History

When family history becomes an Aliyah file

From birth certificates to apostilles, the documents that can turn generations of family history into verifiable proof for an Aliyah application.

“Families remember people through stories. Governments remember them through records.”
Chateau D'if, viewed from Marseille.

Sages, synagogues, and seaside: Discovering Jewish history along the French Riviera

 Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa attend a group photo session with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025.

Beyond war: Why the Middle East needs courage, dialogue, and reconciliation - opinion

Russia's President Vladimir Putin takes part in a ceremony to present Gold Star medals to service members, who were involved in the country's military campaign in Ukraine and awarded the title of Hero of Russia, in Moscow, Russia, December 17, 2025.

Putin embraces the dark corners of Russia’s history – opinion


This week in Jewish history: The SS Exodus, Tisha B’Av, and Nobel pioneers

From the destruction of the Temples to Nobel Prize breakthroughs, the coming weeks mark defining moments of Jewish loss, resilience and achievement.

‘SS EXODUS,’ now derelict, in Haifa Port, 1952.

Lincoln Memorial to pull historic documents from public display over fear of heat damage - report

The documents include rare copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, bearing the original signatures of Abraham Lincoln and other Civil War-era officials.

Visitors view the Lincoln Memorial Undercroft during the grand opening on June 25, 2026 in Washington, DC.

The global war to delegitimize Israel: The war for which Israel built no shelters - opinion

Since October 7, Israel has fought on multiple military fronts. Yet there is another front that receives far less attention despite its strategic significance: delegitimizing the State of Israel.

An AI-generated political cartoon.

Middle Israel: How Jews and Palestinians became masters of historical denial

Had the Jews studied their history impartially, they would've understood centuries before Herzl that regaining their land and restoring their power is their task, not God's.

Palestinian women walk past a mural of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Hebron on the 21st anniversary of Arafat’s death. Ruth Wasserman Lande argues that the Palestinian narrative was created by the Soviet Union.

The little object that traveled the world: A story of trade, culture, and tradition

A journey through the remarkable history of playing cards, from ancient trade routes and coffeehouses to the digital age, revealing how a simple deck became a global cultural icon.

A centuries-long journey of cultural exchange, where traditions, ideas, and human connections traveled across borders and generations.

Israeli-designed Palace of Versailles extended reality installation set to launch

The new "Light of Liberty" installation allows visitors to walk next to historical figures in a simulated eighteenth-century environment.

Rendering of the XR experience at Palace of Versailles.

Israel is safer because of Lindsey Graham - opinion

Israel is safer because of Lindsey Graham's steadfast friendship, his moral clarity, and his willingness to stand firm when it mattered most.

US Sen. Lindsey Graham (L) speaks near US Republican Sen. John McCain during a news conference at the David Citadel hotel in Jerusalem January 3, 2014.

Theodor Herzl and American Jews: The untold story of a Zionist bond that changed history

From early skeptics to aliyah pioneers, American Jews have carried forward Theodor Herzl’s dream for more than a century.

Theodor Herzl (1860-1904), visionary.

Traveling in Messi’s footsteps: The city where a boy from Rosario became a legend

Argentina’s comeback put Messi in the spotlight again, but Rosario never left him. A route, murals and Messi-inspired ice cream made it a destination.

Graffiti mural in honor of Messi.

Walking through the ancient waterway behind Jerusalem's story

During the Three Weeks, descend into the Biyar Aqueduct in Gush Etzion and experience the cool waters that once supplied ancient Jerusalem.

The Biyar Aqueduct in Gush Etzion.