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The Jewish enlightenment movement – known as the Haskala, endeavored to implement changes within the Jewish communal structure in the modern era. Though the haskala in its many manifestations existed in many countries in the modern era, this episode will focus on the haskala in 19th century Czarist Russia. Throughout the 19th century, the haskala grew into somewhat of a movement, and promulgated i...

The Jewish enlightenment movement – known as the Haskala, endeavored to implement changes within the Jewish communal structure in the modern era. Though the haskala in its many manifestations existed in many countries in the modern era, this episode will focus on the haskala in 19th century Czarist Russia. Throughout the 19th century, the haskala grew into somewhat of a movement, and promulgated i...

Nadav Slovin is a passionate seeker and educator. His love of the intersection between wilderness exploration and Jewish practice ultimately led him to found Lech Lecha, an organization that provides transformative outdoor adventures. But, before he could inspire others through his organization, Nadav had to find his own meaning and purpose in Judaism. This is […]

Rabbi Dov Ber Cohen teaches at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem. Before he found his spiritual home, Rabbi Cohen scoured the Far East. After six years immersed in Eastern philosophy and tradition, he returned to his Jewish roots. This is his story.  Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. Learn more at tachlismedia.com  

Though never large in number, the Karaite communities of Russia are an interesting side chapter in Russian Jewish history. Residing primarily in the Crimean Peninsula, with communities in Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania, the Czarist government recognized the Karaites as distinct from Rabbinic Jews. Due to this recognition and intense lobbying efforts, the Karaite community was gradually absolved fro...

Juliana Addi is a public school principal in New Jersey. She also sends her four kids to Yeshiva day schools. Addi’s ability to straddle the secular and observant worlds comes after she adopted a frum lifestyle. This is her story.  Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. Learn more at tachlismedia.com  

Rabbi Yoni Ganger is Campus Director of MEOR at Harvard University. His path to observant Jewish life wound through medical school, but it ultimately led him to the campus of Harvard University. Ganger has a unique perspective on the recent campus protests there and how Harvard Jews have coped. This is his story.  Saturday to […]

Rav Shabsai Hakohen (1621-1663) was the author of one of the most important halachic works ever written, the Shach (Sifsei Kohen). His last rabbinical position and burial place in Holesov, Czechia, is a popular stop on Jewish history tours of Europe, along with the well preserved 16th century shul which served that community for centuries. On this episode of Jewish History Tourbites-Soundbites, we...

The recent passing of Rav Meir Wunder (1934-2024) is an opportunity to pay tribute to this great man and his vast accomplishments as a historian, scholar and pioneer tour guide to Europe. Having attended Ponovezh Yeshiva in its early years, and gained a closeness with the Chazon Ish and many other Torah leaders of his time, he embarked on a career as a librarian. He eventually served as a libraria...

Jeff Astrof is a Hollywood writer and producer. Perhaps the most significant story he’s written is about his journey to Jewish observance. Jeff recently shared some tales from the writer’s room and what it’s like to work in Hollywood as an Orthodox Jew. This is his story.  Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. […]

Serge Zenin’s parents chose to send him to Yeshiva day school, which almost derailed his interest in Judaism for good. But Serge rediscovered it on his own terms as an adult and found his way to Jewish observance. This is his story.  Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. Learn more at tachlismedia.com  

Far from the Pale of Settlement, the Jews of Georgia, Bukhara, the Caucasus (Mountain) Jews, and other Jewish communities of Central Asia, found themselves under the jurisdiction of the Russian Empire over the course of the 19th century. These ancient Jewish communities had been under the influence of their Muslim surroundings for centuries, when through a series of conquests, they now found thems...

Aja Cohen is a fashion designer who has worked for Converse, Aeropostale and Elle Magazine, among others, before starting her own clothing brand. She’s also an Orthodox Jewish mom from New Jersey. She recently wove together for us the narrative threads of her religious and career journeys. This is her story.  Saturday to Shabbos is […]

Gavin Teller faced major life decisions in career and in love. The choices he almost made and the alternatives he  found led him on his path to Jewish observance, and to his true name, Rabbi Gavin Mordechai Teller. This is his story.  Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. Learn more at tachlismedia.com  

The Industrial Revolution brought the mechanization of manual labor, and this reached the matzah baking industry in the mid-19th century. Although it was initially accepted in Western Europe, when it arrived in Galicia in 1857, it sparked a controversy between leading rabbinical authorities regarding the permissibility of its use. Tracing the development of the stages of this dispute leads one to...

Chaya Parkoff is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Parkoff endured a family tragedy and personal health challenge, both of which could easily have made her lose her faith. Instead, Chaya grew from her experiences and found a unique path to Judaism. This is her story.  Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. Learn more […]

The Russian Czarist government restricted Russian Jewry to the western provinces of the empire through a series of legislative acts, which came to be known as the Pale of Settlement. Starting in the 1850’s, provisions were enacted which enabled certain types of Jews to reside outside the Pale. Wealthy merchants, those with academic degrees, certain kinds of military veterans and craftsman, were gr...

The journey to Jewish observance can be spiritual, physical … or both. Yaakov Schy’s journey took him all the way around the world to China and back. You might not think of China as the perfect place to light a Jewish flame. But, for Yaakov, that’s exactly what happened. This is his story.  Saturday to […]

Dr. Alan Perlman spent a number of years in the U.S. Air Force. You might not think that’s the ideal setting to grow religiously, but that’s exactly what happened to Perlman. He credits the supportive people, Jewish and non-Jewish, that he met at every stage of his journey for helping him get to where he is […]

A dominant feature of religious life of the 20th century has been the centrality of the Yeshiva institution for intensive Torah study. The modern yeshiva is a direct byproduct of its antecedents in the Russian Empire of the 19th century. The old oligarchy which controlled Jewish communal life in Eastern Europe for centuries, was a combination of the rabbinical and financial elite. The personality...

Dr. Jonathan Field is a Manhattan-based Allergist-Immunologist. His journey to Jewish observance included some timely geographic moves and positive influence from his sister. This is his story. Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. Learn more at tachlismedia.com  

Aron Sandler grew up religious, then made a career choice that strained his ability to lead an observant life. Aron managed to stay on the path despite his challenging environment. It’s an important lesson about what it takes to maintain commitment to Judaism. This is his story. Saturday to Shabbos is a Tachlis Media podcast. […]

Michael Schwartz is an attorney who specializes in defending police officers and other public servants accused of wrongdoing. And he does it while proudly wearing a kippah. His story from minimal Jewish observance to Orthodoxy winds into and out of courtrooms, where some fascinating dramas have played out. This is his story. Saturday to Shabbos […]

The Czarist government implemented a policy of censorship of all published material in the empire, whether it was imported or printed locally. Though this was a general policy, there were unique particularities regarding the censorship of Jewish works. In the early years following the partitions of Poland, there wasn’t an effective mechanism of censoring in place, and it was only in 1826 when cens...

Dr. Stuart (Simcha) Chesner is a clinical psychologist who specializes treating ADHD patients. Chesner felt like an underdog as a child, which fueled his desire to find his spiritual and professional paths. Chesner’s new book, Kosher ADHD (which he cowrote with Dr. Sara Markowitz), recommends practical approaches to helping people in the frum community with […]