News About Jewish Genealogy, Jewish History, and Jewish Culture
Editor: Phil Goldfarb, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
- Great News from The U.K. ‘More students involved in Jewish life than ever before.’ A new survey has revealed that 92 per cent were involved with a Jewish Society or Jewish Chaplaincy. Read the story from The Jewish Chronicle: ‘More students involved in Jewish life than ever before’ – The Jewish Chronicle (thejc.com) Editor’s Note: Getting more involved is why the L’Dor V’Dor Worldwide Jewish Event Calendar (called JDays) is so very important to post and review events from around the world that strengthen Jewish identity and community. With JDays, one can view 24/7/365 what is available as it is a comprehensive, central calendar of upcoming Jewish events. To view events and to post go to: ldvdf.org/JDays
- Enhancements to the Historical Record Search Experience on MyHeritage. They added two new features that will enhance the way you search for historical records on MyHeritage: refining search results by record type, and recent searches. Both features are available on desktop and from a mobile web browser. Read more about this enhancement on their blog: Enhancements to the Historical Record Search Experience on MyHeritage – MyHeritage Blog
- Brooklyn, New York City Directories Digitized and Available For Free on Internet Archive. To search, go to: Illuminating the Stories of Brooklynites Through Digitized Directories | Internet Archive Blogs Thanks to Jan Meisels Allen Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee for posting this story.
- House approves bill to study making US Jewish history museum part of the Smithsonian. Lawmakers cited increased antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment as a reason to support the proposal. American Jews are one step closer to having a Smithsonian museum dedicated to their history. The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill Monday to study the possibility of bringing the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, in Philadelphia, under the Smithsonian umbrella. Read the story from JTA: House approves bill to study making US Jewish history museum part of the Smithsonian – Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)
- How a Catholic university amassed a treasure trove of Jewish artifacts from the Bronx. Fordham University and its Jewish studies department are collecting the everyday objects of a once-thriving community. At Fordham University, the private, Jesuit institution in the Bronx, decade’s worth of archival documents and artifacts from the local Jewish community have found a home, thanks to its Jewish studies center. Read the story from NY Jewish Week: How a Catholic university amassed a treasure trove of Jewish artifacts from the Bronx – New York Jewish Week (jta.org)
- Jewish History of Thessaloniki (Salonika). For centuries, the Greek city of Thessaloniki served as a safe haven for Jews escaping the Inquisition. This vibrant Sephardic community was almost completely destroyed in the Holocaust. Read the story from Aish: Jewish History of Thessaloniki (Salonika) | Aish
- Ancient sword engraved with the name Ramses II unearthed in the Nile Delta. A 3,300-year-old ceremonial sword engraved with the name of Egyptian Pharoah Ramses II was recently discovered during an excavation of an ancient military barracks in the Nile Delta region. Ramses II is commonly thought to be the pharaoh who was in power during the biblical Book of Exodus, which tells the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt under the leadership of Moses after years of slavery. Read the story from The Times of Israel: Ancient sword engraved with the name Ramses II unearthed in the Nile Delta | The Times of Israel
- Lochs and Bagels: A Trip to Jewish Scotland. Jews have had a presence in Scottish life since the 1600s. In 1691, a Jewish trader, David Brown, applied to city fathers for permission to live and trade in Edinburgh. Read the story from Moment Magazine: Lochs and Bagels: A Trip to Jewish Scotland (momentmag.com)
- Rare document shows Jewish financier’s role in American Revolution. Surviving page from James Madison’s ledger shows contribution of Haym Salomon, a Sephardic Jewish immigrant from Poland considered one of the leading funders of the Revolutionary War effort, who gave equivalent of $23 million to revolutionary cause. This page of history is going up for auction. Read more from Times Of Israel: Rare document shows Jewish financier’s role in American Revolution | The Times of Israel
- Rare document signed by Oscar Schindler to be auctioned. Bidding starts at £12k for car insurance policy of hero who saved 1,200 Jewish employees from the Nazis. The insurance policy dated February 8, 1936, for the Oscar Schindler Co., the company Schindler owned before his enamelware factory. Documents signed by Schindler are extraordinarily rare, especially those signed before or during World War II. Read the story from Jewish News UK: Rare document signed by Oscar Schindler to be auctioned – Jewish News
- Fania Brantsovsky, last living Vilna ghetto partisan resistance fighter, dies at 102. Remaining in Lithuania after the war, she became a keeper of the flame of the city’s once illustrious Yiddish culture. Brantsovsky escaped the ghetto in 1942 and fought against the Nazis and their local collaborators in the Rudninkai forest with a group of Jewish partisans under the command of Abba Kovner. Read her story from JTA: Fania Brantsovsky, last living Vilna ghetto partisan resistance fighter, dies at 102 – Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)
- The hugely influential record label that unites Albert Einstein, Bob Dylan and Bernie Sanders lives on. Founded by Moses Asch, Folkways continues to be a repository for underappreciated voices. The list of record labels founded or co-founded by Jewish entrepreneurs during the 1940s and 50s is a long and luminous one. But as important as such legendary imprints as Atlantic, Chess, King, Modern, Roulette, Savoy, Scepter, Specialty and Verve were, it can be argued that none were as uniquely influential — or as intrinsically Jewish — as Folkways Records. And certainly, none of the others boasted an origin story involving Albert Einstein. Read the story from The Forward: How one record label unites Albert Einstein and Bernie Sanders – The Forward
- Meet the Frozen People of Alaska, the world’s coldest Jewish community. When you think of Alaska, a thriving Jewish community doesn’t immediately come to mind. However, when you look at the history of the 49th state of America, Jewish influence can be seen throughout. The history of Jews living in Alaska can be traced to the mid-1800s when Jews from Imperial Russia lived there. Read more from The Jewish Chronicle: Meet the Frozen People of Alaska, the world’s coldest Jewish community – The Jewish Chronicle (thejc.com)
- Bnai Brith International grants “Gratitude Awards” to Poles who preserve Jewish heritage and memory. The awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Galicia Jewish Museum in Krakow. Read more from Jewish Heritage Europe: Poland: Bnai Brith International grants “Gratitude Awards” to Poles who preserve Jewish heritage and memory – Jewish Heritage Europe (jewish-heritage-europe.eu)
- What Does Tikkun Olam Really Mean? Tikkun Olam is a well-known Jewish ideal, except that it probably doesn’t mean what you think it means. What is the origin of the term? How is it understood in Jewish tradition? And how did it come to be associated with a political value like social justice? Read the story from Aish: Tikkun Olam – Meaning & Examples | Aish
- The Shofar of Auschwitz. In a Nazi labor camp, Jewish prisoners blew the shofar on Rosh Hashanah. Rosh Hashanah, 1944: A group of ragged Jewish prisoners assembled for yet another exhausting work detail. All around, Jews were starved, tortured and murdered. The slightest expression of Jewish faith was strictly forbidden, grounds for execution by Nazi guards. Yet on that Rosh Hashanah, a group of courageous Jews managed to pray with a minyan. Read the courageous story from Aish: The Shofar of Auschwitz | Aish
- 10 Things the Shofar Symbolizes. Here’s how the shofar sounds were interpreted in a classic text more than 1,000 years ago. These 10 interpretations of the sounds of the shofar were written by Saadiah Gaon, one of the foremost Jewish spiritual leaders of the Middle Ages. More from My Jewish Learning: 10 Things the Shofar Symbolizes | My Jewish Learning
- More on the Shofar…How To Make A Shofar. Step-by-step instructions, materials not included! The shofar can be made of the horn of a ram, antelope, gazelle, goat, or Rocky Mountain goat. These horns are not solid bone, but contain cartilage, which can be removed. The word shofar means “hollow.” The above animals are kosher since they have spilt hooves and chew their cud. Read how to make one from My Jewish Learning: How To Make A Shofar | My Jewish Learning
- How To Lead A Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Seder. This ritual for the Jewish New Year goes far beyond dipping apples in honey. On the first and second nights of Rosh Hashanah, most Jewish families gather for a festive and elaborate dinner. Before eating the actual meal, Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews partake in a longstanding custom: the Rosh Hashanah seder. Read more from My Jewish Learning: How To Lead A Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Seder | My Jewish Learning
- Why Jews Eat Round Challah For the New Year. A sweet and symbolic tradition for the Jewish New Year. But what is the significance of round challah? There are many explanations: the circular nature of our year and seasons, or how a round challah resembles a crown, thus crowning god the king on the New Year. And there is also another explanation, which that it is a way to distinguish the already sacred challah as something even more special and distinctive for the New Year. Read more from The Nosher: Why Jews Eat Round Challah For the New Year | The Nosher (myjewishlearning.com)
- Katz’s Deli debuts a vegan pastrami sandwich — for one afternoon only. The Lower East Side’s iconic Katz’s Delicatessen is teaming up with Dan Barber, the chef at Greenwich Village’s lauded farm-to-table restaurant Blue Hill, to serve, for one afternoon only, a vegan version of its famous pastrami sandwich. Read about it from NY Jewish Week: Katz’s Deli debuts a vegan pastrami sandwich — for one afternoon only – New York Jewish Week (jta.org)
- Manischewitz says happy (new) New Year with a flurry of products. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur inspire heartwarming meals and memories. The new Manischewitz line-up includes Ready-to-Eat Frozen Matzo Balls, Frozen Potato Knishes, Frozen Ready-to-Eat Blintzes- available in cheese, blueberry, and potato, Frozen bakery items—Including fresh-tasting Challah, Chocolate Babka, Chocolate Rugelach, and Apricot and Raspberry Hamantaschen. Read more from JNS: Manischewitz says happy (new) New Year with a flurry of products – JNS.org
- Must-Know Rosh Hashanah Words and Phrases. Your glossary for the Jewish New Year. From My Jewish Learning: Must-Know Rosh Hashanah Words and Phrases | My Jewish Learning
- Eight Famous Black Artists with Jewish Moms. At a time when antisemitism is on the rise, these proud Black Jews shatter stereotypes and speak out about their culture and religion. Read about them from Aish: 8 Famous Black Artists with Jewish Moms | Aish
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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.