News About Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History, and Jewish Culture
Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
A Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving to our U.S. readers! A lot to “nosh” on before Thanksgiving this week… Phil Goldfarb
- Wonderful Museums. Discover the World’s Museums. Explore fascinating stories and insights behind museums globally. Enhance your understanding of art, history, and culture at your fingertips. There are quite a few Jewish Museums included in this website: Wonderful Museums The latest one being my hometown museum: The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art: Tulsa’s Beacon of Heritage, Culture, and Holocaust Remembrance – Wonderful Museums
- News From MyHeritage: MyHeritage Adds 530 Million Historical Records in October 2025: MyHeritage Adds 530 Million Historical Records in October 2025 – MyHeritage Blog and Major Update: 95 Million Marriage Records Extracted From Newspapers Using Advanced AI Now on MyHeritage: Major Update: 95 Million Marriage Records Extracted From Newspapers Using Advanced AI Now on MyHeritage – MyHeritage Blog
- MyHeritage DNA just $25 for Black Friday: lowest price EVER. Connect with relatives worldwide and uncover their ancestral origins across 79 ethnicities and 2,114 geographic regions. To order: DNA Test – Uncover Your Ethnic Origins & Ancestry – MyHeritage
- The Jewish Cartographer Who Redrew the Medieval World. Through his Catalan Atlas in 1375, Abraham Cresques charted not just geography, but a vision of faith, wisdom, and harmony that still speaks to our world. Read his story from Aish: The Jewish Cartographer Who Redrew the Medieval World | Aish
- Vilnius University launches new AI tool that accurately reads handwritten Yiddish. This will “contribute to advancing archival research on the history of Jews in Eastern and Central Europe,” said Sergii Gurbych, who created the model. Read more from JNS: Vilnius University launches new AI tool that accurately reads handwritten Yiddish – JNS.org
- The American Story. Beginning November 21, 2025, the National Archives Museum debuts a once-in-a generation redesign of its permanent exhibits: The American Story and the Discovery Center- connecting visitors with the National Archives in revolutionary ways. Read more from The National Archives: The American Story | National Archives Museum NOTE: Be on the lookout in 2026 for Jewish America 250 highlighting the contributions of Jews to the United States in 250 years!
- Gold pocket watch of Jewish Titanic couple could sell for £800,000 ($1,053 million USD) at auction. Gold watch of Jewish Titanic victims Isidor and Ida Straus goes to auction after 113 years. Read the story from Jewish News U.K.: Gold pocket watch of Jewish Titanic couple could sell for £800,000 at auction – Jewish News
- The world’s oldest known medieval Judaica relic is now its most valuable, too. The 12th-century Kiddush cup, which sheds light on the little-known Jewish community of eastern Khorasan, went for $4 million. Read about and see the object from The Forward: The world’s most valuable kiddush cup – The Forward
- At Christie’s, a public viewing and private sale of unique and historic menorahs. Thirty-five Hanukkah lamps from renowned Judaica collector Max Berry will be up for grabs, priced from $5,000 to $30,000. Read the story from NY Jewish Week: At Christie’s, a public viewing and private sale of unique and historic menorahs – New York Jewish Week
- Gustav Klimt portrait that spared its subject from Nazis breaks modern art record with $236M sale. Read more from the AP: Portrait painting by Gustav Klimt sells for $236M at Sotheby’s | AP News
- Rare Nazi Enigma machine auctioned off for almost half a million euros. Machine’s code was famously decoded by Alan Turing and his team, contributing to allied war effort. Read the story from The Times of Israel: Rare Nazi Enigma machine auctioned off for almost half a million euros | The Times of Israel
- Auschwitz launches a virtual film set of its grounds and sparks an ethical debate. ‘Picture from Auschwitz,’ a brick-by-brick digital reproduction of the Nazi camp created by the memorial, earns praise despite fears of AI-fueled distortion of Holocaust content. Read the story from The Times of Israel: Auschwitz launches a virtual film set of its grounds, and sparks an ethical debate | The Times of Israel
- A rare first edition of Superman No. 1, from 1939, sold for $9.12 million at auction on Thursday. The Man of Steel’s Jewish inventors, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster who shepherded that issue signed rights to their creation over to Detective Comics, now known as DC, for $130 in 1938. Read more from the NY Times: Superman Comic Sets Auction Record, Selling for $9.12 Million – The New York Times
- German auction house calls off ‘shameless’ sale of concentration camp artifacts. Survivors objected to the sale of victims’ belongings and a yellow Star of David with “signs of wear.” Read more from JTA: German auction house calls off ‘shameless’ sale of concentration camp artifacts – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
- How Mussolini’s Jewish lover changed Fascist art and design. Margherita Sarfatti, known as ‘the uncrowned Queen of Italy,’ had a passion for Fascism and Futurism. Read more from The Forward: How Mussolini’s Jewish lover changed Fascist art and design – The Forward
- When Jews really did wage a ‘war on Christmas. Read about “The Great Christmas Boycott of 1906,” when immigrants fought for the separation of church and state in public schools. From JTA: When Jews really did wage a ‘war on Christmas’ – Jewish Telegraphic Agency
- Israel’s Jewish Ethiopian population reached 177,600 in 2024. Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics released new figures on the Ethiopian community ahead of the Sigd holiday. Of those, 93,400 (~53%) were born in Ethiopia, and 84,200 (~47%) are native-born (Israel). More statistics from JNS: Israel’s Jewish Ethiopian population reached 177,600 in 2024 – JNS.org
- In A Related Story… What is Sigd? An Ethiopian Jewish holiday held 50 days after Yom Kippur. The Ethiopian Jewish community lived in complete isolation from other Jewish communities for many centuries. Read the story from My Jewish Learning: What is Sigd? | My Jewish Learning
- 12,000-year-old figurine from Israel shows surreal woman-bird mating scene. Tiny clay sculpture unearthed at Nahal Ein Gev in the Galilee is the earliest known figurine depicting human-animal interaction. Read the story from The Times of Israel: Goose bumps: 12,000-year-old figurine from Israel shows surreal woman-bird mating scene | The Times of Israel
- 10 Ideas Judaism Gave the World. Many of the concepts espoused in the Torah and Jewish tradition seem quintessentially modern yet go back thousands of years. Here’s a roundup of some ideas that we take for granted today that are an integral part of ancient Jewish wisdom. Read the 10 from Aish: 10 Ideas Judaism Gave the World | Aish
- Israeli medics team up with tech giant Nvidia to create ‘ChatGPT for genetics.’ The new model could revolutionize medical diagnostics and help doctors prescribe medication tailored to patients’ needs. A very interesting article from the JC: Israeli medics team up with tech giant Nvidia to create ‘ChatGPT for genetics’ – The Jewish Chronicle – The Jewish Chronicle
- Uncovering Judaism’s Influence on Western Music. Before Gregorian chant, before Bach, there were the Levites. Explore how ancient Jewish music quietly shaped the entire Western musical tradition. Read the story from Aish: Uncovering Judaism’s Influence on Western Music | Aish
- A Com prehensive Overview of Ancient Jewish Sacrifice. In antiquity, sacrifice was the primary way of worshipping God. Read more from My Jewish Learning: A Comprehensive Overview of Ancient Jewish Sacrifice | My Jewish Learning
- France promotes Jewish soldier Alfred Dreyfus, 130 years after wrongfully convicting him of treason. French army captain Alfred Dreyfus was posthumously promoted to the rank of brigadier general, 130 years after he was wrongly convicted of treason in one of France’s most notorious cases of anti-Semitism. Read his story: France promotes Jewish soldier Alfred Dreyfus, 130 years after wrongfully convicting him of treason
- Identical Twins: One a Nazi, the Other a Member of the Israeli Navy. Our nature predisposes us, but through the way we nurture our lives, we can choose who we are and the legacy we leave. Read their story from Aish: Identical Twins: One a Nazi, the Other a Member of the Israeli Navy | Aish
- Hauser’s List: The Man Who Saved Hundreds of Jewish Musicians from Europe. The story has remained hidden for 85 years. It is a story of music, beauty, and compassion – through which hundreds of lives were saved from the clutches of the Nazis. Read more from The National Library of Israel Blog: Hauser’s List: The Man Who Saved Hundreds of Jewish Musicians from Europe
- The Wrestler of Bratislava. Because sometimes curiosity will lead you to Greco-Roman antifascists. Read more: The Wrestler of Bratislava – by Lisa Abend Thanks to Bruce Drake for passing this along.
- Ask the Expert: Kosher Symbols. How to decode the different kosher labels. What The Labels and Symbols Mean. Read about the symbols from My Jewish Learning: Ask the Expert: Kosher Symbols | My Jewish Learning
- What Does ‘Bashert’ Mean? The Jewish concept of a divinely ordained soulmate dates back at least to the Talmud. Read more from My Jewish Learning: What Does ‘Bashert’ Mean? | My Jewish Learning
- Hey, Irving…why are there so many Jews named Irving. A mystery of Jewish nomenclature finally solved. in honor of all the Milton’s, Seymour’s, Sidney’s and Irvings out there. Read the story from The Forward: Hey Irving — why are so many Jews named Irving? – The Forward
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About The Weekly News Nosh
The Weekly News Nosh contains news about Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History and Jewish Culture. The Nosh is published on Sundays and distributed by the L’Dor V’Dor Foundation on its website and social media platforms. “A Family Without The Understanding Of Their Past History, Foundation And Ethnicity Is Like A Tree Without Roots.” Subscribe to receive future announcements.