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Issue 10 | April 2012

Articles

Painting Propaganda – Arthur Szyk

Akiva Zimmerman

Arthur Szyk fought valiantly as an officer in the Ukrainian army, but in defense of his own people, his most potent weapon was his brush. His cartoons assailed his enemies, while his patriotism found expression in richly ornamented declarat

A Novel Approach – Historical Romance

Asael Abelman

Whether by Sir Walter Scott or by Abraham Mapu, the historical novel of the 19th century played a significant part in the rise of national consciousness that changed the face of Europe. The Jews of Europe were no exception to this trend Asa

Winning the Race – New Israel

Assaf Malach

The Christian kingdoms of medieval Europe found inspiration for their national vision in the biblical narrative of God’s chosen race Assaf Malach In 1523, a Christian scribe copying a Russian translation of Psalms noted, in an a

Sacrifice in Samaria – Samaritans

Zeev H. Ehrlich

The paschal lambs are bleating on the road to Nablus. The community elders are decked out in white and the final preparations for the sacrifice on Mt. Gerizim are nearing completion. Is this what the Temple Mount is waiting for? Zeev H. Ehr

Columns

Film review | The Iron Lady

Sara Jo Ben-Zvi

Margaret Thatcher’s career is worthy of a more deserving tribute than a film about Alzheimer’s Sara Jo Ben-Zvi The Iron Lady Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, 2011   It seems a terrible pity, if one must make a film about Alzheimer’

Book Review | Demonic Desires

Shai Secunda

The lustful demon of the Babylonian Talmud gamely withstands all scholarly attempts at rehabilitation Shai Secunda Demonic Desires“Yetzer Hara” and the Problem of Evil in Late Antiquity Ishay Rosen-ZviUniversity of Pennsylvani

Heads and Tales | The Hole in the Coin

Itamar Atzmon

The Jewish population was agog at the thought of exchanging their Ottoman and Egyptian currency for British Mandate coins stamped with Hebrew, Latin, and Arabic characters. The Arabs, on the other hand, were more inclined to boycott the Pal

From the Archives | A Bonfire of Vanities

Hadassah Assouline

A sentence in the concluding prayer of every synagogue service infuriated Christians as an anti-Christian slur aimed at their messiah. An imperial decree wiped the offending words from the prayer books of Ashkenaz Hadassah Assouline

Book Review | Pleasant are their Names

Elka Weber

Tell me your name and I’ll tell you where you come from. The origins and significance of Jewish names is a fast developing field of research, a rare window opening onto a world long-thought left behind Elka Weber Pleasant are t