Miscellaneous

The firstborn of Egypt, who held the key social and religious positions in Egyptian society, confronted the Jews, and were told: "We are preparing an offering to G-d. In four days, at the stroke of midnight, G-d will pass through Egypt in order to execute the tenth and final plague; all firstborn will die..."

The year: 1798. The person: a leading figure in the newly-established Chassidic movement. The crime: supporting Jewish settlement in the land of Israel

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The Jewish world is scattered with institutions all named after Sir Moses Montefiore—and yet how many Jews now know who he was?

While nearly no Jews still speak it or a modern version of it, Aramaic is an important part of Jewish literary and liturgical tradition.

When languages die, whole cultures die with them, and communities lose their identity. Jewish languages are no different.

Apart from a small group of enthusiasts and academics, the Jewish world has taken little notice of Ladino's demise. What is Ladino? Where is it from? Why is it important? And why is it ignored by the Jewish world?