Jewish History Soundbites
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Land on Sabbatical: Shemitah in Modern Times Part I
With the onset of the First Aliyah in the 1880's, and the beginnings of Jewish agricultural settlements as a result, the issue of how to observe Shmita came to the fore. Most of the original colonies
The Chant of Torah: The Life of Rav Naftali Trop
Having gained fame as the Radin Yeshiva, as well as immortality through his Torah which is still studied worldwide, Rav Naftali Trop (1871-1928) was an important Torah leader who left an impact on the
Crisis Management: The Great Crisis of the Chassidic Movement
Modern times brought a host of challenges to the Chassidic movement in the closing decades of the 19th century and intensified in the 20th. World War One and the havoc that it wreaked led to a full bl
The Chofetz Chaim & His Attempts to Move to the Holy Land
Rav Yisrael Meir of Radin, better known as the Chofetz Chaim (1838-1933), is one of the most beloved historical figures in recent memory. His storied life convers many aspects, and in this episode the
On the Way to Canaan's Land: The Five Aliyot to Palestine
Known to history as the five waves of 'Aliyah', immigration to the Land of Israel, the late 19th and early 20th century saw a slow but steady stream of Jewish immigration which laid the foundations of
Architect of American Orthodoxy: The Life & Times of Mike Tress Part II
He was a clean shaven, American born, public school educated, successful businessman. And he was also the architect of American Orthodoxy and a leading rescue activist during the dark years of the Hol
Architect of American Orthodoxy: The Life & Times of Mike Tress Part I
He was a clean shaven, American born, public school educated, successful businessman. And he was also the architect of American Orthodoxy and a leading rescue activist during the dark years of the Hol
A Guiding Light: The Life of the Chazon Ish Part II
Rav Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (1878-1953) known by his magnum opus the Chazon Ish, was indisputably one of the greatest Torah leaders of the 20th century. In this second installment about his life, ach
Mussar Makes a Mir Debut
The Mussar Movement was promulgated by Rav Yisrael Salanter in the mid 19th century, as an attempt to bring ethical standards of conduct to the forefront of national consciousness. In the closing deca
From Cromwell to Montefiore: The Jews of London Part II
Following the Edict of Expulsion in 1290, no organized Jewish life existed in England for centuries. Following the Spanish Expulsion in 1492, a few Conversos secretly settled in England under a Christ