Jewish History Nerds

100 years ago, in Krakow, Poland, Sarah Schenirer changed female Jewish education forever. Explore the extraordinary life of Sarah Schenirer, the pioneering force who fearlessly merged tradition and women's rights in Orthodox Judaism. Uncover her creation of the groundbreaking Beis Yaakov school system, challenging societal norms while upholding Orthodox values. Join us as we delve into the complex legacy of this visionary figure, a true bridge between tradition and social innovation. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Sarah Schenirer, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ec_1aciMru1pGvQDIXMixisDjaFFpRo9FEgNz9xKLN4/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

Join Yael and Schwab as we unravel the gripping story of a young Jewish boy forcibly taken from his family by the Catholic Church, sparking international outcry and shaping the course of religious tensions. Discover the surprising twists and turns that led Edgardo Mortara to embrace his captors' faith, becoming a devoted Catholic priest with a mission to convert his own people. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Edgardo Mortara, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xZAGR52wd0v7Ofmb1aAmi3vDb1h7TUDYsr0QCGGDGDY/edit Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

Schwab and Yael unravel the vibrant tapestry of the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry, an era of remarkable cultural exchange and collaboration between Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Explore the rich history, intellectual achievements, and creative contributions of the Jewish community during this extraordinary period of coexistence in the Iberian Peninsula. Discover the intricate interplay of cultures that shaped this golden era and its lasting impact on the development of art, science, and philosophy. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on the Spanish Golden Age, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BWe-Vzczfy_EL9rZuiRwIIc1zYN6uxjZwYtHxe8_ZQs/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

In this gripping episode, join Schwab and Yael as they delve into the extraordinary life of Hannah Szenes, a talented Hungarian poet who defied the Holocaust. From her escape to pre-state Israel to her daring mission behind enemy lines, discover the incredible bravery of a woman who refused to yield to the Nazis. Uncover the untold story of Hannah Szenes and explore the enduring legacy of her unyielding spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Hannah Szenes, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ih5TaGOYXoZQmuqdaTLX6jnhQ04vrH32JdeMZlKtRiE/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

Discovered in the Cairo Geniza, the story of the remarkable exploits of this 11th century trader push the boundaries of what we may have thought was typical of Jewish women in medieval Egypt. But before we even get there, we have to understand what the Cairo Geniza is, and why it helps us to understand Jewish history. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Wuhsha the Broker and the Cairo Geniza, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mdQlJlIhm34YhI39ZdYNEo-68utXr9aZmqRtyPrOARQ/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

Donato Manduzio was just a simple man in an Italian village - until he read the Bible, and began his quest to bring back what he thought was a dead, ancient faith. Not only did Donato embrace Judaism, he convinced several dozen of his fellow villagers in San Nicandro to join him in this spiritual journey. Schwab and Yael explore this wild story and ask, how the heck do we decide not only who is a Jew, but what are the contours of, well, Judaism? This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Donato Manduzio, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GhIKjDiK3-Z-Dgu-nDNXAvKRZ6NYGwtEB3hTkc4Gl2o/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

Learn about the bonkers life of Johannes Eisenmenger, a man who spent 19 years under false pretenses within the Jewish community. Over those 19 years, he meticulously studied the Talmud, and eventually wrote a wild 2000-page text about the evils of the Talmud. In this episode, Yael and Schwab explore the personal motives, societal implications, and long-lasting effects of his actions. Join us as we dissect this tale of deception and bigotry in the light of history, faith, and human behavior. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Johannes Eisenmenger, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KeADzNKcvU0A5UjvwAwnA0SONmunnrGxFCjaD8Kpr3o/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

You might not be quite as big of a fan of epistolary romances as Yael, but you'll still love the story of Sarra Coppia Sullam. Sullam, a Jewish Venetian woman of 17th century, was most well-known for her literary salons, the public accusations of heresy against her, and most salaciously, her pen pal love affair with the Genoese monk named Ansaldo Cebà. Come for the story, stay for the drama, as Schwab and Yael unpack her incredible life. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Sarra Coppia Sullman, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Yj8Q9fD3nROSdB33HpO1GEo-FPd_36LpiwYDJEKEd7I/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

This week, Schwab and Yael dive into the life and legacy of Emma Goldman, the influential Jewish anarchist activist who made waves in early 20th-century America. Learn about her contributions to the development of feminism and her impact on the American left. Join us as we explore the life of this revolutionary figure who inspired and challenged the status quo. But also, Schwab and Yael ask, what impact does Red Emma's Judaism have on her? This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Emma Goldman, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Yj8Q9fD3nROSdB33HpO1GEo-FPd_36LpiwYDJEKEd7I/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

Delve into the enigmatic life of King Herod the Great, the infamous Judean ruler whose legacy intertwines madness and monumental achievements. Explore his transformative public works projects and unravel the dark side of his rule. Join Schwab and Yael as they examine the complex reign of a king who changed the face of ancient Judea forever. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Herod, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hWA1yiRwLHzBisRWlcKHEbT7ZTmGC2A7NL6MswyNJvk/edit?usp=sharing Tell us what you think about the podcast here: https://jewishunpacked.com/nerdsurvey

We’re back! By popular demand, Jewish History Nerds is back for another season. Wait - what? Jewish History NERDS? That's right. This new name reflects exactly who we - and all of you - are - proud Jewish History nerds. But nothing is changing. We’ll still be unpacking awesome stories, but as our true selves: Jewish History Nerds. Are you ready? Yalla, let’s do this!

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey We've talked this season about some biggggg characters. Josephus, Napoleon, Shabbetai Zvi. And this week, meet...Babatha. A wholly unremarkable woman, except for the world she opened up for us through the documents found in her abandoned handbag...2,000 years ago. This week, Schwab and Yael explore gender and rights, Roman bureaucracy and the many legal systems in 2nd century Judea, and the value of a good handbag. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Babatha, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DRc7Oerrjm5x8ehqsRgvklmEpKgc_sdZlPXCQQUVW8Y/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey Every community has its weirdos. And in 17th century Amsterdam, the Jewish community’s resident weirdo was Uriel D’Acosta: converso, refugee, passionate Jew, and… dangerous heretic? Join Yael and Schwab as they explore D’Acosta’s controversial legacy — from his influence on Spinoza to his ostracism at the hands of the Dutch Jewish community. And decide for yourself: what lessons does the story of Uriel D’Acosta hold for us today? This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Uriel D'Acosta, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b8nfO04BDAFCm6eEHenktP_Na4PAwltXs8fqyOdtqSE/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey How did a nice Jewish boy wind up a Christian apostle? Meet Saul/Paul of Tarsus, the man responsible for, well, Christianity. Like Jesus, Saul was a Jew. But unlike Jesus, Saul preached a completely modified version of Judaism. A version that eventually transformed into the Christianity we know today. Yael and Schwab ask, why are we talking about Christianity on a Jewish history podcast? When did Christianity become a distinct religion from Judaism? And why should Jews care about early Christian history? This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Saul/Paul and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1e-kVcuC8LCk1shuVXoetZevMwTCq5rggcKlzUvrVGcw/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey In December of 1950, a construction worker happened upon a cache of old milk tins buried in the Warsaw Ghetto, the contents of which upended our understanding of the Holocaust. The tins held the second of three caches of the Oneg Shabbos archives: a collection by ordinary people turned archivists who risked their lives to preserve the darkest moment of Jewish history. Among the photographs and diary entries, concert tickets and poems, lay the collected sermons of Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, also known as the Piaseczno Rebbe. In this episode, Yael and Schwab ask, what can we learn from Rabbi Shapira’s works? And what debt do we owe to the brave Oneg Shabbos archivists? This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on the Aish Kodesh and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UPT1ADfGLblgPOaViGeyquYRE6l8V0Rvutxlk3CTgE8/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey Ah, Chanukah. That festive time of year where we light candles, indulge in fried foods, and celebrate… a brutal civil war? Join Yael and Schwab as they complicate the story we all thought we knew. What did the Maccabees really fight for? How should we feel about their legacy? And who is Helen? This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Hanukkah, Judah Maccabee, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19vHg-inRureVw3AlW2UA_uyUYMH12HH5qjvkXrMf_h4/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey No one expects the Spanish Inquisition… to have given rise to two of the most powerful Jewish women in history. You may not have heard of Dona Gracia Mendes or Benvenida Abrabanel. You may not have learned about the vastly different ways they attempted to use their power in order to stop the persecution of Jews in the papal states. And you may not have considered the way that Gracia and Benvenida’s rivalry still echoes today. Yael and Schwab weren’t, before this episode. But now, they’re here to unpack all of this and more. So get ready — just like the Inquisition, it’s going to be quite a show. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on these women, the Ancona affair, and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17VKgT2Y22Toxzc7ju6PM8NpUPFnKQixHtrEKa0XUHq0/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey Jews don’t seek converts. There are no Jewish missionaries, no street preachers, no televangelists.And yet, Jewish legend tells of an 8th century pagan king who converted his entire empire to Judaism. Schwab and Yael ask, why? Why would anyone choose to become Jewish in 8th century Europe -- historically, not the friendliest place for Jews? Is this story fact, fiction, or something in between? If it’s true, where did all those Jews end up? And why are antisemites so obsessed with this obscure Jewish legend? The answers might surprise you. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Khazaria and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MjD36b1gMWaB2OQO7Eh-c76Dhqm2wyUKdVyzGvfzNwY/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey You've probably never met a character as colorful as Shabbetai Tzvi. The 16th century Jewish mystic and rabbi led thousands of Jews to leave their homes and possessions to follow him as their Messiah. With the encouragement of his hypeman, Nathan of Gaze, Shabbetai Tzvi was revered and loved, picking up followers left and right...until the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire threatens him with imprisonment unless he converts to Islam, which he does. This week, Yael and Schwab tell us the story of Shabbetai Tzvi and ask, what is the deeper meaning of this crazy story and character? This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Shabbetai Tzvi and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pNiZ8ZuIrIRJNzHh3CQy81AEA8CE429j4XNCdm9Yq6M/edit?usp=sharing

Take survey here: https://jewishunpacked.com/jhusurvey When we think about the French Revolution, our mind jumps to Marie Antoinette, Les Miserable, “America’s favorite fighting Frenchman.” We don’t generally think “hey, are Jews even people?” But that was the question on Napoleon’s mind as he built the French Empire. In this week’s episode, Yael and Schwab break down all the factors in Napoleon’s decision-making process as he tried to figure out whether Jews could be French citizens. It’s a story about liberte, egalite, fraternite. About Napoleon’s revival of an ancient Jewish court for the first time in 1,300 years. And about what it means to be a Jew in a wider society. This episode was hosted by Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner. Our education lead is Dr. Henry Abramson. Audio was edited by Rob Pera, and we’re produced by Rivky Stern. For more on Napoleon and this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vuujRrD1gBYEmIJny-o2oief34hGpYW9EeMFYqlF2tc/edit?usp=sharing