Herod and Judaism
Herod's relationship with Judaism comes under question very often. Was the 1st century BCE King of Judea Jewish? We need to remember that applying modern…
Herod’s Gardens
Herod, Herod in a land so arid, How did your garden grow? With cypress, pine, and bonsai olive trees, That's how your garden grew! Herod…
Battle Hymn
In our current world, where conflict is at the forefront, it's interesting to see how battles are depicted in the past. In the United States,…
Stealing Horses
It's hard to know how things will turn out and what life events will lead to important decisions made later in life. Joseph Nakash could…
Armenian Pottery in Jerusalem
It's a Jerusalem story involving the British, Armenian Christians, and Moslems. In the 1920's the British facilitate the return to Jerusalem of Armenian Christian ceramic…
Ben Gurion and Shimon
I'm always inspired with Ben Gurion's vision of the Negev desert and its importance to the Jewish people. In contrast to other Ancient Near East…
Moses and the Exodus
The main story of the Passover holiday is the Exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. As Jews, this is a seminal event that…
Pisa in Jerusalem
I work for the Tower of David. I guide there, and translate materials for them, so I am interested in everything surrounding the Citadel and…
A Commander of Mules and Men
World War I (the Great War) changed so much in the world, ushering us into the "modern age". Because of the atrocities of World War…
Like Clay in the Hands of the Potter
One of the most compelling piyyutim poems in the Yom Kippur prayers (piyyut here) compares the relationship between Man and God through metaphors centering around…
