Editor’s note: Rabbi Tuvia Genuth is a sofer stam (writer of holy scrolls). He received rabbinical ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Holidays in Judaism can be subdivided into two main categories. The first category includes holidays of biblical origin, explicitly mentioned in the “Torah” – the first 5 books of Moses that were received by the […]
This evening, Jewish communities across the world will begin celebrating Passover. Like many other cultures, food is a central part of Jewish celebrations. However, unlike some cultures, many Jews observe rules that inform what types of food they can consume and how that food should be prepared. “The literal translation of the word kosher means […]
We asked new and longtime BackStory listeners to submit some of their best recipes for Jewish cuisine. Just in time for Passover, we’re highlighting a few of those submissions on our blog. If you have a recipe you’d like to submit, just use the form below. Max & Sally’s Gefilte Fish About the recipe: Ziggy Gruber is […]
In celebration of National Library Week, we asked the Guys, past guests, and BackStory producers: what are you reading? Brian Balogh, 20th Century History Guy and author of the forthcoming book, In the Nation’s Backyard: How History Preserved Rural Life in Green Springs, 1970 to the Present “The book I am listening to […]
Today, the house at 1026 Conti looks quiet and unassuming but 100 years ago, it was one of the most popular brothels in New Orleans. In the early twentieth-century, Norma Wallace, now known as the Last Madam of New Orleans, lived and ran her prostitution business from this house. The house came with a […]
In the late 1940s, the US Supreme Court struck down restrictive covenants—rules that barred people of certain races from living in particular neighborhoods. This, combined with a booming post-war housing market, fueled a massive movement of people in Chicago. Over the next two decades, black Chicagoans increasingly moved out of the South Side to white neighborhoods on […]
Editor’s note: Rachel Isralowitz is a student reporter for Summit High School in Summit, NJ. This story originally appeared in Summit’s student newspaper, The Verve. Three historians analyze the true story behind “The Revenant.” A reporter investigates a military court-martial. A “Seinfeld” star reads an essay about a dying goldfish. These diverse topics are all […]
The late winter day was overcast and nippy with the feel of pending snow in the air as I walked around the African American Civil War Memorial I snapped some pictures of the bronze soldiers known as the Spirit of Freedom, read a few of the names on the wall and looked around for the […]
Recent studies have found that as of May 2015, 13.8 percent of millennials (aged 18 to 29) don’t have jobs. This is significantly higher than the national average of 5.4 percent. Many more millennials are underemployed. “The conditions of unemployment and job security are changing dramatically,” said Peter Onuf, co-host of BackStory and history professor […]