Episodios

  • Holocaust Identities Part 2 – Secret Soldiers II
    Jul 28 2024

    In 1944 X-troop were fighting in France.

    With heavy losses and secret identities, some of them would tragically be buried under a cross.

    By 1945 they had made their way to Germany, always searching for family members who may have survived, even if this required driving across no-man’s land into enemy territory.

    When the war ends, they begin a new mission, rooting out Nazis in Germany & Austria. But Judgement is hard to come by.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction: X-Troop's Mission

    17:24 Finding Family: Ron Gilbert's Search

    25:01 Manfred Gantz's Journey to Terezin

    31:41 Rescuing Family: The Personal Mission of the X-Troop

    38:00 Post-War Challenges and Denazification

    44:43 Bravery and Resilience: The Legacy of the X-Troop

    49:58 Conclusion: Lessons from the Holocaust

    Más Menos
    51 m
  • Holocaust Identities Part 1 - The Secret Soldiers I
    Jul 22 2024
    To donate tefillin for the soldiers, please click - https://bit.ly/historyforthecurioustefillin Forged through adversity and fuelled by the fate of their families who were trapped in Nazi Europe, a ragtag crew of Jewish refugees volunteered to become an elite army unit and significantly impact the enemy during WWII. Initially interned as enemy aliens they risked their lives time and time again. A quarter of them would fall in battle.

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction: The Story of Jewish Refugees in World War II

    05:24 Joining an Elite Commando Troop

    10:17 A Jewish Soldier's Encounter with Field Marshal Rommel

    13:29 Obtaining Vital Intelligence for the Allies

    16:57 The X-troop: Jewish Refugees Fighting Against the Nazis

    21:04 Challenges and Discrimination Faced by Jewish Refugees

    25:28 The Impact of Antisemitism and Propaganda

    26:54 The Cruelty Faced by Jewish Refugees

    29:20 The Formation of the X-Troop

    30:19 Intense Training and Preparation

    39:27 Crucial Roles in the D-Day Landings

    45:30 Bravery and Resilience in the Face of Challenges

    Más Menos
    54 m
  • Rabbi Akiva Eger II - Rulings, Plague & Portrait
    Jul 11 2024
    To appreciate Rabbi Akiva Eger we need to understand his era; The cholera epidemic he lived through, the personalities of his generation as well as his rulings and how they were set out. Who was he really and what did he look like?

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Rabbi Akiva Eger

    13:46 Rabbi Akiva Eger's Role During the Cholera Epidemic

    27:09 Conflict with the Community and the Hospital Management

    35:31 The Accuracy of Portraits Depicting Rabbi Akiva Eger

    38:49 Legacy and Impact of Rabbi Akiva Eger

    Más Menos
    40 m
  • Rabbi Akiva Eger I - Genius, Battles & Compassion
    Jun 25 2024

    Famous as a scholar and lamdan, his life was beset by challenges and setbacks, all of which he faced with remarkable fortitude.

    As the leader of Central Europe's Jewry, the impact of his writings and personality re-wrote the history of the 19th century for the Jews

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Government Intervention

    08:01 Reb Akiva Eger's Scholarship and Influence

    16:10 Reb Akiva Eger's Reluctance to Give Decisions

    27:21 The Appointment Controversy in Posen

    35:24 Acts of Kindness and Strength in Psak

    39:40 Conclusion and Preview of

    Part 2

    Más Menos
    40 m
  • Kabbalah II - Heresy : Spain 1290-1350
    Jun 14 2024

    Unraveling the Mystery - Who was Moshe de Leon? How did the Zohar impact Jewish history? Is there a deep divide between Academics & Kabbalists. What did Rav Yaakov Emden write? And how was Marriage seen in 13th century Spain?

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction: The Mystery of the Zohar

    13:09 The Historical Context of Spain in the 13th and 14th Centuries

    30:42 The Impact of the Zohar on Jewish History and Thought

    31:12 The Complexity of the Zohar

    34:01 Geographic References in the Zohar

    36:48 Questioning the Existence of Places in the Zohar

    38:14 The Enigma of Moshe de Leon

    41:02 Possible Origins of the Zohar

    44:17 The Role of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in the Zohar

    49:00 Different Perspectives on the Zohar

    52:22 Understanding the Entire Torah

    54:19 The Beliefs of a Believing Jew

    58:59 The Laws of Shmita

    Más Menos
    1 h y 2 m
  • Kabbalah I - Controversy : Spain 1250-1295
    Jun 2 2024
    In the 1200s Spanish Jewry faced great challenges within the community including Murder, Immorality & Defection. This was exacerbated by dangerous teachings within Kabbalah which had to be rooted out by the Rashba and banned. But 700 years later a pathway was found to Redemption.

    Chapters

    00:00 Challenges of 13th-Century Spain: Tensions, Wealth, and Power

    03:06 Controversies in Jewish Scholarship: Philosophy and Kabbalah

    08:20 Internal Conflicts and Legal Authority

    15:03 Religious Challenges and the Ban on Philosophy

    26:50 The Legacy of Rabbi Avraham Abulafia

    48:26 Kabbalistic Techniques and Mathematics

    Más Menos
    53 m
  • Spanish Jewry III - Targets of Resentment: Prominent Jewish Figures in Spain
    May 24 2024
    The Golden Age was over but what drove Jews to settle in Christian Spain? What is the true story of the pirates in Cordoba? Why was the commentary of the Rif so vital and why did the Ba’al HaMaor critique it? Who controlled the Jews: The Church or The Kings?

    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction and Background

    03:05 Legends and Stories in Jewish History

    08:50 Prominent Jewish Scholars and Physicians

    16:30 Transition from Muslim to Christian Rule

    24:48 Power Dynamics: Kings and the Church

    29:00 Challenges to Jewish Authority

    31:58 Clothing and Distinguishing Marks

    36:12 Freedom and High Profile

    39:01 Tensions and Uncertainty

    Más Menos
    42 m
  • Spanish Jewry II - The Golden Age : Poetry, Power and Politics
    May 17 2024

    A unique world existed for two centuries in which a Jewish general lead Moslem armies into battle and authored 1,500 poems while Chasdai, the most famous Jew, discovered the antidote to poison and oversaw the creation of Jewish grammar.

    Was Yosef Hannagid responsible for the death of an Arab prince? And how did Spain over-rule Babylonia?

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to the Golden Age of Spanish Jewry

    14:18 The Achievements and Influential Figures of the Golden Age

    35:58 The Cultural Significance of Poetry and Literature

    39:21 Emergence of Jewish Literary Works in Muslim Spain

    41:37 The End of the Golden Age

    43:28 Disputes Among Jewish Grammarians

    Más Menos
    45 m