History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast

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?

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

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.

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?

The Church was determined to wipe out any vestige of Judaism from Spain, any custom, any law, any practice, and thousands of Jews would pay the price. Spain was not just one country, however; it spread to the Americas and the Indies, and the stories of individual heroism, ingenuity, and courage are breathtaking.   Timestamps: 0:00:01 Crypto-Judaism vs. Crusades — constant oversight in Spain   0:00:27 Podcast intro 0:01:16 Series context — part 3 importance   0:02:58 Post-1492 groups — emigrants, later emigrants, those who stayed   0:03:36 Sephardic diaspora — destinations & trades (Ottoman lands, North Africa, textiles, medicine)   0:04:41 Jewish diplomacy under Ottomans — translators/negotiators, ties to Spain   0:07:14 Crypto-Judaism basics — loss of rabbis, books, reliance on oral tradition & Old Testament   0:09:42 Decline of living memory — mid-1500s generational loss   0:11:40 Core beliefs retained — monotheism, Moses, Torah; examples from Inquisition confessions   0:14:02 Observance statistics from trials — fasting, kashrut, Shabbat, Yom Kippur prevalence   0:15:59 Passing faith to next generation — secrecy, double lives, limited transmission   0:17:32 Inquisition edicts as inadvertent guides to practice   0:19:26 End-of-life rituals — refusal of crucifix, tahara, burial customs   0:23:41 Shabbat practices — hidden candles, inward sweeping, blessings   0:26:31 Church attendance — outward conformity, internal belief strategies   0:27:25 New World/Inquisition — arrival in Americas; Inquisition established in Mexico, Peru, Brazil   0:31:00 Dutch Brazil exception — temporary open practice under Dutch rule, later expulsion 1654   0:32:40 Louis de Carvajal & notable trials — arrests, preserved writings used as evidence   0:36:22 Secret communication/code — phrases, walks, covert declarations of faith   0:39:04 Dangers of disclosure — denunciations even by family; psychological terror of arrest   0:42:40 Arrest/interrogation process — isolation, written records, potential torture   0:45:00 Auto-da-fé description — public spectacle, sanbenito, punishments, executions   0:50:47 Survival customs preserved in remote towns (e.g., burial, food practices)   0:51:07 Reasons many stayed — travel restrictions, family/assets, hope things improve   0:55:46 Reintegration abroad — relearning Judaism, halachic complications (bris, remarriage)   0:59:12 Broader Jewish response — limited help; notable rescuers and martyrs   1:02:19 Scale of persecution — arrests (100k–150k), deaths (~4–10k estimated)   1:05:34 Long-term effects — endogamy, oral legacy, Kabbalah/messianic currents   1:06:46 Closing & next steps — possible future series; contact/website/tours info   Action items (end): confirm availability for next series; monitor listener feedback; update website/tours.

Post-1391 there was a period of uncertainty but many Conversos still found it possible to maintain a level of observance - sometimes even openly. It appeared that a Modus Vivendi could be achieved. But in 1477 the Church persuaded Ferdinand & Isabella to institute the Inquisition; aimed not at Jews but at the 'heretical' New Christians.    The 1480s became a decade of hiding, yet scholarship was increased and Spain became a centre of Jewish printing until the axe fell for the remaining Jews in 1492, and 4 months of despair turned into a mass exodus.   Their decision to abandon everything and leave for the unknown - at great cost - was the largest display of faith in the past 1,000 years of Jewish history.   Timestamps: - [0:00] Topic setup: Spain Part 2 — continuation on conversos/Jewish life pre- and post-1480.   - [0:44] Intro & announcements: new website historyforthecurious.com and listener emails (Menorah/Vatican).   - [6:07] Recap: 1391 massacres and Tortosa debates intensified pressure on Jews/conversos.   - [12:15] Inquisition origins (1480): state-backed institution, torture, informers, auto-da-fé spectacles.   - [20:07] Converso impact: shift from preserving family cohesion to living secret “cover stories.”   - [24:28] La Guardia case (1491): blood libel, forced confessions, executions used to build case for expulsion.   - [30:57] 1492: Fall of Granada and the Alhambra Decree — four months to leave, severe loss of property.   - [52:18] Exodus hardships: banditry, ship abuses, disease, starvation; some returned/converted.   - [56:07] Demographics: estimated ~150,000 left; major resettlement in Ottoman lands and North Africa.   - [40:21 / 45:53] Culture & print: strong late-medieval Spanish rabbinic scholarship and early Hebrew printing; many books later burned but printing continued in exile.   - [1:00:17] Legacy: Sephardic communities revitalized elsewhere; theme — persecution paired with spiritual resilience.

The date of the Expulsion in 1492 is infamous. Less known or understood is the historical context that led there. How did a 1,000-year-old community lose its status and power? The answer lies in the ferocious and sudden impact of 1391. With 100,000 conversions to Christianity, Jewish kehillos were left reeling and families were torn apart. Rebuilding became virtually impossible, and a new way of life was created for the Jews in Spain. Jews were still part of society, but rising Church pressure forced many into hiding. And the urgent question arose of how to deal with conversos amid instability, the Tortosa disputation and hostility from ‘Old Christians’. But the writing was still not on the wall.   Timestamps: - 0:00 — Converts’ next-generation issue introduced   - 0:42 — Podcast intro and host   - 1:24 — Email about Radzivin/Vatican anecdote   - 2:24 — Recap: Jewish history in Spain; Golden Age → decline   - 4:20 — 14th-century status: wealth, roles, rising anti-Jewish politics   - 7:17 — Civil war in Castile; Henry II’s measures; Ferran Martínez’s preaching   - 12:45 — Martinez’s actions, weak government, lead-up to 1391   - 16:20 — June 1391 pogroms begin (Seville)   - 19:33 — Scale of conversions; conversos’ motives and consequences   - 23:00 — Rav Crescas’s account and leadership role   - 27:32 — Rebuilding efforts and royal interactions   - 32:21 — Conversos’ social ascent; community tensions   - 37:22 — Tortosa disputation lead-up; Vincent Ferrer’s influence   - 43:07 — Tortosa debate outcomes and further conversions   - 50:10 — Fragile recovery; papal/royal reversals   - 57:32 — 1449 Toledo unrest; purity-of-blood measures begin   - 1:02:16 — Long-term social exclusion of conversos; legacy and summary

We know from both Jewish and secular sources, that 2,500 years ago the Babylonians led by Nevuchadnezar, besieged Jerusalem on this day. Two years later the Temple was destroyed. But what events led to this moment? And why was the path of the prophet Yirmiyahu's life so dangerous?   As importantly how do we, in our days, feel a connection to the message and the narrative? 10th Teves is also designated as a day of mourning, for all those who do not know the date or the fate of their family's passing during the Holocaust, and this episode will feature the unusual story of a young child in the partisans.    Timestamps 0:00:00 Opening and podcast intro; dedication to Nehemiah and host’s father 0:01:06 Overview of episode topics, Hanukkah feedback, and menorah discussion 0:03:18 Context of Asara B’Tevet, Holocaust link, and anecdote about Kaddish in old-age home 0:04:20–0:10:04 Historical exposition: Jeremiah’s prophecies, political pressures, scroll burned, imprisonments 0:10:04–0:19:37 Continued account: attempted murder, rescues, false prophets (Hananiah, Uriah) and descent to siege 0:19:37–0:21:25 Summary of decline leading to exile and significance of the 10th of Tevet fast 0:21:25–0:28:46 Modern parallels: genteel/diplomatic antisemitism, political short-termism, and examples 0:28:46–0:34:31 Reflection on providence, Hashem’s hand, emunah vs. bitachon, and cultivating trust 0:34:31–0:40:15 Practical guidance: quiet contemplation, Hanukkah lessons, and spiritual responses 0:40:15–0:46:37 Holocaust case study begins: Matei Jakel’s early life, attack, deportation, and escape from train 0:46:37–0:52:16 Partisan life, postwar displacement, meeting youth emissaries, aliyah to Israel, rebuilding life 0:52:16 Closing reflections, key takeaways on resilience and faith, listener email (podcasts@jle.org.uk) and two-week break

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 research and analysis and includes a recently recorded conversation with a Rabbi who entered the Vatican cellars 55 years ago accompanied by Pope John Paul II.   Timestamps: - 0:00 — Opening:    - 0:38 — Podcast intro (host & Rabbi Hersh).   - 1:14 — Memorial/announcements.   - 2:17 — Episode topic introduced: “Where is the menorah?”   - 4:00 — Menorah as Jewish symbol; historical significance.   - 8:00 — Arch of Titus / Josephus / early Roman display.   - 10:00 — Fire in 191 CE and disappearance possibilities.   - 15:00 — Jews in ancient Rome / social context.   - 20:00 — Constantine/Byzantine period and relocation theories (312 CE).   - 25:00 — Christian adoption/use of menorah imagery.   - 30:00 — Vatican holdings, openness, and inventories.   - 34:30 — Eyewitness claims overview; Rabbi Stencil letter exchange.   - 40:00 — Oscar Goldman 1962 account (electrician shown items).   - 41:30 — 1970s rabbi’s underground Vatican visit description.   - 52:40 — Testimony analysis: credibility issues and scholarly skepticism.   - 1:03:47 — Theological point: first‑ vs. second‑Temple vessels and redemption.   - 1:10:00 — Halachic notes on making/holding menorah replicas; closing.

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, the podcast redefines the central idea of Chanukah - the only festival established by the Sages post-prophecy Connecting the ancient clash of civilizations to the battles which echo down through Russia, America and Eretz Yisrael; It defines Who is a Jew.   Timestamps [0:00:00] Introduction to Greek Exile and Historical Context [0:01:07] Podcast Dedication and Welcome [0:02:05] Setting Up the Hanukkah Discussion [0:04:13] Questioning the Purpose of Hanukkah Celebration [0:14:44] Historical Prequel: Alexander the Great and Shimon HaTzadik [0:22:49] Corruption of the Priesthood [0:26:38] Empire Dynamics After Alexander [0:31:05] Jewish Attraction to Greek Culture [0:40:41] The Spiritual Victory of Hanukkah [0:49:26] Comparing Purim and Hanukkah [0:50:44] Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-up

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 enraged Jews. His story is stranger than fiction, but there are important lessons we can take from it.   Timestamps [0:03:07] Origins: Hungarian Jewish Childhood [0:04:40] Early Crimes: Theft and Deception [0:07:54] Religious Transformations: Conversions and Missionaries [0:11:00] Political Ambitions: Brief Parliamentary Career [0:18:23] Wartime Intrigue: Espionage and Escapes [0:28:00] Political Extremism: Far-Right Conspiracies [0:35:00] Global Wanderings: International Adventures [0:41:30] Spiritual Journey: Becoming a Buddhist Monk [0:45:00] World War Machinations: Nazi and Japanese Connections [0:48:44] Final Act: Decline in Shanghai

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 Doctor Lopez and the Earl of Leicester 00:00:26 Podcast Introduction and Listener Letter  00:36:32 Rodrigo Lopez: Early Life and Arrival in England  00:05:10 Lopez’s Rise and Role at Court  00:08:14 Espionage and the Don Antonio Affair  00:09:41 Jewish Community as Diplomatic Asset  00:11:02 International Intrigue and Spanish Spies  00:13:39 The Spanish Armada and Aftermath  00:15:22 Lopez’s Espionage and Double Agency  00:16:40 The Andrada Case and Rising Suspicion 00:19:12 Arrest and Trial of Lopez  00:21:52 Charges, Confession, and Execution  00:24:35 Was Lopez Guilty? 00:27:08 Lopez’s Legacy and Impact on Literature  00:30:44 Jewish Life in England: 1300s–1400s  00:32:50 Conversos and Marranos in Tudor England  00:36:32 Risks and Persecution of Marranos  00:38:42 Elizabethan Era and Secret Jewish Life  00:40:35 Religious Practice and Open Jews 00:43:10 Persistence of Jewish Identity 00:45:12 The Talmud in England: The Henry VIII Legend  00:48:35 Conclusion and Next Series Teaser 

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.

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 discuss the global situation for Jews and where we are headed.

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

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-stakes foreign policy, laying out his forceful argument for Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, and his definitive vision of One Jewish State.   Hear his incredible story, as he reflects on Jewish history, the Hand of Hashem and the divine continuum that continually strengthens Israel's destiny, while also sharing his candid personal insights on figures like President Trump, Mike Pompeo, and the future evolution of the Middle East over the next 12 to 24 months.