Seafaring and piracy are not the first associations that come to mind when we think of the Jews. In this episode, we will travel the Great Sea – the Mediterranean – in search of Jews who had salt water in their blood. We will sail from ancient Israel to the Middle Ages – and even revisit the question often asked – Columbus? Funny, he does not look Jewish!

Links for Additional Reading

The Great Sea, David Abulafia – a Book Review (The Guardian, May 1, 2012)

Jewish Pirates of the Mediterranean, Yaakov Landman (Kankan, April 3, 2020)

Columbus and the Jews, Jonathan Sarna (Commentary, November 1992)

Fado with Lior Hochberg – A Spotify Playlist mentioned in Something for the Road

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Who doesn’t love an Indiana Jones flick? The excitement of the search for treasure, the trepidation before the unknown, and encounter with long-buried stories. At Tel Maresha and Beit Guvrin – UNESCO World Heritage Sites – we will uncover the underground city and its caves, tunnels, and chambers – and share the stories of the archeological excavations and the Dig for a Day program. Join us for an adventure above and below ground… and bring your fedora. And this time – we will host a special guest – Dr. Ian Stern of the Israel Antiquities Authority and Haifa University – the archeologist responsible for the excavation and one of the founders of the Dig for a Day program.

Links for Additional Reading

A Dig Full of Holes, Sara Jo Ben Zvi (Segula – The Jewish History Magazine, September 2023)

Beit Guvrin National Park Israel Nature and Parks Authority

Israel Museum Receives Stone 'Letter,’ Etgar Lefkovits (The Jerusalem Post, May 7, 2007)

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High in the Portuguese mountains lies the small, inconspicuous village of Belmonte. At first glance, Belmonte possesses the local charm of many of the villages of the Senhora da Esperança range. However, the village possesses a secret dating back nearly half a millennia – a Jewish community that went underground during the Spanish and Portuguese expulsions and inquisitions – and held onto their Jewish core for centuries. Discover Belmonte and this little-known story of steadfast Jewish resistance.

Links for Additional Reading

Portugal, Echoes of a Jewish Past

Belmonte: A Reporter Revisits An Anusim Community

The Converso History

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