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History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast

History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast

By: JLE
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About this listen

 History for the Curious The most talked-about Jewish History Podcast History for the Curious features the dynamic historian and famous tour guide & lecturer: Rabbi Aubrey Hersh, live from the JLE in London, hosted by myself: Mena Reisner Join us as we cross continents, sail through the centuries, tracing lives, uncovering events and following epic journeys, to reveal the untold stories, the scandals, and the mysteries, that have impacted our history and shaped us into who we are today. Encounter leaders, visionaries, spies, heroes & traitors and unpack 2,000 years of Jewish heritage. Go back to the story of Jews in the Temple of Jerusalem. Confront the dilemmas of the Holocaust. Visit Paris, Prague, Vilna, London, Venice, New York & the Cairo Geniza. Meet The Russian Czar, Ramchal, Maharal, Maimonides, Churchill, Shabbetai Zvi and the Hapsburgs.Copyright 2021 All rights reserved. Judaism Spirituality World
Episodes
  • #181: The Menorah - History's Greatest Jewish Mystery

    #181: The Menorah - History's Greatest Jewish Mystery
    Dec 21 2025
    The Menorah was the most adopted symbol in the Jewish world. But where is the original? We know of a Menorah in Rome in 70CE. The Talmud tells us it was examined. But what follows is centuries of silence What does History tell us? What do eyewitnesses report? What has the Church said? And what role does the 2nd Temple Menorah have, in the redemption of the Jewish People? This episode is the outcome of the most up-to-date research and analysis and includes a recently recorded conversation with a Rabbi who entered the Vatican cellars 55 years ago accompanied by Pope John Paul II.

    Timestamps:

    - 0:00 — Opening:

    - 0:38 — Podcast intro (host & Rabbi Hersh).

    - 1:14 — Memorial/announcements.

    - 2:17 — Episode topic introduced: “Where is the menorah?”

    - 4:00 — Menorah as Jewish symbol; historical significance.

    - 8:00 — Arch of Titus / Josephus / early Roman display.

    - 10:00 — Fire in 191 CE and disappearance possibilities.

    - 15:00 — Jews in ancient Rome / social context.

    - 20:00 — Constantine/Byzantine period and relocation theories (312 CE).

    - 25:00 — Christian adoption/use of menorah imagery.

    - 30:00 — Vatican holdings, openness, and inventories.

    - 34:30 — Eyewitness claims overview; Rabbi Stencil letter exchange.

    - 40:00 — Oscar Goldman 1962 account (electrician shown items).

    - 41:30 — 1970s rabbi’s underground Vatican visit description.

    - 52:40 — Testimony analysis: credibility issues and scholarly skepticism.

    - 1:03:47 — Theological point: first‑ vs. second‑Temple vessels and redemption.

    - 1:10:00 — Halachic notes on making/holding menorah replicas; closing.
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • #180: Chanukah - Celebrating the War We Didn't Win?

    #180: Chanukah - Celebrating the War We Didn't Win?
    Dec 11 2025

    Chanukah is central to our Jewish Calendar and way of life, but there are many unanswered questions: Why celebrate defeat? What was the real role of Kohanim during the Second Temple? Why was this Yomtov chosen to reflect the ultimate ideal ?

    Tracing the story from Alexander the Great and Shimon HaTzaddik through the corruption of the Second Temple and the rise of Hellenism, the podcast redefines the central idea of Chanukah - the only festival established by the Sages post-prophecy

    Connecting the ancient clash of civilizations to the battles which echo down through Russia, America and Eretz Yisrael; It defines Who is a Jew.

    Timestamps

    [0:00:00] Introduction to Greek Exile and Historical Context

    [0:01:07] Podcast Dedication and Welcome

    [0:02:05] Setting Up the Hanukkah Discussion

    [0:04:13] Questioning the Purpose of Hanukkah Celebration

    [0:14:44] Historical Prequel: Alexander the Great and Shimon HaTzadik

    [0:22:49] Corruption of the Priesthood

    [0:26:38] Empire Dynamics After Alexander

    [0:31:05] Jewish Attraction to Greek Culture

    [0:40:41] The Spiritual Victory of Hanukkah

    [0:49:26] Comparing Purim and Hanukkah

    [0:50:44] Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-up
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    51 mins
  • #179: The Most Unbelievable Story in Modern History

    #179: The Most Unbelievable Story in Modern History
    Dec 4 2025

    Yitzchak Trebitsch was an active participant - under various names - in some of the twentieth century’s most important events: mass immigration, WWI wartime espionage, radical right-wing Germany, Chinese civil war and the Japanese invasion during WWII. But in the end he was a nobody.

    His death was attributed variously to Nazi poison, Allied vengeance, Buddhist enemies, or enraged Jews.

    His story is stranger than fiction, but there are important lessons we can take from it.

    Timestamps

    [0:03:07] Origins: Hungarian Jewish Childhood

    [0:04:40] Early Crimes: Theft and Deception

    [0:07:54] Religious Transformations: Conversions and Missionaries

    [0:11:00] Political Ambitions: Brief Parliamentary Career

    [0:18:23] Wartime Intrigue: Espionage and Escapes

    [0:28:00] Political Extremism: Far-Right Conspiracies

    [0:35:00] Global Wanderings: International Adventures

    [0:41:30] Spiritual Journey: Becoming a Buddhist Monk

    [0:45:00] World War Machinations: Nazi and Japanese Connections

    [0:48:44] Final Act: Decline in Shanghai
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 3 mins
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