Popular Shows by Yehuda Geberer יהודה גברר
476 episodes
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Name
Release Date
Duration
201
The Spinka Chassidic Dynasty
The Spinka Chassidic Dynasty
Jun 7, 2025
47:11
The Spinka chassidic dynasty was established in the late 19th century as a sort of offshoot of the Zidichov dynasty, by Rav Yosef Meir Weiss (1838-1909) in the town of Spinka, in the Maramuris region of Transylvania, then in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It soon gained a significant following and emerged as one of the prominent Hungarian Chassidic communities of the first half of the century. This was especially so under the able leadership of his son and successor Rav Yitzchak Eizik Weiss (1875-1944), the Chekel Yitzchak, who moved his court to the town of Selish following World War I. The Spinka Rebbe and most of his family were murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz during the Holocaust, but surviving grandchildren who miraculously survived rebuilt Spinka in the United States and Israel after the war. Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
202
The Maharal of Prague
The Maharal of Prague
Apr 3, 2022
28:29
The Maharal of Prague (c.1512-1609) was more legend than reality. His teachings and diverse scholarship seem to grow more popular with time, but who was he and what was the world that he lived and operated in? The Maharal was a communal rabbi in his hometown of Poznan (Poland), Nikolsburg (Moravia) and Prague (Bohemia). He was a posek and kabbalist, a communal leader and a prolific author. He stood at a crossroads of Jewish history and made a decisive impact in his own time and through his legacy. Emperor Rudolf II of the Holy Roman Empire moved the seat of the royal court to the Prague Castle in 1583, and his religious tolerance coupled with his eccentric obsession with the occult sciences added to Prague’s mystical reputation. And it was in Prague where the Maharal would lead the community, teach his students and publish many of his acclaimed works. This episode of Jewish History Soundbites on the Maharal is sponsored by “Short Machshava on the Daf”, a project of Machsheves Yechezkel. The Short Machshava Shiur aims to give an understanding of the Agadita/Machshava of every Daf in shas, following the Daf Yomi schedule, adding a new Depth to the Daf, and is given by Rabbi Yechezkel Hartman, a Talmid of Rabbi Moshe Shapiro zt"l, Maggid Shiur in Lawrence NY and son of Rav Yehoshua Hartman, the publisher and editor of many works of the Maharal. Available on machshevesyechezkel.com Whatsapp- https://bit.ly/shortmwa4 All Major Podcast Platforms - https://bit.ly/shortmpodcast TorahAnytime- https://www.torahanytime.com/#/speaker?l=882 All Daf- https://alldaf.org/series/4102/ For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
203
More than a Miracle Worker: Rav Eliyahu Guttmacher
More than a Miracle Worker: Rav Eliyahu Guttmacher
Apr 25, 2022
30:24
Rav Eliyahu Guttmacher (1796-1874) was a German rabbi who gained renown as a miracle worker during his tenure in the rabbinate of Gratz (Greiditz). Thousands from Poland and all over Europe would petition him asking for his blessings and prayers on every conceivable issue. A student of Rav Akiva Eiger, he was also a Kabbalist, and later a proto Zionist and supporter of the ideas of his colleague Rav Tzvi Hirsh Kalisher. In 1932 a large cache of kvittelech sent to Rav Guttmacher was discovered. An analysis of this rare collection yields much information on the social, economic and religious life of Polish Jewry during the 19th century. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
204
Hungarian Royalty: The Chasam Sofer & His Family
Hungarian Royalty: The Chasam Sofer & His Family
May 7, 2022
36:05
One of the most influential Torah leaders in the modern era was Rav Moshe Sofer, the Chasam Sofer (1762-1839). Rabbi, rosh yeshiva, posek, prolific author, and most of all, a charismatic leader who confronted the challenges of modernity, and led the forming of a traditional response in changing times. A component of the legacy of the Chasam Sofer was his illustrious family, who emerged as something of a rabbinic dynasty in the ensuing generations. His son the Ksav Sofer succeeded him in Pressburg, while another son Rav Shimon Sofer was the rabbi of Krakow. Many of his descendants were rabbis all over the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Many either escaped or survived the war and continued his legacy in the rebuilding during the post war until this very day. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
205
Shylock & Friends: The Jews of Venice
Shylock & Friends: The Jews of Venice
May 16, 2022
31:48
Jews have lived in Venice for more than a millennium. In 1516 the Jewish community of Venice was restricted to one area of the city, and this came to be known as the Ghetto, the first of its kind in Europe. Jewish life flourished, and it became a pioneering center of the printing of Hebrew books, most famously in the printing press of the Christian Daniel Bomberg. Though there were many famous Jewish personalities of Venice, including Don Yitzchak Abarbanel who lived out his last years in the city, the most famous Venetian Jew never even existed at all. Shylock is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice. While Shakespeare used - and to a certain extent created - anti-Semitic tropes which unfortunately were perpetuated by subsequent anti-Semites over the ensuing centuries, in many ways the character reflects the restricted reality of Venice’s Jews at the time. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
206
A Chassid in Krakow: The Maor Veshemesh
A Chassid in Krakow: The Maor Veshemesh
May 22, 2022
39:48
Rav Klonymous Kalman Halevi Epstein (1751-1823) is known by his posthumously published work the Maor Veshemesh. Born into a poor family, he spent the bulk of his childhood selling bagels in the streets of Krakow to support his family. He eventually emerged as a budding Torah scholar, and later joined the nascent Chassidic movement, becoming a close follower of the Noam Elimelech of Lizhensk. He later attempted to establish a chassidic presence in Krakow, but faced much opposition from the establishment. Eventually returning to his home town of Neustadt, he gained a following, while he himself continued to travel to the great tzadikim of his day. His burial site in Krakow is much visited until this very day, while his primary legacy in the form of his sefer Maor Veshemesh is sometimes referred to as ‘the Shulchan Aruch of Chassidus’. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
207
Shavuos Musings & Uri Zohar Tribute
Shavuos Musings & Uri Zohar Tribute
Jun 3, 2022
39:47
The recent passing of Uri Zohar is an opportunity to pay tribute to this unique individual who made the journey from the apex of the Israeli entertainment world to embracing religious observance. With Shavuos approaching, it’s an opportunity to reflect on some of the historical events which are associated with this season throughout history. From the deportations of Hungarian Jewry in 1944, to liberation a year later, to the events of the First Crusade and the Khmelnytsky massacres of 1648-49, many tragic events somehow occurred around this time. The yahrzeits of both the the Baal Shem Tov and the Ger Rebbe the Imrei Emes are on Shavuos as well. These and several other curious events, are analyzed in these musings on Shavuos and Jewish History. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
208
Frum Politics: Rav Yehoshua of Belz, Rav Shimon Sofer & Machzikei Hadas
Frum Politics: Rav Yehoshua of Belz, Rav Shimon Sofer & Machzikei Hadas
Jun 12, 2022
34:47
Founded in 1879 the Rav Yehoshua of Belz and Rav Shimon Sofer, the Machzikei Hadas political party was the first Orthodox political party in Jewish history. The unique status of Galician Jewry of the 19th century, as a heavily traditional, demographically large community who had already received emancipation from the Habsburg monarchy in 1867, led the leaders of Orthodox Jewry there to utilize the benefits of emancipation to further the cause of traditional Jewry. Rav Shimon Sofer even got elected to the Austrian parliament. The mouthpiece of the organization was a newspaper of the same name, and emerged as another modern tool to preserve tradition. Though its influence waned after an initial decade of success, this pioneering endeavor left a lasting impact on the developing environment of Orthodox politics. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
209
Captain from Kovno: Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor
Captain from Kovno: Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor
Jun 19, 2022
36:38
Perhaps the most acclaimed leader of Russian Jewry of the 19th century was Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor (1817-1896). A long-time Rabbi of Kovno, his impact reached the far reaches of the Russian Empire and beyond. He served as the leading posek in all halachic matters, the arbiter of many disputes and lent his name to diverse causes such as the Kovno Persushim Kollel and Chovevei Zion. Exhibiting leadership on the burning issues of the day, he forged a relationship with the financial elite in St. Petersburg and with Czarist government officials lobbying on behalf of the general community. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
210
From Slabodka to Slutzk: Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer Part I
From Slabodka to Slutzk: Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer Part I
Jul 25, 2022
35:45
Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer (1870-1953) was a great Torah leader of the 20th century, whose life story spanned eras and continents. As a young teenager he studied in the vaunted Volozhin Yeshiva, then married into the prestigious Frank family of Kovno, where he subsequently was appointed rosh yeshiva of Slabodka. This was followed by his departure for Slutzk where he remained as rosh yeshiva and later as communal rabbi for decades. Following the formation of the Soviet Union and the challenges of maintaining religious life therein, he immigrated to Palestine in 1925. There he assumed the leadership of the Eitz Chaim yeshiva and served in several leadership positions in both the yishuv and later in Israel, where he oversaw the growth of the emerging Torah community. To dedicate an episode in the Jewish History Soundbites ‘Jewish Saviors of the Holocaust’ series, please contact Yehuda at [email protected] Jewish History Soundbites is coming to NY! Register here for the upcoming tour of the Mt. Judah cemetery with Yehuda Geberer on July 29, 9:30 am For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
211
From Young Rosh Yeshiva to Senior Sage: Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer Part II
From Young Rosh Yeshiva to Senior Sage: Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer Part II
Jul 28, 2022
39:48
Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer (1870-1953) was a great Torah leader of the 20th century, whose life story spanned eras and continents. As a young teenager he studied in the vaunted Volozhin Yeshiva, then married into the prestigious Frank family of Kovno, where he subsequently was appointed rosh yeshiva of Slabodka. This was followed by his departure for Slutzk where he remained as rosh yeshiva and later as communal rabbi for decades. Following the formation of the Soviet Union and the challenges of maintaining religious life therein, he immigrated to Palestine in 1925. There he assumed the leadership of the Eitz Chaim yeshiva and served in several leadership positions in both the yishuv and later in Israel, where he oversaw the growth of the emerging Torah community. To dedicate an episode in the Jewish History Soundbites ‘Jewish Saviors of the Holocaust’ series, please contact Yehuda at [email protected] Jewish History Soundbites is coming to NY! Register here for the upcoming tour of the Mt. Judah cemetery with Yehuda Geberer on July 29, 9:30 am For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
212
1897: A Year of Transition
1897: A Year of Transition
Aug 13, 2022
33:11
Though change is generally a gradual process through history, it’s worth noting how several momentous events which were indicators of a dynamic Jewish community all occurred during the year 1897. The first Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, the founding of the socialist Bund political party in Vilna, the Pulmoss Hamussar in Lithuania and the founding of the Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva of Chabad in Lubavitch. Are these seemingly unrelated events which differ so much in ideology, goals and constituency at all connected? Or do all four separate events indicate some unifying trends taking place in the volatile situation the Jewish People found themselves within as the 19th century came to a close? Check out some great art: Twitter @ilanblock ; Insta@ silanblock Whatsapp 908-239-9161 ; Email [email protected] For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
213
On the Cusp of Modernity: The Noda B’yehuda
On the Cusp of Modernity: The Noda B’yehuda
Sep 4, 2022
34:21
The Jewish world of the 18th century was at the nexus of internal and external transformative events which would lead into the modern era. Political changes included the effects of the Seven Years War in central Europe and the partitions of Poland to the east. Internal Jewish disputes such as the Get of Kleves and the Rav Emden Rav Eybeschutz controversy, were accompanied by the challenges presented by the remnants of the Sabbatean movement, the spread of the nascent Chassidic movement and the early Haskala. With a leadership career spanning the majority of this tempestuous century, Rav Yechezkal Landau (1713-1793), the Noda B’yehuda, rose to the occasion navigating through the turbulent waters which the Jewish community faced throughout. World renowned as a posek, he also ran a yeshiva and exhibited prodigious leadership skills both internally as well as with the government of Austria. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
214
The Royals & The Jews
The Royals & The Jews
Sep 10, 2022
31:12
The Jewish People have had a long relationship with British royalty. From the expulsion of the Jews from England by King Edward I in 1290 to the resettlement which continued despite King Charles II returning to the throne in 1660. From Queen Victoria’s knighting Sir Moses Montefiore, to King George VI and his overseeing the end of the British Mandate on Palestine. From Princess Alice risking her life to saving Jews in Greece during the Holocaust to Queen Elizabeth II receiving Holocaust survivors on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Though Queen Elizabeth II never visited the State of Israel, the Jewish community of Britain enjoyed a warm relationship with the royal family in recent history. Check out these related episodes: Jews of London Part I: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/british-royals-baalei-tosfos-blood-libels-the-story-of-london-part-i/ Jews of London Part II: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/from-cromwell-to-montefiore-the-jews-of-london-part-ii/ For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
215
Founder of a Dynasty: The Bais Halevi
Founder of a Dynasty: The Bais Halevi
Nov 15, 2022
28:11
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik - the Bais Halevi (1820-1892) was the founder of the Soloveitchik/Brisk dynasty. Following his studies in Volozhin and a short stint as a rosh yeshiva in Minsk, he was appointed assistant rosh yeshiva in Volozhin alongside the Netziv. In 1864 he departed to assume the rabbinate in Slutzk, where he remained until 1875 when he retired to Warsaw. In 1879 he moved once again this time to Brisk, where he served as rabbi until his passing. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
216
Jerusalem Odyssey: Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap
Jerusalem Odyssey: Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap
Dec 3, 2022
32:34
Rav Yaakov Moshe Charlap (1882-1951) was an important rabbinical leader in Yerushalayim during the first half of the 20th century. A product of the Old Yishuv, he was a student of Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin, Rav Hirsh Mechel Shapiro and several others before becoming a lifelong close student of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook. He served as the founding rabbi of the Shaarei Chesed and Rechavia neighborhoods, as well as rosh yeshiva of Merkaz Harav and his own yeshiva Bais Zevul in Shaarei Chesed. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
217
The Last Nazarite: The Life of Rav Dovid Cohen, ’Rav Hanazir’
The Last Nazarite: The Life of Rav Dovid Cohen, ’Rav Hanazir’
Jan 24, 2023
39:00
In honor the Daf Yomi cycle commencing the study of Maseches Nazir, Jewish History Soundbites is proud to present in conjunction with the All Torah platform https://alltorah.org/ the story of the ‘Rav Hanazir’ Rav David Cohen (1887-1972). Having grown up in a rabbinic family in Lithuania, he studied in the yeshivos of Volozhin, Radin & Slabodka, before pursuing a general education in St. Petersburg, Freiburg, Germany & Basel, Switzerland. It was while in Switzerland during World War I that the most formative event of his life took place, upon meeting his lifelong rebbi Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook. He immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1922, and was appointed to the faculty of Merkaz Harav. It was here that he assumed the status of a modern day Nazir, and abstained from haircuts and wine consumption for the remainder of his life. Along with other ascetic practices such as veganism, long silences and wanderings in the Judean desert, he wished to attain prophecy and prepare himself for the final anticipated redemption. This multifaceted individual edited the works of Rav Kook, engaged in mysticism, a synthesis of general science & philosophy with Torah knowledge, while maintaining his position as a teacher of Torah in Merkaz Harav. Dedicated in honor of All Torah platform as we begin Maseches Nazir this Wednesday Jan 25. Visit https://alltorah.org/ for download links or our link tree with download links and links to all our social media and WhatsApp statuses to follow for latest information. https://linktr.ee/alltorah%20%7C Thousands of people from around the globe access these highly curated platforms to learn Daf Yomi, all kinds of weekly Parsha shiurim and daily Mishna from renowned speakers and various formats. Join the All Torah revolution today! For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
218
Chasam Sofer Part IV: From Frankfurt to Exile
Chasam Sofer Part IV: From Frankfurt to Exile
Mar 4, 2023
35:25
Born into a prestigious Frankfurt family in 1762, Rav Moshe Sofer, the Chasam Sofer, would carry the Frankfurt legacy for the rest of his life. His teachers included the local rabbi Rav Pinchas Horowitz, the Haflaah, as well as a stint in Mainz with Rav David Tevli Shayer. But his primary teacher was Rav Nosson Adler. The Chasam Sofer joined his circle of mystics when he was 10-11 years old and remained devoted to him for the rest of his life. When the Frankfurt community opposed Rav Nosson Adler’s Kabbalistic separatist customs and he was excommunicated, the Chasam Sofer accompanied him into exile. Leaving Frankfurt with Rav Nosson Adler in 1782, the Chasam Sofer was never to return to his hometown. Listen to our previous three episodes about the Chasam Sofer: Part 1: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/hungarian-royalty-the-chasam-sofer-his-family/ Part 2: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/chasam-sofer-part-ii-old-traditions-new-message/ Part 3: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/chasam-sofer-part-iii-a-pressburg-situation/ For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
219
The Vurke Chassidic Dynasty & Jewish Political Leadership
The Vurke Chassidic Dynasty & Jewish Political Leadership
Mar 12, 2023
41:34
The Vurke chassidic dynasty took a leading role in Polish Jewish life of the 19th century, and spawned several prominent offshoots such as Amshinov, Aleksander and Strikov among others. Established by Rav Yitzchak Kalish as a faction of Pshischa, it flourished among his descendants and students in central Poland. Rav Yitzchak of Vurke (1779-1848) was a great chassidic leader, and earned renown as a pioneering ‘shtadlan’ or lobbyist, effectively ushering in a new era of Orthodox Jewish politics. In this capacity he represented the entire Jewish community of Poland, as his activities weren’t limited to Vurke or chassidim in general. Rav Yitzchak was succeeded by both students and sons, with his younger son Rav Menachem Mendel remaining in Vurke, and known as the ‘Silent Tzadik’. He in turn was succeeded by his son Rav Simcha Bunim who eventually moved to the Land of Israel. Most of the Vurke community and leadership was decimated in the Holocaust. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
220
80th Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
80th Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Apr 23, 2023
34:05
On April 19, 1943 the SS attempted the final liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto, with the goal of deporting the last Jews of the Ghetto to the gas chambers at Treblinka. Most entered their bunkers and the fighters began firing on the SS who had entered the Ghetto in order to commence the deportation. The SS retreated and their commander Jurgen Stroop resorted to burning down the entire ghetto which eventually crushed the uprising and the survivors were deported to Treblinka and Majdanek. This episode will attempt to clarify some of these events and explore some of the questions that hindsight affords the luxury of speculating. Was the armed resistance an exercise in futility? Would perhaps more have survived had they not resisted the attempt to deport the last ones to Treblinka? For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
221
Jewish Population Growth Through the Ages
Jewish Population Growth Through the Ages
May 11, 2023
40:16
Jewish population growth has fluctuated over the millennia. Unique circumstances of Jewish history have impacted Jewish demographics in a variety of ways, often adversely affecting Jewish growth through the ages. This episode will attempt to explore some basic elements of Jewish demographics, fluctuations as well as salient features, and examine the numbers and their significance. The great Jewish demographic story of the Modern Era is the population explosion of Eastern European Jewry in the 19th century, with the tragic and sudden demographic contraction as a result of the Holocaust. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
222
Get Out! Get & Divorce in Jewish History
Get Out! Get & Divorce in Jewish History
May 18, 2023
34:09
As long as there has been marriage, there has been divorce throughout history. The legal procedure of providing a ‘Get’ to terminate a marriage under Torah law, has often provided a window into the wider context of social and communal life throughout Jewish history. The intricate laws of Gittin have been the backdrop of rabbinical leadership, communal crisis and halachic creativity. In honor of the Daf Yomi commencement of Maseches Gittin, this episode will explore some curious angles and anecdotes in which a Get appears as the player in Jewish history. This episode is sponsored by Daf Yomi with Shaul C. Greenwald, a fast-moving energetic daf shiur, delivered with clarity and intensity. The shiur is available daily on all podcast platforms, All Daf and Torah Anytime. https://alldaf.org/series/5677/ For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
223
Chassidic Influencers: Mashpi’im & Recurring Themes of Chassidic History
Chassidic Influencers: Mashpi’im & Recurring Themes of Chassidic History
May 27, 2023
40:53
The Chabad & Breslov chassidic dynasties have always had Mashpi’im - influencers or teachers - who taught chassidic thought and inspired their communities. In recent years there’s been a growing popularity of Mashpi’im around the entire chassidic world and even beyond. Where does the idea of a chassidic mashpia originate from? Does it have historical precedent in the chassidic movement? Is history repeating itself? How did the chassidic movement maintain its vitality so successfully over the centuries? This episode will attempt to provide a macro view with some recurring themes over the course of nearly three centuries of the history of the chassidic movement. In a seemingly cyclical fashion, the chassidic movement’s demographic growth and communal successes have led to institutionalization and a danger of losing the initial spiritual vitality so essential to its essence. At several junctures in its storied history, the chassidic movement has successfully rejuvenated itself in creative ways, never losing its spark or its mission despite external challenges and internal struggles. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
224
Antisemitism Part I: Old & New; Religious & Racial
Antisemitism Part I: Old & New; Religious & Racial
Jun 12, 2023
39:41
Antisemitism or anti-semitism or anti-Semitism or Jew hatred or hatred of the Jewish People has been around since antiquity. Expressing itself in various ways over time and place, it has remained a salient feature of Jewish history often with tragic consequences. While the Middle Ages is often associated with religious/Christian/Church anti Jewish discrimination, which often culminated in expulsions, pogroms, crusades, forced conversions and ritual murder charges, the 19th century is more associated with a manifestation of antisemitism in a modern form, at the nexus of nationalism and Jew hatred. This was followed by racial antisemitism with its most deadly expression in the Nazi Holocaust. Despite the seemingly orderly chronological sequence of the development of antisemitism over the millennia, it was often a confluence of factors - religious, economic, racial, nationalistic - through which anti Jewish policies were implemented throughout history. This three part series will explore some of the distinctive features of Jew hatred, with a focus on modern antisemitism of the 19th and 20th centuries. This series on the history of Antisemitism has been sponsored by the Touro Graduate School of Jewish Studies, a leading academic program in Jewish Studies that equips students with the tools to search out their own unique path into the study of Jewish history and scholarship. For more information on admission to the Touro Graduate School of Jewish Studies, including scholarship opportunities, please visit https://gsjs.touro.edu/ or call 212-463-0400, ext. 55580 For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
225
Antisemitism Part II: Nationalism & Modern Antisemitism
Antisemitism Part II: Nationalism & Modern Antisemitism
Jun 15, 2023
39:57
The 19th century brought the rise of nationalism in European society along with the idea of emancipation and equality among the nation’s citizenry. In Western Europe the Jewish population ultimately became beneficiaries of Emancipation, but nationalism generally precluded including the Jews on an ideological level. And thus modern Antisemitism was born. Emancipation stated that Jews are now part of society, and nationalism generally rejected them from society. The term Antisemitism was born in Germany, was quite prominent in France and was brought to the full brunt of its expression in Imperial Russia of the Czars where its massive Jewish population didn’t even receive emancipation. In the closing decade of the 19th century and the opening decade of the 20th, two major antisemitic trials rocked the Jewish world. Captain Alfred Dreyfus was a Jewish officer on the French general staff, who was falsely accused of espionage. The controversy surrounding his innocence and wrongful conviction divided French society. Mendel Beilis was a superintendent of a factory in Kiev and was falsely accused of ritual murder. The virulently antisemitic trial which ensued attempted to frame the entire Jewish People and was reminiscent of medieval anti Jewish expression. This series on the history of Antisemitism has been sponsored by the Touro Graduate School of Jewish Studies, a leading academic program in Jewish Studies that equips students with the tools to search out their own unique path into the study of Jewish history and scholarship. For more information on admission to the Touro Graduate School of Jewish Studies, including scholarship opportunities, please visit https://gsjs.touro.edu/ or call 212-463-0400, ext. 55580 For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
226
Medicine & the Holocaust
Medicine & the Holocaust
Jul 20, 2023
39:18
The challenging and nearly impossible situations confronting Jewish victims during the Holocaust presented many varied moral dilemmas. This episode will explore some of those stories and dilemmas faced by members of the medical profession - physicians, nurses and healthcare providers. In ghettos and camps, with a dearth of medical supplies and proper hygienic conditions, many rose to the challenge and continued to provide health care and attempted to save as many lives as possible under increasingly dire straits. Dr. Adina Swajger in the Warsaw Ghetto tried to provide care for children in the Jewish children’s hospital in the ghetto. When she realized she couldn’t save them, she decided to at least spare them the horrors of Treblinka. Dr. Gisele Perl performed abortions at Auschwitz in order to save the mother’s lives, and then spent the rest of her postwar career as a fertility specialist in order to bring more life into the world. Dr. Marc Dvorzhetzki served as a physician in the Vilna Ghetto and even in a concentration camp in Estonia towards the end of the war. And there are so many more. The dilemmas they faced, the heroic and selfless acts they courageously did to save others, can serve as a legacy to Jewish heroism in the face of Nazi atrocity. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
227
The Jews of Sighet Part I
The Jews of Sighet Part I
Aug 17, 2023
33:58
Though only settled in the 18th century and flourishing in the 19th, the town of Sighet made its mark on Jewish history and its legacy accompanies Jewish life until this very day. Nestled in the Maramaros district in Transylvania, it was sometimes in Romania, other times in Hungary and for a long time in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. By the end of the 19th century, its sizable Jewish population was one of the largest in Transylvania and also one of the few which was largely Orthodox. In the century before the war, Sighet was home to some prominent historic personalities, while left an imprint on Sighet Jewish life and the wider Jewish community. One of the earliest prominent rabbinical figures to settle in the Maramaros district was Rav Yehuda Kahana-Heller (1743-1819), known by his work the Kuntres Hasfeikos. The Kahana family would dominate Sighet communal life for the next century. Sighet is almost synonymous with the Teitelbaum dynasty, with a decisive impact on both Sighet’s Jewish history as well as beyond its borders across the Jewish world. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
228
The Jews of Sighet Part II
The Jews of Sighet Part II
Aug 19, 2023
35:03
The Jewish history of Sighet is almost synonymous with its long line of rabbis from the Teitelbaum family. This rabbinic and chassidic dynasty dominated Orthodox life of Sighet for nearly a century prior to the community’s destruction in the Holocaust. It began with the son of the Yismach Moshe, Rav Eliezer Nisson Teitelbaum, and was later continued with his son Rav Yekusiel Yehuda, the famed Yetev Lev of Sighet who established the Sighet chassidic dynasty as well as founding and heading a prominent yeshiva in town. He in turn was succeeded by his son the Kedushas Yom Tov, and it continued with his oldest son the Rav Chaim Tzvi, the Atzei Chaim. Upon his untimely passing in 1926, his 14 year old son Zalman Leib was chosen to succeed his father, while the deceased’s brother Rav Yoelish Teitelbaum wasn’t offered a position in Sighet and would later gain renown as the Satmar Rav. Though the community was mostly wiped out during the Holocaust - poignantly described by Sighet native Elie Wiesel - there was a resurgence of the community in the postwar, and it was briefly led by the Atzei Chaim’s surviving son Rav Moshe Teitelbaum, the Beirach Moshe. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
229
Rebbe Under Communism: The Ribnitzer Rebbe
Rebbe Under Communism: The Ribnitzer Rebbe
Oct 8, 2023
24:21
Jewish History Soundbites podcast is back after a long hiatus. Lots of great content, explorations of Jewish history and ongoing series will be posted on a consistent basis in the coming months. Stay tuned. The yahrtzeit of Rav Chaim Zanvil Abramovitz (c.1902-1995), the Ribnitzer Rebbe, is an opportunity to discuss the fascinating life and milieu of an individual who grew up in prewar Romania, survived the Nazis, defied the communists and lived out the final years of his long life in Israel and the United States. He somehow kept the flame of Judaism alive in postwar communist Romania, serving his community, and maintaining his personal ascetic practices such as utilizing the freezing Dniester River as a mikvah. His miraculous survival and leadership remains a legacy which continually grows, as his gravesite in Monsey attracts visitors and petitioners in the thousands. For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history contact Yehuda at: [email protected] Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
230
The Great Shanghai Escape Part I
The Great Shanghai Escape Part I
Oct 15, 2023
36:30
In this new series launched by Jewish History Soundbites, we’ll explore the story of the escape to Shanghai from war torn Europe during the early stages of World War II. Among the thousands of Jewish refugees who obtained visas was the Mir Yeshiva. This enabled them to traverse the Soviet Union, transit through Japan and ultimately spend the war years in Shanghai. Though this story is well known, it is often misunderstood, and this ongoing series will attempt to both clarify and organize the narrative, while dispelling some of the myths which have crept into the story over the decades. Part one of the series will open with the operational situation of Polish Jewry and specifically Mir Yeshiva on the eve of the war. The crucial geopolitical event from this time period is the signing of the Molotov-Von Ribbentrop Non-aggression pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, including a secret clause regarding the division of Poland. Following the invasion and occupation of eastern Poland, the Soviets returned the Vilna region to independent Lithuania, which appeared to many Polish refugees to be a temporary safe haven. Among the throngs of refugees headed to Vilna were many yeshivos, including the Mir. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
231
The Great Shanghai Escape Part II
The Great Shanghai Escape Part II
Oct 22, 2023
34:09
As thousands of refugees streamed into Vilna in the fall of 1939, a humanitarian crisis ensued, with neither local authorities nor the local Jewish community capable of providing for the throngs of refugees. The situation was especially acute for the many impoverished yeshivos who had found refuge in neutral Lithuania. Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski was the revered leader of the Torah world and in his capacity as head of the Vaad Hayeshivos, personally shouldered the responsibility for their welfare. He turned to his trusted student Rav Eliezer Silver in Cincinnati, who in turn established a rescue organization on behalf of stranded Torah scholars stuck in Lithuania, which eventually came to be known as the Vaad Hatzalah. The Mir Yeshiva had by this time settled in the Lithuanian shtetl of Keidan, and for the next seven months attempted to return a sense of normalcy within the growing mayhem surrounding them. Over the summer of 1940, the Soviets occupied Lithuania and all illusions of that country remaining a safe haven were dissipated. The subsequently dispersed among four shtetls in the Lithuanian countryside, and it was from there that they visa search continued in earnest. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
232
Bonus Episode: With Dovi Safier & Seforim Chatter host Nachi Weinstein
Bonus Episode: With Dovi Safier & Seforim Chatter host Nachi Weinstein
Oct 27, 2023
48:00
In this special bonus episode of Jewish History Soundbites, Dovi Safier and Seforim Chatter host Nachi Weinstein join me in discussing our article in Mishpacha Magazine about Rav Yonah ‘Minsker’, the famed Alter Mirrer who was killed by the Nazis and author of the newly republished Sefer Yonas Eilem. Our free flowing conversation covers some other topics as well. Subscribe To Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
233
The Great Shanghai Escape Part III
The Great Shanghai Escape Part III
Oct 30, 2023
36:16
With the Soviet occupation of Lithuania in the summer of 1940, the search for visas to destination countries turned into a desperate endeavor for thousands of refugees who wished to escape a life under the communists. In order to execute an exit plan, one was required to be in possession of a full set of documentation attesting to every step of the intended journey. These included a passport, transit visas, end visas and perhaps most importantly, exit visas from the Soviet Union. Many debated the wisdom of obtaining visas, paying exorbitant sums for dubious visa destinations. Others were concerned that the Soviets would deport to Siberia anyone applying for an exit visa. Yet others took the risk. The great rescue activist and Zionist leader Zorach Warhaftig emerged as a central figure in pursuing any feasible visa venue. Soon the Mir Yeshiva joined the visa bandwagon and the visa miracles began to fall into place. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
234
The Machal Fighters of 1948
The Machal Fighters of 1948
Dec 23, 2023
46:31
A special place in Jewish history is reserved for the Machal fighters of 1948. These were primarily World War II veterans, who volunteered to fight for Israel during its War of Independence, and their participation served a key role in Israel’s victory. Comprised mostly of Jews, but included non-Jews as well, they formed the nucleus of Israel’s nascent air force, navy, and filled many specialized roles in the army. One of the most important members of this volunteer corps was Al Schwimmer, an American Jewish veteran who organized a group of pilots and experienced aviation personnel on Israel’s behalf. He also organized the purchase of planes for Israel’s Air Force, transported the planes to Czechoslovakia, and then used the planes to bring badly needed weapons and ammunition to fight for Israel’s survival. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
235
A Dream to Rebuild: The Early Years of Ponovezh Yeshiva
A Dream to Rebuild: The Early Years of Ponovezh Yeshiva
Jan 2, 2024
45:42
After losing his family, community and yeshiva in Ponovezh, Lithuania during the Holocaust, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman (1886-1969), the Ponovezh Rav, endeavored to rebuild what was lost in the Land of Israel. He was a dreamer who carried out his vision with a zeal and energy which seemed superhuman. His crowning achievement was rebuilding the beloved yeshiva he lost in his hometown, by establishing the Ponovezh Yeshiva on a dusty hill on the outskirts of the small settlement of Bnei Brak. Today considered one of the key components of the flourishing postwar Torah world in Israel, the sprawling campus is a vibrant testimony to the Ponovezh Rav’s determination and perseverance. When it opened its doors at the end of 1943 with seven students, he dreamed of a building which would one day be home to hundreds of students. Rav Shmuel Rozovsky was hired as rosh yeshiva and Rav Avraham Abba Grossbard as mashgiach. The yeshiva soon expanded and Rav David Povarsky and later Rav Elazar Menachem Shach were added to the yeshiva faculty. The Ponovezh Rav felt that his energetic building campaigns were the expression of a living Holocaust memorial, as the Torah world of Lithuania would experience a rebirth in the Ponovezh Yeshiva, and its affiliate institutions. Listen to a previous episode exploring the life and accomplishments of the Ponovezh Rav: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/e/builder-dreamer-the-unstoppable-vision-of-the-ponevezher-rav/ Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
236
The Life & Legacy of the Aruch Hashulchan
The Life & Legacy of the Aruch Hashulchan
Jan 11, 2024
46:12
One of the leading halachic authorities of the 19th century, Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein (1829-1908) achieved immortality through his indispensable magnum opus Aruch Hashulchan. He grew up in Bobruisk in the Russian Pale of Settlement, and served for a decade as rabbi of Novozybkov, before assuming the helm of the prestigious Novardok community, where he’d serve as rabbi for the remaining 34 years of his life. Known far and wide as a decisive posek in all realms of halacha, many aspiring Torah scholars would come to him to request rabbinical ordination. Among his many projects was overseeing the development of the local Novardok yeshiva of Rav Yosef Yoizel Horowitz, the Alter of Novardok. The seminal work, the Aruch Hashulchan, was a bold endeavor to encompass all of halacha in a clear summary fashion. Undaunted by the daunting financial liabilities he’d ultimately encounter in order to facilitate the printing of the multi volume set, and despite the heavy hand of the Czarist Russian censors, he successfully published multiple volumes in his lifetime, and reaped the fruits of his labor as it became popular across the Jewish world. His legacy of leadership, as well as his enduring influence on the world of halacha remains until this very day. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
237
The Legacy & Impact of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
The Legacy & Impact of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
Jan 18, 2024
45:57
As the architect of Orthodoxy in the modern era, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888) has an outsized impact on the Torah world until this very day. In his own lifetime his leadership of German Jewry overall and in particular his own community of Frankfurt stemmed the tide towards secularization, and created a framework for a flourishing Torah community within modern life. His seminal works of The 19 Letters, Horeb, commentary on Chumash and hundreds of articles of his Collected Writings, formed the basis of his Torah outlook in the face of new challenges. Yet his influence wasn’t limited to his own lifetime or his own community in Frankfurt or Germany. His impact permeates the entire spectrum of 21st century Orthodoxy. He pioneered the use the vernacular in Orthodox rabbinic life, initiated the first Torah oriented newspaper, spearheaded the first Torah education for girls, and laid the groundwork for much of what is considered standard Orthodox practice and values in contemporary society. A nuanced examination of his imprint on contemporary Orthodoxy can serve as a reevaluation of the crucial role he played in modern Jewish history. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
238
Galician Greatness: Rav Shlomo Kluger
Galician Greatness: Rav Shlomo Kluger
Jan 27, 2024
30:25
World renowned posek of the 19th century, prolific author and courageous leader, Rav Shlomo Kluger (1785-1869) achieved immortality in the Torah world through his nearly half century tenure as Magid and Av Beis Din in the prominent Galicia town of Brody. As political and economic changes swept through the Habsburg Empire over the course of the 19th century, traditional norms changed, technological advances brought new challenges and the hegemony of the traditional Kahal (Jewish communal autonomy) was irrevocably transformed. Rav Shlomo Kluger emerged as a charismatic and strong minded leader during this tumultuous time. Halachic queries arrived at his desk from all over Galicia and eventually from across Europe. He fought to maintain tradition and halachic norms despite attempts to modernize Jewish law. His literary legacy is almost unparalleled in Jewish history, and his many works are studied until this very day. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
239
The Chassidic Movement in the Russian Empire
The Chassidic Movement in the Russian Empire
Feb 20, 2024
50:32
The cradle of the Chassidic movement was in the areas of the Polish Kingdom which were soon annexed to the Russian Empire during the partitions of Poland in the last quarter of the 18th century. This took place just as the nascent movement was spreading rapidly throughout these areas and beyond. Chabad in White Russia, the various branches of the Chernobyl and Ruzhyn dynasties in Ukraine, Karlin, Slonim, Apta, Savran, Breslov and many other smaller dynasties dotted the countryside across the Pale of Settlement. The Czarist government initially didn’t recognize the chassidim as a separate entity within the Jewish community, though the initial stages of legislation actually benefited the development of the movement. The opponents of the Chassidic movement – misnaggdim and maskilim, as well as the chassidim themselves, at times attempted to involve the government in their internal disputes. Later in the 19th century the Russian government specifically singled out Chassidic custom, dress and leadership, and the chassidim of Russia had to contend with the unique circumstances of their communities development within the greater context of the challenges of the overall Jewish community in the Pale of Settlement under the autocratic rule of the Romanovs. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
240
Cantonists & The Czarist Military (+ Recap of a Trip to Ashkenaz/Germany) Featuring Dovi Safier
Cantonists & The Czarist Military (+ Recap of a Trip to Ashkenaz/Germany) Featuring Dovi Safier
Mar 3, 2024
1:12:30
In 1827 Czar Nicholas I implemented the military draft on the Jewish community of Russia as a means of integrating Jews into Russian society. The Jewish kahal was required to supply the young recruits, who then generally served for 25 years in the Czar’s army. The most infamous element of the draft was the cantonists. These were a select group of future draftees who were taken at a younger age to special cantonist brigades, where they underwent paramilitary training, and significant percentages of its ranks converted to the Russian Orthodox Church. The story of the cantonists in Czar Nicholas’s army has gone down in Jewish lore as one of the great tragedies of modern Jewish history. Through both fact and legend, the cantonists fate has come to define the troubled relationship between the Czarist government and the Jewish subjects of the Pale, as well as the points of tension and conflict within the Jewish community itself. Though the military reforms of Nicholas’s successor Czar Alexander II ended the cantonist draft and shortened the general military draft following the end of the Crimean War in 1856, the saga of the cantonists would haunt Jewish history for decades to come. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
241
Beyond the Pale: Russian Jewry outside the Pale of Settlement
Beyond the Pale: Russian Jewry outside the Pale of Settlement
Apr 14, 2024
50:21
The Russian Czarist government restricted Russian Jewry to the western provinces of the empire through a series of legislative acts, which came to be known as the Pale of Settlement. Starting in the 1850’s, provisions were enacted which enabled certain types of Jews to reside outside the Pale. Wealthy merchants, those with academic degrees, certain kinds of military veterans and craftsman, were gradually permitted to reside anywhere they desired across the Russian Empire. This process is now referred to as selective integration, and it proceeded quite slowly, and was often accompanied by other restrictions. This integration process didn’t lead to the desired emancipation, and was further limited by a reactionary policy pursued by the Czar following the pogroms of 1881-82. The Jewish community of St Petersburg emerged as the self-appointed leadership of Russian Jewry, and interceded on behalf of the Jews within the Pale with limited success. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
242
The Machine Matzah Controversy
The Machine Matzah Controversy
Apr 21, 2024
47:44
The Industrial Revolution brought the mechanization of manual labor, and this reached the matzah baking industry in the mid-19th century. Although it was initially accepted in Western Europe, when it arrived in Galicia in 1857, it sparked a controversy between leading rabbinical authorities regarding the permissibility of its use. Tracing the development of the stages of this dispute leads one to the underlying reasoning of the opponents of the new machine. Beneath the veneer of a generic halachic difference of opinion, was the confrontation with modernity with modern technology as its expression. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
243
Non-Ashkenazi Jews in Czarist Russia
Non-Ashkenazi Jews in Czarist Russia
May 18, 2024
46:23
Far from the Pale of Settlement, the Jews of Georgia, Bukhara, the Caucasus (Mountain) Jews, and other Jewish communities of Central Asia, found themselves under the jurisdiction of the Russian Empire over the course of the 19th century. These ancient Jewish communities had been under the influence of their Muslim surroundings for centuries, when through a series of conquests, they now found themselves confronting the Czarist regime. Unlike the majority of their brethren in Russia, they were not required to reside in the Pale, and as a result weren’t restricted by much of the legislative limitations applicable to the overwhelming majority of Russian Jewry. The story of Central Asian Jewry, is a lesser known narrative of Russian Jewry under the Czars. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
244
Tribute Episode: Rav Meir Wunder
Tribute Episode: Rav Meir Wunder
Jun 13, 2024
42:36
The recent passing of Rav Meir Wunder (1934-2024) is an opportunity to pay tribute to this great man and his vast accomplishments as a historian, scholar and pioneer tour guide to Europe. Having attended Ponovezh Yeshiva in its early years, and gained a closeness with the Chazon Ish and many other Torah leaders of his time, he embarked on a career as a librarian. He eventually served as a librarian at the National Library of Israel for over 30 years. Emerging as a self-taught historian and respected scholar, he published his magnum opus six volume Encyclopedia of Chachmei Galicia, as well as numerous other volumes and essays on a wide array of topics of Jewish History. He was one of the early pioneers of Jewish history tours to Europe, leading hundreds of such tours for decades. May his memory be a blessing. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
245
Tourbites: The Life & World of the Shach - Rav Shabsai Hakohen
Tourbites: The Life & World of the Shach - Rav Shabsai Hakohen
Jun 15, 2024
33:54
Rav Shabsai Hakohen (1621-1663) was the author of one of the most important halachic works ever written, the Shach (Sifsei Kohen). His last rabbinical position and burial place in Holesov, Czechia, is a popular stop on Jewish history tours of Europe, along with the well preserved 16th century shul which served that community for centuries. On this episode of Jewish History Tourbites-Soundbites, we’ll explore the story of the Shach’s tumultuous life and great accomplishments, as well as the broader narrative of 17th century Polish Jewry which his life story reflects. Having been born into the rabbinic aristocracy during the golden age of Polish Jewry, he later fled his home and position in Vilna as a result of the upheavals during the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648-49 and the subsequent Second Northern War. His magnum opus was his commentary on Shulchan Aruch, the Shach, and he authored additional works on a variety of subjects including chronicles of Jewish history during his era. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
246
Karaite Jews in Czarist Russia
Karaite Jews in Czarist Russia
Jul 3, 2024
41:04
Though never large in number, the Karaite communities of Russia are an interesting side chapter in Russian Jewish history. Residing primarily in the Crimean Peninsula, with communities in Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania, the Czarist government recognized the Karaites as distinct from Rabbinic Jews. Due to this recognition and intense lobbying efforts, the Karaite community was gradually absolved from the many restrictions pertinent to the Jews of the empire, including permission to reside outside the Pale of Settlement. Karaite scholars from Lutzk flourished in Crimea during the 19th century, and one of their endeavors was to write a new history of Karaites of the region. The most famous of these was Avraham Firkovich, whose research and collections played a large role in forming the new Karaite identity as ethnically distant from the Jewish People. Though much of his work was proven to be based on forgeries, the Karaite community of Russia was overall successful in remaining a distinct ethnic tribe from the Jewish People, and therefore not susceptible to Czarist discrimination. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
247
Haskala in 19th Century Imperial Russia Part I
Haskala in 19th Century Imperial Russia Part I
Jul 14, 2024
43:33
The Jewish enlightenment movement – known as the Haskala, endeavored to implement changes within the Jewish communal structure in the modern era. Though the haskala in its many manifestations existed in many countries in the modern era, this episode will focus on the haskala in 19th century Czarist Russia. Throughout the 19th century, the haskala grew into somewhat of a movement, and promulgated initiatives to integrate Russian Jewry into surrounding society, through changes in communal infrastructure, education, economy, rabbinate and culture. Often working with the governmental authorities, the haskala faced much opposition from the traditional establishment. The story of the haskala, its limited impact, the response of the traditional community and the legacy of the haskala, reverberates down to this very day. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
248
Haskala in 19th Century Imperial Russia Part II
Haskala in 19th Century Imperial Russia Part II
Jul 16, 2024
43:16
The Jewish enlightenment movement – known as the Haskala, endeavored to implement changes within the Jewish communal structure in the modern era. Though the haskala in its many manifestations existed in many countries in the modern era, this episode will focus on the haskala in 19th century Czarist Russia. Throughout the 19th century, the haskala grew into somewhat of a movement, and promulgated initiatives to integrate Russian Jewry into surrounding society, through changes in communal infrastructure, education, economy, rabbinate and culture. Often working with the governmental authorities, the haskala faced much opposition from the traditional establishment. The story of the haskala, its limited impact, the response of the traditional community and the legacy of the haskala, reverberates down to this very day. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
249
The Tzadik of Shtefanesht
The Tzadik of Shtefanesht
Jul 29, 2024
51:00
Rav Avraham Matisyahu Friedman of Shtefanesht (1849-1933) was a grandson of Rav Yisrael Friedman of Ruzhin, leader of the Shtefanesht Chassidic dynasty for 65 years, and one of the most important rabbinical figures in Romanian Jewry during his lifetime. Though mysterious in his silent ways, he held sway over thousands who sought his advice and blessing, influencing the wider community well beyond the confines of his Chassidic followers. Upon his passing away childless in 1933, the Shtefanesht dynasty came to an end. But following his reburial in Israel in 1969, a resurgence of interest into his life story and the miraculous power of his prayer and blessing attributed to him, leaves a lasting legacy which only continues to grow with time. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
250
Polish Patriotism & Rav Dov Ber Meizlish
Polish Patriotism & Rav Dov Ber Meizlish
Sep 9, 2024
43:20
Following the partitions of Poland at the end of the 18th century, there were several attempts of the Polish people to revolt against Czarist Russia or Austria during the 19th century. An interesting component of this story is the Polish patriotic position adopted by one of the most prominent Polish rabbis of the 19th century, Rav Dov Ber Meizlish (1798-1870). As a wealthy businessman and learned scholar, Rav Meizlish emerged as a public activist and leading spokesman on behalf of the Jewish community, successively serving in the rabbinate of the two largest and most prominent communities in all of Poland – Krakow & Warsaw. Following a contentious tenure at the helm of the Krakow rabbinate in which his leadership wasn’t accepted by the entire community, and where he served as a Jewish representative in the Austrian parliament, he was appointed chief rabbi of Warsaw in 1857. During the 1863 Polish revolt against Czarist Russia, he took a prominent and public position in support of Polish independence. Following his passing in 1870 he was remembered not only by the Jewish community, but across Poland as an ardent patriot. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
251
Remembering Tragedy on Happy Days
Remembering Tragedy on Happy Days
Oct 26, 2024
34:41
With the Jewish calendar full of happy holidays and joyous occasions, and Jewish history filled with tragic events, an inevitable paradox is confronted when wishing to commemorate a tragic occasion during a happy time. Unfortunately this was recently experienced with the desire to commemorate the first anniversary of the October 7th massacre on the holiday of Simchas Torah. There are quite a few examples throughout Jewish history of tragedy being commemorated on happy occasions, and the Jewish People have historically managed to strike a healthy balance between celebration and solemn remembrance. This episode will explore some of these historical paradoxes. From the First Crusade to a Krakow pogrom, and from the Soviet Union to the remembering the victims of the Holocaust, communal gatherings during the holidays were often utilized to remember the tragedies of the past. Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
252
The Life & Times of Rav Yaakov Ettlinger the Aruch Lener
The Life & Times of Rav Yaakov Ettlinger the Aruch Lener
Nov 9, 2024
50:52
Germany Jewry of the 19th century was going through a period of transition. Emancipation was a struggle which was incrementally achieved, and rampant secularization and integration into German society followed. The rise of Orthodoxy was an attempt to preserve tradition within the modern context. Rav Yaakov Ettlinger (1798-1871) was a pioneering leader in this regard. Known by his magnum opus, Aruch Lener, he served as the rabbi of Altona for 35 years and was one of the most influential leaders of German Orthodoxy during the 19th century. His life, times and accomplishments are a fascinating and important chapter of Jewish history in modern times. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
253
Naming Catastrophe: Holocaust, Shoah or Churban (Destruction)
Naming Catastrophe: Holocaust, Shoah or Churban (Destruction)
Jan 11, 2025
44:08
The Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler carried out the extermination of nearly six million Jews, primarily between the years 1939-1945. How is the horrible tragedy referred to? Over the years various names and terms have been proposed, promoted, used in historiography and public discourse. By the mid 1950’s The Holocaust came to dominate in the English speaking world, while Shoah or The Shoah was already widespread even earlier in Hebrew. In academic circles the Nazi term Final Solution was often used, or alternatively Genocide, or Judeocide was sometimes used in the early years, before Holocaust or Shoah gained more widespread acceptance. Another term to refer to the Nazi murder of European Jewry was Destruction, or the Hebrew term Churban, sometimes elongated to Churban Europa. This more traditional term – which evoked imagery of the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash – was preferred in many religious circles. What were the origins of these various term, and how did they develop in the trajectory which they did? Does it matter which term is utilized in describing this tragic chapter in Jewish history? Does the choice of name express an ideology or choose a direction of the narrative? Link for Yehuda Geberer lectures on the Holocaust at Yeshiva Shappell’s Darche Noam: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PGiaiQFk10ybR9dS5wWTp https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shapells-virtual-beit-midrash/id1516601751 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc0NeHrGWsCtlV uVplhJa9mT2ecM0sLt Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
254
Between Poland & Yerushalayim: The Lelov Chassidic Dynasty
Between Poland & Yerushalayim: The Lelov Chassidic Dynasty
Feb 1, 2025
52:11
With its origins in 19th century Poland, Lelov is unique among Chassidic dynasties due to its migrating to Ottoman Jerusalem in 1851. Rav David Biderman established the dynasty in Lelov, Poland, and his son Rav Moshe, immigrated to the Land of Israel towards the end of his life. The successive generations of Biderman’s had a decisive impact on the development of the Chassidic Old Yishuv of Yerushalayim, but as a formal Chassidic dynasty, it greatly differed from its counterparts in Eastern Europe. Lelov also forged a close connection with the Karlin community and its leadership, and the Lelov rebbes were often viewed as proxies of the Karlin Rebbes. With later generations of Lelov Rebbes often visiting and even residing in Poland, and especially with the move of the Lelov Rebbe Rav Moshe Mordechai Biderman to Tel Aviv and later Bnei Brak, it leads to the conclusion that Lelov is neither Polish nor Yerushalmy, but rather between Poland and Yerushalayim. Cross River, a leading financial institution committed to supporting its communities, is proud to sponsor Jewish History Soundbites. As a trusted partner for individuals and businesses, Cross River understands the importance of preserving and celebrating our heritage. By sponsoring this podcast, they demonstrate their unwavering dedication to enriching the lives of the communities in which they serve. Visit Cross River at https://www.crossriver.com/ Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
255
Pioneer of Orthodoxy: Rav Rafael Cohen of Hamburg
Pioneer of Orthodoxy: Rav Rafael Cohen of Hamburg
May 31, 2025
51:14
With rising secularization in large urban centers of Western Europe during the 18th century, it would take a concerted effort by the traditional rabbinical establishment to formulate an appropriate response towards the growing trend of secularization. Rav Rafael Cohen of Hamburg (1722-1803), was a Polish rabbi who was appointed rabbi in 1776, of the three united communities of Hamburg, Alton and Wandsbek, collectively known by its acronym AHU. Facing a new reality where secularization was emerging as a reality within the Jewish community, Rav Rafael confronted in its various forms. The story of how he strengthened rabbinical authority in the face of an onslaught against this authority, and his many confrontations with a variety of manifestations of the new secularist trends in his city and across Western Europe, made his responses a prototype for the emerging Orthodoxy of the coming centuries. Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
256
The Radzymin Chassidic Dynasty
The Radzymin Chassidic Dynasty
Jun 14, 2025
54:35
One of the largest and influential branches of the Polish Pshischa Chassidic dynasty, Radzymin was completely decimated in the Holocaust, and is unfortunately not so well known today. In its heyday, it was led by three successive generations of great leaders of Polish chassidus – Rav Yaakov Aryeh Guterman (1792-1874), his son Rav Shlomo Yehoshua David, & his son Rav Aharon Menachem Mendel (1860-1934). Radzymin had a large following, and the successive leaders of the dynasty played critical roles in both Polish chassidus and – especially regards to Rav Aharon Menachem Mendel – were central leaders of Polish Jewry at large. The story of Radzymin is a crucial chapter in Polish Jewish and Chassidic history. Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
257
Traveler, Chronicler & Scholar: The Chida
Traveler, Chronicler & Scholar: The Chida
Jun 28, 2025
47:44
Journeying through large swaths of the Jewish world of the 18th century, Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai (1724-1806), known by his acronym the Chida, was privy to the broad range of the various Jewish communities across Europe and North Africa, as well as observing the happenings within each community as an objective observer. He recorded his impressions of his travels, which remains an invaluable historical document, produced by one of the greatest Torah scholars in recent centuries. As a world class Torah scholar who served as a fundraiser on behalf of the Sephardic Old Yishuv of the Land of Israel, the Chida spent the majority of his life on the road, eventually settling in Livorno, Italy, where he served as rabbi until his passing. His literary output was immense, with his many seforim remaining popular until this very day. Subscribe to Jewish History Soundbites Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ or your favorite podcast platform Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites For sponsorship opportunities about your favorite topics of Jewish history or feedback contact Yehuda at: [email protected]
258
Rav Naftali of Ropshitz
Rav Naftali of Ropshitz
May 16, 2019
10:53
Jewish History Lecturer and Yad Vashem Researcher, Yehuda Geberer shares the story of the great Rav Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
259
The Original Askan: R' Yaakov HaLevi Lipschitz
The Original Askan: R' Yaakov HaLevi Lipschitz
May 17, 2019
19:12
Yehuda Geberer profiles the life of R' Yaakov Halevi Lipschitz (1838-1921), famed secretary of Rav Yitzchok Elchanan Spektor and his lifelong battle against the Enlightenment. From his "Black Office" in Kovno, he headquartered an ongoing campaign to fight the many "Ism's" of the time and authored his extensive memoirs entitled Zichron Yaakov. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
260
R' Shimon Shkop Vol II: His Enduring Legacy
R' Shimon Shkop Vol II: His Enduring Legacy
May 22, 2019
19:53
The enduring influence and legacy of R' Shimon Shkop is through his seforim, family and talmidim. We'll explore how his Seforim came to be written and learn a little bit about his illustrious descendants. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
261
The Trials and Tribulations of the American Rabbinate Vol I: The Ridbaz in Chicago
The Trials and Tribulations of the American Rabbinate Vol I: The Ridbaz in Chicago
May 27, 2019
20:43
The Ridbaz, Rabbi Yaakov Dovid Wilovsky makes a valiant attempt to improve Jewish life in the United States with a short stint as a Rabbi in Chicago. We'll follow him on his journey through America and the lessons he wished to impart, both successes and failures. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
262
The Mir Yeshiva And The Six Day War
The Mir Yeshiva And The Six Day War
Jun 2, 2019
17:19
The Six Day War will always be remembered as a turning point for the fledgling Jewish state and story of the resounding victory will always be highlighted by the unification of Jerusalem and the recovery of the Kosel Hamaaravi as well as other important sites. How did the Mir Yeshiva, located only meters from the Jordanian border fare during the war? Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
263
The Great Controversy & Everlasting Influence of the Ramchal
The Great Controversy & Everlasting Influence of the Ramchal
Jun 3, 2019
21:49
Although he was chased and held in great suspicion during his lifetime, the Ramchal achieved fame and everlasting influence in his death. Let's explore the vicissitudes of life and vindication in death of this fascinating personality. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
264
Uncompromising Zealot: The Life and Times of the Minchas Elazar
Uncompromising Zealot: The Life and Times of the Minchas Elazar
Jun 3, 2019
20:23
With the winds of change blowing fiercely across the Jewish European landscape, Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapira, the Munkatcher Rebbe donned the armor of a fighter against the new ideas and ideals of his age. Come along as we follow this dynamic leader of his people through the challenges of the time and the uncompromising ways that he fought them. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
265
Tough Jews: The Jewish Soldiers of WWII
Tough Jews: The Jewish Soldiers of WWII
Jun 6, 2019
20:46
In honor of the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion at Normandy, the role of Jews in the allied forces is a story to be told. Listen to the heroism and challenges of the fighting Jews of WWII. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
266
Tribute to R' Nosson Kamenetzky Z"L
Tribute to R' Nosson Kamenetzky Z"L
Jun 11, 2019
19:26
R' Nosson was a unique individual who made an everlasting contribution to our understanding of Pre War Europe. He was not only wise, he was a kindhearted and warm personality as well. A few words in light of his passing. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
267
Baseball, PHD's and Torah: Foreigners in the Great European Yeshivas part I
Baseball, PHD's and Torah: Foreigners in the Great European Yeshivas part I
Jun 12, 2019
20:47
The interwar period witnessed the phenomenon of young Yeshiva students from Western Europe & the US, who would make the trek to study at the great citadels of Torah in Eastern Europe. Come and follow their footsteps to see the excitement and the challenges they faced with this transition. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
268
The Golden Age of Slabodka: Part III
The Golden Age of Slabodka: Part III
Jun 13, 2019
19:56
The years immediately preceding WWI were considered the glory days of Slabodka's long history. Let's meet the personalities and hear the stories of the period when the Alter of Slabodka had his greatest impact on the future of the Torah world. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
269
R' Chaim of Volozhin & Chassidus
R' Chaim of Volozhin & Chassidus
Jun 16, 2019
20:12
Much more than just the founder of the Volozhin Yeshiva, R' Chaim was a multi faceted and devoted leader of his people. We'll follow one aspect of his leadership as he trail-blazed a new method of dealing with the reality of the Chassidic Movement of his day. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
270
Yankees Abroad: Foreigners in the Great European Yeshivas Part II
Yankees Abroad: Foreigners in the Great European Yeshivas Part II
Jun 18, 2019
22:10
The decision to travel across the world to a third-world country in order to study at a Yeshiva wasn't a simple one. In this podcast we'll profile several individuals such as R’ Avigdor Miller, R’ Gedalia Schorr, R’ Dovid Bender & Rabbi Harry Epstein who persevered and eventually made an indelible stamp on American Jewish life as a result. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
271
Antisemitism, Immigration & Athletes: Current Events as Lessons at Mir Yeshiva
Antisemitism, Immigration & Athletes: Current Events as Lessons at Mir Yeshiva
Jun 20, 2019
22:19
The great pre war Mir Mashgiach Rav Yerucham Levovitz used all sorts of relevant stories from current events and history, as ways to impart valuable educational lessons to his students. Here is presented a collection of those stories culled from his printed works. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
272
Tach V'Tat: A Revised History of the Chmielnicki Massacres
Tach V'Tat: A Revised History of the Chmielnicki Massacres
Jun 24, 2019
21:45
The beginning of the end of the Golden Era of Jewish Poland came with the terrible Cossack Massacres in 1648-49. The recent date of Chaf Sivan commemorates the devastation wreaked upon the communities of the Polish Kingdom. Putting these events into a fresh perspective will give us insight into how this watershed event resonates till this very day. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
273
Yossele Rosenblatt and the Golden Age of Chazzanus
Yossele Rosenblatt and the Golden Age of Chazzanus
Jun 27, 2019
21:27
The name Yossele Rosenblatt evokes legendary awe as a chazzan, singer and composer. However, he was a man of his time who enjoyed fame and success on one hand, whilst experiencing challenges and travails on the other. Come along as we peek into the lives of some the great Chazzanim of the last century. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
274
Foreign Minister of the Eidah HaChareidis: The Strange Story of Dr. Jacob de Haan
Foreign Minister of the Eidah HaChareidis: The Strange Story of Dr. Jacob de Haan
Jun 30, 2019
21:39
Poet, journalist, lawyer, human rights activist, linguist, Zionist, anti Zionist, Diplomat, these are but some of the facets of one of the most fascinating characters in recent Jewish history - Dr. Jacob de Haan. Ultimately killed in the first Jewish political assassination in modern history, his story is a riveting journey through Jewish life at the first quarter of the last century. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
275
Mineral Baths, Hammocks & Shirt Sleeves: Pre war Torah leaders on Vacation
Mineral Baths, Hammocks & Shirt Sleeves: Pre war Torah leaders on Vacation
Jul 11, 2019
20:12
The great Rabbis had their favored vacation spots in the Prewar era. Where were they? What went on there? An inside look at the relaxing times and locations known as the "Dachas". Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
276
Unlikeliest of Saviors: The Story of Chinese Diplomat Feng Shan Ho
Unlikeliest of Saviors: The Story of Chinese Diplomat Feng Shan Ho
Jul 16, 2019
20:55
While the heroic stories of Schindler and Sugihara are quite famous, the story of Chinese Diplomat Feng Shan Ho is practically unknown. Learn about the man who risked it all and issued thousands of Visas to Viennese Jews, allowing them to escape Hitler's tightening grasp. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
277
A Princely Rebbe: Rav Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov
A Princely Rebbe: Rav Shlomo Halberstam of Bobov
Aug 3, 2019
20:38
In pre-war Galicia, Bobov was the leading Chassidus in both numbers, activity and leadership. Decimated by the War and almost a lone survivor of his family, R' Shlomo of Bobov set forth to rebuild what was lost. Carrying the legacy of his father the Kedushas Tzion, he not only led an empire of a resurrected Bobov, he also influenced Jewry worldwide with the beauty of his ways. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
278
Tisha Ba’av 2019: Profiles Of Martyred Rabbinic Leaders
Tisha Ba’av 2019: Profiles Of Martyred Rabbinic Leaders
Aug 9, 2019
33:32
The Kinnah of ארזי הלבנון serves as a reminder to us that the loss of Rabbinic leadership is a unique tragedy in it's own category. In this episode we'll profile a few samples of great prewar leaders who lost their lives together with their people in the great destruction of the Holocaust. Some chose to remain with their communities despite having the opportunity to escape, among them were Chassidic Rebbes, some were Roshei Yeshiva and others were communal Rabbis. The common thread connecting these profiles is the overwhelming sense of loss that was left as a result of the decimation of Torah leadership. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
279
Stories Of Challenge & Triumph
Stories Of Challenge & Triumph
Aug 11, 2019
30:46
Throughout the long history of our exile we have faced both tragedies and challenges of all kinds, both as a collective and as individuals. The stories of people who faced challenges of all kinds can serve as a reminder of the story of the Jewish people in the exile, as well as a source from which to draw inspiration from in the challenges that we all face in our lives. Let's meet a few individuals from Jewish History to hear their stories, and follow them on their journey from challenge to triumph. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
280
From Lakewood to Lubavitch: The Early Years of Shlomo Carlebach
From Lakewood to Lubavitch: The Early Years of Shlomo Carlebach
Aug 15, 2019
20:26
Clearly the most influential Jewish Composer/Singer of his time, Shlomo Carlebach was a polarizing figure. He was a pioneer in the Jewish Outreach movement and a rabbi to thousands, yet his path to stardom took many interesting twists and turns. From his Rabbeim, Rav Shlomo Heiman and Rav Aaron Kotler to the magnetic influences of The Lubavitcher Rebbe, hear the story of the formative years that shaped the the legendary "Singing Rabbi". Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
281
From All-Night Learning to All-Night Kumzitz: The Early Years of Shlomo Carlebach Part II
From All-Night Learning to All-Night Kumzitz: The Early Years of Shlomo Carlebach Part II
Aug 17, 2019
22:36
Another look at the formative Yeshiva years of Shlomo Carlebach, his relationship with Rav Ahron Kotler and the complexities of his leaving the Yeshiva world for his activist work on behalf of the Jewish People. The great "Singing Rabbi" never ceased to sing and never ceased to be a Rabbi. The transitional stage of his being identified with the yeshiva as one of it's prize students, to the public persona involved in Jewish outreach, is crucial to understanding his later approach and wide reaching influence. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
282
The Maiden of Ludmir & Notable Female Chassidic Leaders
The Maiden of Ludmir & Notable Female Chassidic Leaders
Aug 20, 2019
22:11
Chana Rachel Verbermacher, also known as the "Maiden of Ludmir", was an anomaly in the annals of Chassidus. As a woman, and as someone who didn't have any dynastic connections to the great Chassidic courts of her day, she still attained the status of a full fledged chassidic tzadik for a period of time. Does her story teach us about women's roles in the world of early chassidus? Or is she the exception that proves the rule? Along the way, we encounter other Rebbetzins in the history of chassidus who acted in leadership roles in the courts of their husbands or fathers. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
283
Shliach to Shanghai: The Life & Heroics of Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi
Shliach to Shanghai: The Life & Heroics of Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi
Aug 27, 2019
24:16
As the Jewish community in far off Shanghai developed at the beginning of the 20th century, a Rabbi and Lubavitcher Chassid named R' Meir Ashkenazi was called on to serve as the communal Rabbi in 1926. Originally serving in the ultimate "out of town" community in a far flung corner of the world, he eventually found himself the leader of a diverse and large group of refugees who began arriving in the 1930's and '40's. Being the right man in the right place at the right time, he rose to the occasion. Addressing both the material and spiritual needs of the refugee community, he was able to sustain the Shanghai Jewry during those challenging times. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
284
The Rabbis & the Zionists Part IV: From Deep Abyss to Glimmer of Hope
The Rabbis & the Zionists Part IV: From Deep Abyss to Glimmer of Hope
Sep 10, 2019
49:43
The great political & ideological discussions that marked the interwar period were at their peak, when the greatest calamity to hit the Jewish People instantly transformed the entire dialogue. Rabbinical opinion once again diverged in light of the national catastrophe. Some Rabbis continued with the pre-war pragmatic approach of waiting things out and seeing how the outside factors develop. Others reinforced their pre-war opinions of either support or opposition of the entire Zionist enterprise. The novelty of the post Holocaust world however, saw the emergence of a new stream of Rabbinical opinion, which stated that the calamity that had befallen European Jewry changed the rules of the game. Some mitigated their opposition of Zionism as a result, while others went still further and became full fledged supporters of the creation of a Jewish State. In May 1948, the Rabbinical world responded to yet another development of Zionism, by far the one with the most far reaching consequences- the founding of the State of Israel. Zionism was no longer an ideal or a vision. It was an established fact and a reality that had to be reckoned with. The great Rabbinical leadership from across the ideological spectrum, met the challenge and formulated their opinions accordingly. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
285
The Founding of a Dynasty: The Alter Rebbe's Rise to Leadership
The Founding of a Dynasty: The Alter Rebbe's Rise to Leadership
Sep 15, 2019
26:34
Rav Shneur Zalman of Liady (1745?-1812), known as the Alter Rebbe or the Baal Hatanya, was the founder of the Chabad Chassidus and one of most influential leaders in the history of the movement. How did he start out? Was it an easy road to leadership? He was one of the youngest among the students of the Maggid of Mezritch. Following Rav Mendele of Vitebsk to White Russia, he assisted in spreading Chassidus in that vicinity. But it was only following R' Mendele's aliyah in 1777, that R' Shneur Zalman would begin his rise to a leadership position of Chassidim. Slowly he fashioned his court, his own unique brand of Chassidic thought and began to manage the hordes of Chassidim who began arriving at his door. They came to hear his guidance in serving Hashem, his Divrei Torah and to experience the atmosphere of the court of the Alter Rebbe. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
286
Take Me Out To The Rebbe: The Great Yom Tov Pilgrimages of Yesteryear
Take Me Out To The Rebbe: The Great Yom Tov Pilgrimages of Yesteryear
Sep 17, 2019
24:03
From almost the beginning of the Chassidic movement, a major component of the experience has been the pilgrimage to bask in the Rebbe's presence at his court. More often than not, this took place around the Yomim Tovim. Why was it important to visit the Rebbe for the Holidays? What was the visit like? What went on there? In the inter-war period, perhaps the most famous of the Chassidic courts was in Ger (Gora Kalwaria). With tens of thousands of chassidim converging on this small town for Rosh Hashanah, the atmosphere was electric and truly festive. A fascinating feature of the pilgrimage to Ger was the means of transport. A train line ran from Warsaw to Ger that took it's place in chassidic lore. The Kulaykeh, as it was known, wasn't just a means to an end, but rather became a major component of the visit. Throngs of chassidim would crowd the train, and the Kulaykeh experience essentially transformed into part of the greater Yom Tov visit to Ger. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
287
Builder & Dreamer: The Unstoppable Vision of the Ponevezher Rav
Builder & Dreamer: The Unstoppable Vision of the Ponevezher Rav
Sep 19, 2019
24:17
Few leaders in modern times can match the sheer energy and willpower that the Ponovezher Rov- Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman (1886-1969) possessed. From his early days in Telz to his Rabbinate in pre-war Ponevezh, to his rebuilding after the trauma of the Holocaust, he never once stopped his active building the future of the Jewish People. Blessed with natural organizational skills, combined with a talent in dealing with people, he managed to inspire others to jump onto the bandwagon of his various projects. A master fundraiser, he would become a renowned globe trotter, where he would inflame Jewish communities worldwide with his oratory skills and magnetic personality. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
288
Uman Uman Rosh Hashana! The History of the Great Rosh Hashana Pilgrimage
Uman Uman Rosh Hashana! The History of the Great Rosh Hashana Pilgrimage
Sep 21, 2019
22:43
With the current atmosphere being that one has to excuse oneself to justify not travelling to Rabbeinu for Rosh Hashana, it's worthwhile examining the historical roots of this phenomenon. What was the historical context in which R' Nosson of Nemirov made the Rosh Hashana pilgrimage the core of Breslov chassidus? How did the Uman visit look like throughout the years? In the interwar period, Breslov chassidim encountered a challenge that threatened the future of the movement. The Iron Curtain prevented the Chassidim in Poland from reaching Uman. How would they adapt to the new situation? Finally, in the post war era, with the resurgence of Breslov, the Rosh Hashana gathering adapts itself to new worlds and new situations till this very day. Music for this episode: “Rabeinu” by Beri Weber https://youtu.be/gJuStPunxIs Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
289
Simplicity, Complexity & Enormity: The Family of the Chofetz Chaim
Simplicity, Complexity & Enormity: The Family of the Chofetz Chaim
Sep 24, 2019
22:16
The primary focus on the Chofetz Chaim's (1839-1933) legacy to the Jewish People is understandably his seforim and various public policy initiatives. He bequeathed a more personal legacy as well- his family. His descendants form quite a diverse group. Some of his progeny played pivotal roles in both the writing, editing and selling of his seforim, while others assisted with the administration of the Radin Yeshiva. Still others accompanied him through his communal activist work. And yet others forged their own path. With an overview of the Chofetz Chaim's family, and how he related to them as a husband, father & grandfather, we can get a glimpse of a more personal side of the influence and impact of arguable the greatest Jewish leader in recent history. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
290
The Rabbi & The Zionists Part V: To Vote or Not to Vote
The Rabbi & The Zionists Part V: To Vote or Not to Vote
Sep 26, 2019
50:46
With the founding of the State of Israel, ideological positions slowly gave way for practical considerations. The reality of day to day life in the State required a modification of the various Rabbinical positions across the spectrum. Some Rabbis, such as the Satmar Rov and the Eidah Hachareidis, persisted in the extreme position and refused to recognize the legitimacy of the State and it's functions. For their followers who were physically living in Israel, this became an increasingly untenable position. At the other extreme, the Rabbinical leadership of the Mizrachi welcomed the founding of the State as the commencement of the Messianic era. It therefore behooved active participation at both the national and individual level. In the middle were the Rabbis who were either officially or loosely affiliated with the Agudas Yisroel. Some recommended a moderate position, while others took a more extreme line. Still others preferred to be deliberately ambiguous. The question of voting became a contentious issue and evolved into the symbol of practical participation. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
291
The Sfas Emes: Reverence of The Man & Relevance of His Teachings
The Sfas Emes: Reverence of The Man & Relevance of His Teachings
Oct 2, 2019
25:44
With the seemingly timeless and growing influence of the Sfas Emes's teachings, it may be worthwhile to examine the world which shaped him and his personality. As a scion of chassidic royalty through his grandfather the Chiddushei Harim of Ger, R' Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter (1847-1905) was expected to rise to greatness. His exposure at a young age to the great R' Menachem Mendel- the "Kotzker" only added to the atmosphere of an already intensely powerful upbringing. The Sfas Emes rose to the occasion and became one of the greatest leaders of Chassidic Poland, building up Ger into one of the largest courts of its day. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
292
The Sound of Silence: The 1943 Rabbis March on Washington
The Sound of Silence: The 1943 Rabbis March on Washington
Oct 6, 2019
27:37
News of the Final Solution reached the west in 1942. As the horrifying reality became apparent, reactions varied both among the general public as well as within the Jewish community. While the American Government refused to relax its rigid immigration quotas, US Jewry debated as to the proper course of action. Would it be a passive acceptance of US policy, a diplomatic attempt to reach the corridors of power, or possibly an outright public protest at how little was being done for the plight of European Jewry. Prominent rescue activist Peter Bergson arranged together with the Vaad Hatzalah, an unprecedented public gathering, so unique in the annals of American Jewish History, that it would garner the publicity needed to effect change in the Governments public policy. A group of over 400 recognizably Orthodox Rabbis would march on Washington, petitioning Congress and the President to do more for Jewish refugees. On October 6, 1943, three days before Yom Kippur, the Rabbis marched. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
293
The Rabbis & The Zionists Part VI: Lofty Ideals & Harsh Realities
The Rabbis & The Zionists Part VI: Lofty Ideals & Harsh Realities
Oct 10, 2019
49:40
With the passage of time, Rabbinical espoused ideals are processed along the path of the realities and practical considerations of day to day life. It is this execution of policy that forms the basis of our final examination of the Rabbinical positions on Zionism. Specific Rabbinical figures arose in the 1960's-'70's who formulated positions, which form the basis of modern Rabbinical opinion right up to our current times. These range from the Messianic views of Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, to the practical considerations of the Gerrer Rebbe, through the active conservatism of Rav Shach and all the way to extreme opposition of the Satmar Rov. A summary of the diverse opinions of these and other great personalities, will enhance our understanding of Rabbinical opinion on Zionism in the modern era, as well as wrap up the series on "The Rabbis & The Zionists". Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
294
Tales of Sukkos: The Great Daled Minim Hunt & Simchas Torah In Shanghai
Tales of Sukkos: The Great Daled Minim Hunt & Simchas Torah In Shanghai
Oct 16, 2019
29:11
In honor of the happy Sukkos holiday, here's a potpourri of anecdotes - some interesting, others entertaining - of Sukkos throughout recent Jewish history. What was it like to shop for a lulav and esrog when all esrogim had to be imported? How about during wartime? What was the atmosphere in the pre war Yeshivas by the Simchas Bais hashoeva and Simchas Torah? What happened to the Chozeh of Lublin on the last Simchas Torah of his life? Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
295
From Strength to Strength: Leadership & Dissent within the Great Dynasty of Ger
From Strength to Strength: Leadership & Dissent within the Great Dynasty of Ger
Oct 23, 2019
29:17
With the current talk about an unheard of split in the storied Chassidic court of Ger, it's worth examining the historical context about why such a move is so unusual. From it's roots in Pshischa and Kotzk, Polish Chassidus experience quite a few upheavals and splits before the Ger dynasty stabilized in the late 19th century. Under the able leadership of the Sfas Emes and even more so of his son Rav Avraham Mordechai Alter, the Imrei Emes, Ger became the largest, most dominant and leading chassidic group in pre war Poland. The Gerrer Rebbe led this veritable empire for 43 years, with the full support of all of his family members, and was dubbed by the Polish press as "the king of the Jews". Following the decimation of Polish Jewry, Ger began to rebuild, this time under the watch of the Bais Yisroel. It was only following the death of the last of the Polish generation that a rebuilt, confident and strong Ger could possibly think of dissent or a split within the community. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
296
America's Glorious Pastime: Baseball & The Jews
America's Glorious Pastime: Baseball & The Jews
Oct 26, 2019
27:07
With the World Series currently taking place, it's high time that Jewish History Soundbites takes leave of Eastern Europe and examine the Jewish People's connection to professional baseball. From the famous stories of Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax, to the less well known ones of the '69 Mets Jewish connection, America's favorite pastime has deep connections to the Jewish story in the United States. On the 50th anniversary of the 1969 NY Mets World Series victory, we'll delve into the story of why they won. Aside from Jewish players, managers, owners and broadcasters, Jewish fans of baseball have been a barometer of integration into American life and culture. So, as we bask in the pride of various different Jewish players not playing on Yom Kippur, enjoy your kosher hot dog in the stands at "the ole Ball Game"! Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
297
Who Art Thou Moses? Untangling the Life & Legacy of Moses Mendelssohn
Who Art Thou Moses? Untangling the Life & Legacy of Moses Mendelssohn
Oct 29, 2019
20:54
Heralded as the father of Reform Judaism by some, derided as a destroyer of traditional Jewish life by others and forgotten by most, Moses Mendelssohn's legacy continues to intrigue Jewish minds across the spectrum. He entered the gates of Berlin as a young 14 year old, and ultimately embraced the ideals of the enlightenment and German Philosophy. Through his teaching and prodigious literary output, an attempt was made to synthesize traditional Jewish observance while incorporating elements of the surrounding culture. The question remains as to what is his "true" legacy, but his influence remains in the Jewish world till today. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
298
Restoring The Glory To The Crown: Rav Ovadia Yosef & Sephardic Jewry Part I
Restoring The Glory To The Crown: Rav Ovadia Yosef & Sephardic Jewry Part I
Oct 31, 2019
34:50
From the expulsion from Spain in 1492, down to modern times, Sephardic Jewry has never experienced the rejuvenation experienced under the leadership of Rav Ovadia Yosef (1920-2013). Stemming from humble origins in Iraq, he rose to fame in Rabbinical positions in Egypt, Yerushalayim, Petach Tikva, Tel Aviv and finally the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel. A prolific writer and world renowned posek, he became one of the greatest Halachic decisors of modern times. In his later years he would become famous as the spiritual leader and titular head of the Shas political party. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
299
The Eternal Flame: The Everlasting Legacy of the "Aish Kodesh"
The Eternal Flame: The Everlasting Legacy of the "Aish Kodesh"
Nov 2, 2019
25:27
R' Kalonymus Kalman Shapira (1889-1943), better known as the Piaseczno Rebbe, is a figure who's influence seems to just grow as time goes on. Heroic in life and a martyr in death, he's earned his place in the pantheon of Jewish leadership of the 20th century. Known for his writings, teachings, insights into Jewish education and of course his talks to his chassidim in the darkest times of the Warsaw Ghetto. In this episode, we will examine his life and times, giving the context which shaped his personality and leadership role. Playing an important role in interwar Warsaw Yeshiva education, he also served as a chassidic Rebbe and communal Rabbi at the same time. Despite his personal losses at the onset of the war, he maintained his position within the Ghetto in a valiant attempt to inspire his followers in the ever worsening conditions. Following his murder in Aktion Enternfest in the Trawniki concentration camp, the story of Piaseczno was not yet over. After the war, his writings were discovered in the second cache of the Ringelblum Archive and ultimately published as the "Aish Kodesh". Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]
300
Innovative Methods & Rebellious Students: Early Years of Telz Yeshiva Part I
Innovative Methods & Rebellious Students: Early Years of Telz Yeshiva Part I
Nov 5, 2019
30:05
With the growth of the Lithuanian Yeshiva movement in the 19th century, the great Yeshiva of Telz was to take a prominent place as one of the premier Yeshivas of the age. From modest beginnings, it grew in both numbers and stature under the watch of legendary Rav Leizer Gordon. Telz boasted of an innovative organizational structure which included an acceptance policy, a rigid class structure and regular tests on the material studied. The attempt to bring the Mussar movement within the walls of the Yeshiva, along with specific Rabbinical appointments, led to a series of clashes - sometimes violent - between the independent minded Telzer students and the Yeshiva administration. Ultimately the revolts and the winds of rebellion were quelled, and peace and prosperity allowed Telz to continue its destiny to greatness. Subscribe To Our Podcast on: PodBean: https://jsoundbites.podbean.com/ Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Jsoundbites You can email Yehuda at [email protected]