Can five years create a heritage worth preserving? Twenty thousand Jewish refugees found shelter in Shanghai's Hongkuo District during World War II, and then departed, almost without trace. Today the shingled rooftops of Hongkuo stand squarely in the path of relentlessly advancing skyscrapers, a silent, humble reminder of China's past courage and generosity Read more...

The synergy between Nathan of Gaza, a charismatic young genius, and Shabbetai Tzvi, a complex, troubled personality, led to a dramatic upheaval among the Jewish people. A glimpse into the unbelievable Sabbatean story Read more...

What kind of Jewish identity can survive in a community open to anyone who comes knocking at the door? The heroic example of the Jewish community center in a Sarajevo torn by civil war gave the community a new lease of life - which may yet prove to be its undoing Read more...

The battle of Hattin was the deciding round in the struggle between Saracens and Crusaders for control of the Holy Land. Current wisdom attributes the Crusaders' defeat to their imperialist status as conquerors - but the facts on the ground tell a different story. A fresh appraisal Read more...

Fugitives of the priestly tribe from the time of the second Temple, the Jews of the Arabian desert once lived like kings. Desolate ruins on the hilltops and the testimony of Islamic sources are all that remain of the cultural riches that first inspired, then infuriated Muhammad Read more...

In the city of the famed Greek cheesemakers, a resplendent synagogue stands in sharp contrast to a neglected cemetery, testimony to the priorities of a small but unique community. The liturgy preserved here is the closest in existence to the ancient tradition of the Land of Israel Read more...

A treasure divided, half of this richly illuminated manuscript of Maimonides' Mishneh Torah is owned by the Vatican, while the other half has just found a new home in Jerusalem. Restored to its original exquisite richness, the illuminated Maimonides will be on view in the Israel Museum's permanent exhibition hall when it re-opens this summer Read more...

Links in a chain of secrecy bridging cultures and faiths, the Tomb of David on Mount Zion, Zedekiah's Cave, and the Mahane Yehuda market all bear the mark of the mysterious society of Freemasons Read more...

Stepping into the world of Shlomo Moussaieff's antiquities collection at his home in Herzliya is more like walking into a magical Aladdin's cave than a neatly categorized museum. His fascinating - and controversial - collection revolves around Moussaieff's self-avowed obsession with proving the veracity of the Bible. "I collect to remind myself I am a Jew," says the sprightly octogenarian Read more...

Beatrice, Hannah, or Gracia? The lives of the anusim and their descendants in the sixteenth century can be described as a masquerade of names and identities. Few of them can compare with Dona Gracia who controlled fabulous weaith and a broad international commercial network, yet used her power to defend the most persecuted of nations - her own. Read more...