Podcast Episodes
Back to Search#83 - Budapest I (1037-1526) - Kings, Money & Religion
Episode 80
Hungary changes from being Pagan to becoming Christian in the 11th century.
How did this affect the Jews? What was the Jewish Prefect? Who was Shlomo…
3 years, 3 months ago
#82 - The Unknown Genius III - Life on the Run
Episode 79
In the 1630s: The Catholic censors want his writings burnt and the secular authorities want him expelled. Meanwhile the French Ambassador brings him …
3 years, 4 months ago
#81 - The Unknown Genius II - His Later Years
Episode 78
Who was this iconoclast?
A Rabbi addicted to gambling, who spoke out against Kabbalah. A Halachic authority and expert in Hebrew. Innovator in Jewish…
3 years, 4 months ago
#80 - The Unknown Genius I - His Early Life
Episode 77
The 17th century provided plenty of Jewish drama - much of it unfortunate.
But no individual lived through more personal twists and turns than Rabbi …
3 years, 4 months ago
#79 - 17th Century Traitors IV - Aftermath: 350 Years of Chaos
Episode 76
Spinoza & Shabbetai Zvi had very different goals, however the historical overlap of their lives initiated a very destructive cycle of events. Jewish …
3 years, 5 months ago
#78 - 17th Century Traitors III - Spinoza Ex-communicated
Episode 75
Raised in Orthodox Jewish Amsterdam and buried in a church graveyard, Spinoza unleashed the most destructive attack on Judaism for 1,000 years.
But w…
3 years, 5 months ago
#77 - 17th Century Traitors II - Shabbetai Tzvi (1665-1676)
Episode 74
In 1665 Shabbetai Zvi is declared the Messiah across the Jewish world. Entire communities and their rabbis eagerly anticipate the final revelation i…
3 years, 5 months ago
#76 - 17th Century Traitors I - Shabbetai Tzvi (1626-1665)
Episode 73
In 1655, two people turned the entire Jewish world on its head. 10,000s of people were swept up in the revolution and the aftermath still echoes. Thi…
3 years, 6 months ago
#75 - The Vilna Gaon III - Leadership & Controversy
Episode 72
In the second half of the Gaon's life, he was imprisoned twice, he initiated a ban against Chassidus and he gave direction to future generations of l…
3 years, 6 months ago
#74 - The Vilna Gaon II - When Heaven Intervened (featuring Rabbi Dr Akiva Tatz)
Episode 71
Why was the Gaon unable to carry out certain ideas? Why remain neutral in the dispute that engulfed the 1700s? And who is buried next to him?
3 years, 6 months ago