European Jewish History

From the Greeks and Romans to 19th century Reform Jews and today’s pundits, the death of Orthodox Judaism has been...

Among the many legends about the Vilna Gaon is that he invited the Maggid of Dubno to come to him...

Once called the Jerusalem of Lithuania, the city of Vilna was a vibrant center of Jewish life for centuries until...

Many pious Jews undertook voluntary exile to atone for sin and improve character. The legendary Gaon of Vilna, Rabbi Eliyahu...

Jews lived in Lithuania for centuries until the Holocaust. It had been the intellectual hub of the Jewish world, producing...

Abraham Joshua Heschel penned a classic description of Jewish life in the shtetl, portraying its rich spiritual life and scholarship.

The mercantile system created a new reality for Jewish businessmen, and new challenges for Jewish law and the rabbis applying...

Was a Jew appointed the King of Poland? A fascinating legend says yes. Whether this is true or not, the...

Many non-Jews such as Mark Twain and Leo Tolstoy have penned keen insights into the Jewish people. Paul Johnson in...

The new State of Israel in 1952 had to face one of the most explosive and emotional issues imaginable: Should...