Sample Sources
The sources below are those contained in our three curated collections—covering themes of Passover, Gender Roles, and Holocaust Resistance. They represent a fraction of the thousands of sources that will be available when the full site launches in 2024.
Maḥzor
This prayer book for the Rosh Hashanah festival from Crete is elaborately decorated inside with drawings of animals and people and has a colorful title page. Greek (Romaniote/Byzantine) Jews had lived…
If thrones have been seated in heaven: For Rosh Hashanah
This poem expresses the idea that since today is the day when seats are set up [for judgment], since the Jewish people has declared the New Month, therefore we need to run to God and prostrate…
Tsori la-nefesh u-marpe’ la-‘etsem (Balm for the Soul and Healing for the Bones)
To the princes and the honored ones, rulers of the people, the members of the charitable association in the ghetto of the holy community of Venice, may their Rock and Redeemer protect those who…
Re’shit ḥokhmah (Beginning of Wisdom): On Love
The concept of Love is further explained in the Zohar [II, Ki Tissa, 190b], where it is stated as follows: The Torah contains within it love and brotherhood and truth. Abraham loved…
Sefat emet (True Speech)
However, in our many sins, she is Zion, there is none who cares for her (Jeremiah 30:17). Consider the question you asked, speaking like an enemy without knowledge [see Job 34:34]. For it follows the…
Grammatica Hebraica (Hebrew Grammar)
Part One, in which are shown all the rules necessary for understanding language, how to compose and write therein prose and verse, with the appropriate elegance and measure.
To the Reader:
Although I…
Contra la verdad no hay fuerza (The Truth Will Always Win Out)
Truth descends to the stage in a pillar of fire.Truth:I come to dispel shadows with eternal light.Error:What difficulties do I see?Will:What do I see?Intellect:Is it not Truth whom I adore?Falsehood:I…
Heavy Sand
Why weren’t my family evacuated? Well, at the beginning nobody thought the Germans would get as far as us. Of course, there was the first shock of their sudden attack and their rapid advance, but…
Winter’s Tale
Manhattan, a high narrow kingdom as hopeful as any that ever was, burst upon him full force, a great and imperfect steel-tressed palace of a hundred million chambers, many-tiered gardens, pools…
Apples from the Desert
Weary from the journey, confused by what she was seeing, shaken by the vicissitudes of the day, and straining to repress her rage, which was getting away from her in spite of herself—and always…
The One Facing Us
He spent much time at the home of Nona Fortuna and Grandpapa Jacquo. After a night on the town, he would fall asleep fully clothed on the couch in their living room, or in Uncle Sicourelle’s bed with…
In Babylon
Emmanuel Hollander worked at, and believed in progress, but progress was not a religious notion for him, as it was for his future wife. He was an engineer and knew that every machine began as a…