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.
Forged Identities in Nazi-Occupied France
View forged identity cards used by Olga Kagan-Katunal, a Jewish Resistance member in Nazi-occupied France who helped others evade arrest.
Petition from an Ottoman Jew in Shanghai for British Protection
See how Ben-Sion Aaron Somekh, a Baghdadi Jewish merchant in Shanghai, sought British protection after World War I amid shifting empires.
Menahem Begin’s Speech and the Mizrahi Turn to Likud
In his 1977 speech “Ashkenazi, Iraqi, Jews! Brothers! Fighters!,” Menahem Begin denounced anti-Mizrahi bias and called for unity, helping shift support to Likud.
“This Isn’t Europe”: Mizrahi Music Challenges Israel’s Western Image
The Mizrahi hit “This Isn’t Europe” uses humor and bold performance to question whether Israel is truly Western or Middle Eastern at heart.
“Iraq ’n’ Roll”: Rediscovering Iraqi Jewish Roots
Playwright Samantha Ellis reflects on Iraqi Jewish culture, memory, and the music of Dudu Tassa.
The King of Mizrahi Music in 1970s Israel
Zohar Argov’s 1970s cassette revolutionized Mizrahi music in Israel, blending Arabic melodies with Hebrew lyrics and transforming Israeli popular culture.
Menena: An Egyptian Jewish Pastry
Claudia Roden’s recipe for an Egyptian-Jewish treat recalls a time when Jews and Muslims shared a rich, cosmopolitan Egypt.
“Weekend Update” Ridicules Trump’s Approach to Antisemitism
Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” pokes fun at Trump’s executive order on combating antisemitism.
A-WA’s “Habib Galbi”: An Israeli Hit Sung in Arabic
A-WA’s viral hit “Habib Galbi,” sung in Yemenite Arabic, reclaims Mizrahi roots and bridges Israeli pop with the shared sounds of the Arab world.
“Nine Out of Four Hundred”: Erasing Mizrahi History
Artist Meir Gal’s photo of a 1970s Israeli Jewish history textbook exposes how few pages acknowledged Mizrahi and non-European Jews.
The Ma’abarah: Life in Israel’s Transit Camps
Iraqi Israeli author Shimon Ballas’s 1964 novel portrays the struggles and resilience of Middle Eastern and North African Jews in Israel’s early immigrant transit camps.
Zohra El Fassia: A Moroccan Jewish Singer’s Lost Fame in Israel
Erez Bitton’s poem “Zohra El Fassia” mourns the Moroccan Jewish star’s fall from fame after immigrating to Israel, reflecting Mizrahi struggles for dignity.