclusion and Legacy of Shlomo Molcho

31:23 Discussion on Shlomo Molcho's Motivations

33:44 Reactions and Impact of Shlomo Molcho

36:05 Closing Remarks and Trip Announcement