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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.
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Antiochus III Rewards the Jews

King Antiochus to Ptolemy [probably Ptolemy, son of Thraseas, governor of Coele-Syria under Antiochus III] sends a greeting. “Since the Jews, upon our first entrance into their country, demonstrated…

Antipas as Tetrarch

Now Herod the tetrarch, who was in great favor with Tiberius, built a city and called it Tiberias. He built it in the best part of Galilee, at the lake of Gennesareth, which is near a village called…

Revolt in the Galilee

When the Jews who had pursued Cestius returned to Jerusalem, they either forced or persuaded any remaining pro-Romans to join their movement, and held a mass meeting at the temple to appoint further…

The Sack of Jerusalem

Now masters of the walls, the Romans planted their standards on the towers and clapped and sang in joyful celebration of their victory. They had found the final stages of the war much…

Constantine’s New Jerusalem

Such was the situation when another memorable work of great importance was done in the province of Palestine by the Godbeloved [Constantine I]. It was this. He decided that he ought to make…

Rava and the Queen Mother

Ifra Hormiz, the mother of King Shapur, sent blood before Rava. Rav Ovadiah was sitting in front of him. [Rava] smelled it. He said to her, “This is blood of desire.” She said to her son, “See how…

Lifestyle and Beliefs

The Jewish War 2.119–151 The Essenes, who are native Jews, are particularly known for their high-minded discipline, and they are a closer-knit community than the others. They reject the pleasures of…

Jesus’ Parables

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.