History for the Curious - The Jewish History Podcast

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 Olami UK 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.
Podcast Description
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 Olami UK 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.
Episodes
Episodes



Feb 8, 2023
Feb 8, 2023
44 min
Rabbi Hersh & Rabbi Akiva Tatz have teamed up again - bringing to life the Origins, Events, Ideas & Impact of this towering genius, in a 3-part series.



Jan 29, 2023
Jan 29, 2023
36 min
Monarchy and Power have bred controversy throughout the centuries.
Jews were often impacted by association: the Abarbanel in Portugal, Richard the Lionheart & advice from a Chief Rabbi.



Jan 17, 2023
#71 - Holocaust Reflections III - Swiss Gold
Jan 17, 2023
Jan 17, 2023
40 min
What is the price of crime and who should it be paid to?
A topical and controversial insight into post-war payments from Germany and subsequently from Switzerland. Personal accounts, documented events & international demands.



Jan 10, 2023
#70 - Holocaust Reflections II - The Theft
Jan 10, 2023
Jan 10, 2023
36 min
Everyone is vaguely aware that alongside the destruction of Jewish lives, there was a large-scale theft of Jewish assets.
However the details and amounts are truly shocking as was the behaviour of certain individuals and countries.



Jan 3, 2023
Jan 3, 2023
36 min
The Holocaust offered almost no possibilities to strike back. Yet whenever the opportunity did arise, there were always some who risked everything; often paying the ultimate price.
Two girls - under very different circumstances - became legendary. This is their story



Dec 19, 2022
#68 - History of History for The Curious
Dec 19, 2022
Dec 19, 2022
25 sec
Curious about Rabbi Hersh & the Podcast? Please check out our annual peek behind the scenes where I get to ask all the burning questions we've all had...
https://vimeo.com/779294036



Dec 15, 2022
#67 - What Happened to the Chashmona’im?
Dec 15, 2022
Dec 15, 2022
42 min
They ruled for 100 years after the Chanukah events and then suddenly disappear from history. How? Who were they?
And where do the Saducees & Idumeans fit into the picture?



Dec 6, 2022
#66 - The Origins of Christianity III
Dec 6, 2022
Dec 6, 2022
40 min
What was the Donation of Constantine? What is the crime of Deicide? And how do I respond to a Missionary?



Nov 29, 2022
#65 - The Origins of Christianity II
Nov 29, 2022
Nov 29, 2022
32 min
Why was the 19th blessing of the Amida created?
How did Christianity survive the 300 years before there was a 'New Testament'? What extreme change happened in Nicea in 325CE?
And what does belief mean?



Nov 23, 2022
#64 - The Origins of Christianity I
Nov 23, 2022
Nov 23, 2022
37 min
Who was he? When was he actually born? Why was he crucified? And how did 2.3 billion people become his followers?
This podcast is required listening for any Jew.



Nov 16, 2022
#63 - The Jews & Britain’s Prime Ministers III
Nov 16, 2022
Nov 16, 2022
34 min
The Jew Bill 1753
A perfectly harmless Act of Parliament becomes the launch pad for a war against the Jews of England. In the streets, the press, and Whitehall.
Faced by a wall of opposition, Parliament moves to restrict the freedom of the Jews.... But all is far from lost.



Nov 8, 2022
Nov 8, 2022
33 min
Is there an international Jewish conspiracy?
Why did England's Jews move away from Orthodoxy without Haskallah or Reform.
Were Jews involved in crime during the 1700s? And who was the Jewish wife of the P.M.?



Nov 2, 2022
#61 - The Jews & Britain’s Prime Ministers I
Nov 2, 2022
Nov 2, 2022
37 min
British Jewry has lived through 56 Prime Ministers.
Some have supported us. Others hid their anti-semitism behind policy. And then there were those who simply abandoned us.
But surprisingly, repentance would still be on the cards for a few.



Oct 26, 2022
#60 - Printing IV - The Legacies
Oct 26, 2022
Oct 26, 2022
38 min
Why did the Russian Czar and the US army finance different printings of the Talmud over the course of a century?
Who was the Widow Romm?
And who was the 12 year old type-setter looking for a husband?



Oct 13, 2022
Oct 13, 2022
30 min
Who creates fakes and who has been taken in by them?
Why was the first English translation of the Talmud so controversial?
And a challenge for our listeners…



Sep 29, 2022
#58 - Printing II - The Printing Revolution
Sep 29, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
38 min
Why did the world change with the printing press? Why were mistakes included and were they deliberate ?
Who censored the Rama?And how do you translate Alma?



Sep 20, 2022
#57 - Printing I - All the King’s Men
Sep 20, 2022
Sep 20, 2022
37 min
Why would the King of Poland order Jews to buy Sefarim? What was so unusual about Yiddish printing…. and did The Queen live because of a 1938 blessing?



Sep 14, 2022
Sep 14, 2022
32 min
Elizabeth II: A century of life & 70 years of service. Historical Reflections & Personal Recollections of Britain’s monarchy.



Sep 6, 2022
Sep 6, 2022
45 min
Aged over 70, he is yet to be elected as the Rov of Prague.
So what is his actual connection? Why did his son leave town? Where did the Maharal spend Yom Kippur in 1602?
...And a key insight into the teachings and ideas of the Maharal.



Aug 30, 2022
Aug 30, 2022
38 min
Surrounded by Mystery, Mysticism & Folklore…
But what was his name? Why did he leave Nikolsburg? And why was his very legitimacy questioned?







