History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast

History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast

History for the Curious The most talked-about Jewish History Podcast History for the Curious features the dynamic historian and famous tour guide & lecturer: Rabbi Aubrey Hersh, live from the JLE in London, hosted by myself: Mena Reisner Join us as we cross continents, sail through the centuries, tracing lives, uncovering events and following epic journeys, to reveal the untold stories, the scandals, and the mysteries, that have impacted our history and shaped us into who we are today. Encounter leaders, visionaries, spies, heroes & traitors and unpack 2,000 years of Jewish heritage. Go back to the story of Jews in the Temple of Jerusalem. Confront the dilemmas of the Holocaust. Visit Paris, Prague, Vilna, London, Venice, New York & the Cairo Geniza. Meet The Russian Czar, Ramchal, Maharal, Maimonides, Churchill, Shabbetai Zvi and the Hapsburgs.

Episodes

#181: The Menorah - History's Greatest Jewish Mystery

December 21, 2025 • 74 mins
The Menorah was the most adopted symbol in the Jewish world. But where is the original?   We know of a Menorah in Rome in 70CE. The Talmud tells us it was examined. But what follows is centuries of silence    What does History tell us? What do eyewitnesses report? What has the Church said? And what role does the 2nd Temple Menorah have, in the redemption of the Jewish People?   This episode is the outcome of the most up-to-date res...

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#180: Chanukah - Celebrating the War We Didn't Win?

December 11, 2025 • 51 mins

Chanukah is central to our Jewish Calendar and way of life, but there are many unanswered questions: Why celebrate defeat? What was the real role of Kohanim during the Second Temple? Why was this Yomtov chosen to reflect the ultimate ideal ?

Tracing the story from Alexander the Great and Shimon HaTzaddik through the corruption of the Second Temple and the rise of Hellenism, ...

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#179: The Most Unbelievable Story in Modern History

December 4, 2025 • 63 mins

Yitzchak Trebitsch was an active participant - under various names - in some of the twentieth century’s most important events: mass immigration, WWI wartime espionage, radical right-wing Germany, Chinese civil war and the Japanese invasion during WWII. But in the end he was a nobody.

His death was attributed variously to Nazi poison, Allied vengeance, Buddhist enemies, or en...

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#178: The Vanished Jews of England II: 1290-1650

November 25, 2025 • 48 mins
Small groups of crypto-Jews are known to have made their way to England. We know the names and occasionally the stories of some. But no one had a greater impact on England’s history or on Queen Elizabeth I, than Roger Lopez: Physician, Double Agent, Diplomat & Court Jew.   Jews were News even during the period of their supposed forced absence.   And what is the real story behind Henry VIII’s set of Talmud?  

Chapters

00:00:00 ...

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#177: The Vanished Jews of England: 1290-1650

November 17, 2025 • 48 mins
For centuries there were none left; The Jews had been driven out of England en-masse by Edward I... But the records tell us a different story.    Henry VIII went searching for them and English literature betrays a fascination with them. From Shakespeare's controversial Shylock to dictionary & biblical definitions, the Jew continued to feature throughout. 
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#176: Yishmael vs Yisrael X: Echoes of Conflict - feat. Rabbi Zev Leff & Lord David Wolfson

November 6, 2025 • 66 mins
In the wake of the return of the hostages that survived, challenges abound and life cannot return to normal. Israel confronts the unknown with hope, and across the world the ripples of anti-semitism continue to echo.   The UK experienced Jews being killed on Yom Kippur, New York has elected a pro-Hamas mayor, yet various Arab countries have expressed an interest in closer ties with Israel. Rabbi Hersh, Rabbi Leff & Lord Wolfson...
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What is Jewish History?

October 26, 2025 • 1 min
We have produced 175 episodes over the past 4 years BH. But what makes Jewish History special? And what does the future hold?   This short clip will give you some insights - https://vimeo.com/1130639528   The link is: www.charityextra.com/jle/hftc
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#175: David Friedman - The Ambassador Who Reshaped the Middle East

October 23, 2025 • 48 mins
To watch This Podcast, click here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBpgg1wcQKw&t=2760s  

A wide-ranging and personal discussion with former U.S. Ambassador David Friedman, describing how his Sledgehammer of Diplomacy shattered old conventions to achieve the historic U.S. Embassy move and usher in the Abraham Accords, exploring the deeply personal balance between his religious conviction and political power in crafting high-st...

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#174: Disputations II - 1263-1414 / Rav Meir Arik 100th Yarzeit

September 29, 2025 • 55 mins
25 years after Paris the Talmud was being cross-examined again. This time the Christians intended to prove the truth of their faith from within Judaism !   In 1413, the Jews chose silence as their response but many were pressured into conversion.   100 years ago the world lost a halachic genius; Rav Arik created a generation of rabbis. His numerous students include Rav Meir Shapiro & the Tchebiner Rov, while his rulings influen...
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#173: Disputations I - Paris 1240

September 21, 2025 • 46 mins
During the 13th century, Europe was controlled by a militant church, and France was ruled by Louis IX - a bitter enemy of the Jews. All copies of the Talmud were seized and four Baalei Tosfos were interrogated in public.  How did Jewry recover from this calamity? Was this tragedy related to the burning of the Rambam’s writings? 

 

Chapters

00:00 Divine Retribution and Historical Context

04:38 Rambam and Rabbeinu Yonah's Controver...

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#172: Ramban II - The Church & Eretz Yisrael (feat. Rabbi Dr Akiva Tatz)

September 10, 2025 • 63 mins
In 1263 the Ramban was forced to attend a public Disputation and defend the truths of the Talmud against attacks by the Dominicans, who were led by an apostate Jew.   The Ramban would be exiled from Spain as a result and settle in Eretz Yisrael where he described with both pride and pain of the state of the Jewish community.  Using his medical knowledge, the Ramban also authored a central halachic work on healing and consultin...

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#171: Ramban I - The Early Conflicts (1194-1270)

September 4, 2025 • 70 mins
By the 13th century, Spain was becoming a more uncomfortable place for Jews, partly due to  communal structure. Ramban will engage in dampening the flames of controversy both about the Rambam and regarding power and authority. But he will face strong personal attacks in the process.   The Ramban was also a prolific author of sefarim. They range from Halacha to Chumash, Kabbala & Talmud. R' Shmuli Levison joins us to introduce u...
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#170: Holocaust Shadows IV - Survivors, Liberators & Rescuers

August 2, 2025 • 62 mins
Many Jews were reluctant first-hand witnesses to Nazi cruelty and suffering.    For many Hungarian survivors,  often deliberately misled about the truth of Auschwitz's existence, betrayal only added to their pain. Risa Shayowitz - aged a young 95 years old - relays that tragedy, even as she looks only to move forward. An American chaplain in the US Army in April 1945 - Rabbi Hershel Schachter - opened up the gates of Hell. In a lit...
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#169: Holocaust Shadows III - The Survivor

July 30, 2025 • 57 mins
We speak of 'Holocaust Survivors' without understanding what they survived, without knowing the trauma and guilt they carried.  A young 16-year-old girl (now 97 years old) was taken through the cruelty of Auschwitz - and asked by Mengele to decide the fate of her own mother. 

  1. How did she find the strength of mind? How did she become a beacon to others, learn to redefine freedom and turn her wounds into a source of hope? 

  2. A...

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#168: Holocaust Shadows II - The Forgeries

July 23, 2025 • 43 mins
Despite being a Western country, Holland almost equalled the East in its destructiveness during the Holocaust. 2 non-Jews created their own narrative by bypassing the system. One took great risks, the other received great reward. Their unusual stories, extend forgery into new territory. And a mention of Mein Kampf - one hundred years later.

 

Chapters

00:00 The Journey into Danger

01:40 The Context of the Holocaust

06:41 The System...

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#167: Holocaust Shadows I: The Forger

July 18, 2025 • 50 mins
Hidden away in a tiny attic in Paris, a Jew created freedom for thousands by forging Identity cards, ration books and travel passes. Hunted by Nazis, his genius and dedication came with enormous risk. And his experiences left him with a sense of guilt that would never leave him.   Email giana.elav@gmail.com for the Prague trip...  

Chapters

00:00 Trapped in History: The Beginning of a Journey

01:35 The Holocaust Series: A Focus on...

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#166: Jerusalem III : 1099-1568

July 10, 2025 • 63 mins
In the Medieval period, Jerusalem was repeatedly fought over and at times only 2 Jews lived there. Yet there were always those who braved making Aliya including Ramban, Bartenura and Rav Yechiel of Paris - all recording accounts of their journey. But who were the Mamluks? Where is the Holy Toothpick? And who built the Sultan's Pool?    To book a place on the Maharal Prague trip 8th-11th September: giana.elav@gmail.com  

Chapters

0...

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#165: Jerusalem II: 638-1098

June 26, 2025 • 48 mins

How do we relate to the most recent events in the Middle-East?

In 638 the Moslems transformed the city; but what was their motivation? What created the divisions of Jewish observance in the 10th century?  Why was the Golden Gate sealed off? How did the Christian East-West Schism of 1054 affect Jewish lives in Jerusalem? 

To register for the Maharal - Prague Tour 8th-11th September contact: giana.elav@gmail.com

 

Chapters

00:00 The ...

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#164: Jerusalem I: 70-636CE

June 19, 2025 • 57 mins
What does Yerushalayim represent? How does the current conflict with Iran impact upon that?   Were the Jews expelled from Jerusalem after the Temple was destroyed? Why did the Romans rebuild the city? Who were the Byzantines who occupied Eretz Yisrael for 300 years? How did the Jews get permission to start rebuilding the Temple and why was it ultimately unsuccessful?  

Chapters

00:00 The Historical Significance of Jerusalem

03:05 ...

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#163: Oral Law II - Who is Right? Who is a Scholar?

June 11, 2025 • 74 mins
The existence of an Oral Law brought about debate and argument. So why not preserve it all in the Written text alone? And how do we decide who is right? Who makes that decision?  Are all Rabbis equally qualified? Can any Jew contribute to Torah?   

Chapters

01:51 The Importance of Oral Law

06:06 Understanding Halacha and Truth

11:50 The Role of Teacher and Student in Torah

17:59 The Nature of Disputes in Torah

24:10 The Concept of...

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