The Decisive Decade (1939–1949) examines the encounter between the needs of the Yishuv (the Jewish community in the Land of Israel) and those of North African Jewry. It explores the implications of this encounter for the eventual end of the Jewish presence in North Africa and the period's influence on the patterns that characterized that conclusion. The book analyzes this era through the lenses of decolonization processes, French policy in North Africa, the functioning of Jewish leadership, and—above all—the ways in which North African Jews shaped their own world and future during this time. Topics discussed include: Muslim and French colonial societies and their attitudes toward immigration to the Land of Israel; stages of clandestine immigration ( Ha'apala ); early points of contact between North African Jews, Holocaust survivors, and the Yishuv society; the period's impact on decolonization; the protection of the Jewish population; the roots of the ethnic divide in the Land of Israel; and the shaping of the historical memory of this era.

Carnival and Canon examines the emergence and development of the Purim parody, a distinctive genre of Jewish literature that flourished from the Middle Ages onward. Created for the annual celebration of Purim, these humorous works transformed the language and forms of canonical Jewish texts, including the Talmud, the Hebrew Bible, liturgy, and prayer, into playful parodies centered on the festive customs of eating, drinking, and revelry. Situated at the intersection of the sacred and the secular, elite literary culture and popular humor, the genre offers a unique perspective on the cultural life of medieval and early modern European Jewry. The book focuses on the three most influential Purim parodies: Masekhet Purim by Kalonymus ben Kalonymus (1324–1328), and Megillat Setarim together with Sefer Ḥabakbuk by Rabbi Levi ben Gershom (Gersonides, 1332). First printed together in 1513, these works circulated widely in manuscript and print and inspired generations of later Purim parodies. Combining literary analysis with cultural history, the book explores the Jewish and non-Jewish intellectual contexts in which these texts were written, their role in Purim celebrations, and their reception over several centuries. It presents the first comprehensive historical study of a genre that illuminates the dynamic relationship between ritual, humor, and literary tradition.

They were ordinary people – citizens of Mandatory Israel – Jewish women, children and men who had traveled to visit Poland and with the German occupation were unable to return home. Most of them remained in Poland and became hostages, captured by Nazi Germany, who used them to exchange them for German Templars living in Israel. The Drowning Person Grabs at Straws follows their journeys, the actions taken to rescue them, the many efforts invested by various political elements, and the pressure exerted by the families in the country to return them. Ultimately, in December 1941 and November 1942, about 120 civilians – “uninvolved” – were returned to their homes in Israel, and upon their arrival, they gave testimonies about the fate of the Jews in Poland that shocked the Yishuv. Another hero of the book is the foreign passport. Immediately after the German occupation, Polish Jews believed that a foreign passport could save them. Demand increased in 1943 after the mass murder of the Jews. Those who survived lived under false identities or in hiding. For some, these were shaky solutions, and they hung their lives on foreign papers, mainly from Latin American countries, which were bought for a lot of money. The Germans lured and hunted them down, and concentrated them in a special camp in Bergen-Belsen. Thus, the Jews with foreign passports once again became hostages, until they were murdered. However, not all of them were murdered. Out of 2,500 people, a group of 275 Jews who held British-Eretz Israel passports, and dozens more citizens of the United States and South America, arrived on Liberation Day and were saved. The book won the "Am Ve'olam" prize in the name of the late Bella and Shlomo Bartal for an outstanding book in history.

Korot publishes original articles related to medical history covering medicine in Jewish and Hebrew sources, the history of Jewish physicians, medicine in Palestine and Israel and medicine during the Nazi era. There are shorter historical notes on these topics, book reviews and comments on important developments in medical history. Articles are mainly in English but with a significant Hebrew section.

De Nobilitate et Praecellentia Foeminei Sexus is a revolutionary proto-feminist treatise written by Cornelius Agrippa in 1509. The book boldly argues that women are morally, spiritually, and physically superior to men. Reinterpreting biblical stories, Agrippa notes that Eve was created in Paradise from refined substance, unlike Adam who was made from crude dust. He systematically attacks historical misogyny rooted in Roman law and theology, blaming women's subjection on patriarchal tyranny and restricted education. By emphasizing that God granted both sexes identical souls, this radical Renaissance declamation delivered a profound critique of male authority and gender inequality.

Over the past few decades, South Korea has astonished the world with its remarkable transformation. From one of the world's poorest countries, it has emerged as a global economic power, a vibrant democracy, and a leading force in technology, innovation, and popular culture. Korea: Between Tradition and Innovation takes readers on a fascinating journey through the history, society, and culture of the Korean Peninsula. From the legendary founding of Korea in 2333 BCE and the rise of its royal dynasties to the Japanese colonial period, the division of the peninsula, and the contrasting paths of North and South Korea, the book provides a comprehensive perspective. Focusing primarily on South Korea, it explores the country's transition from military rule to democracy and from postwar poverty to global prominence. The book also examines the enduring influence of Korean religions and philosophies, social changes, education, and economic development, alongside the challenges of modernization and globalization. The book also focuses on the global phenomenon of the Korean Wave (Hallyu), highlighting the worldwide impact of K-pop, cinema, television dramas, cuisine, and cosmetics. This book is an essential guide for students, scholars, business professionals, diplomats, travelers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Korea's unique journey from tradition to innovation.

Emotions and emotional life have come to assume an important place in the study of religion and the humanities, but little attention has yet been given to considering the kabbalistic and hasidic traditions. This volume aims to fill that gap. Ranging historically from the thirteenth century to contemporary times, it touches on a broad selection of Jewish mystical movements. The theoretical and methodological approaches adopted are similarly diverse, drawn from fields including history, psychology and psychoanalysis, literary and cultural studies, and the history of religion. The range of emotions covered includes shame, guilt, sadness, anger, awe and fear, joy, compassion, and love. How have different teachers and communities conceived of and articulated emotional life? To what extent do emotions play a role in attaining spiritual and moral perfection, and what practices have been encouraged in the pursuit of these ideals? What is the relationship between notions of ethics, interpersonal relations, and emotions? When we speak of ‘emotional life’ we think not only of ideas about emotions, but also the complex, dynamic role that emotional experience plays in the actual lives of individuals and communities. A substantial introduction to the volume addresses these broad questions in the context of religious literature and culture.

The Roman philosopher Seneca wrote the treatise on anger for his brother Novatus, who was not a philosopher but a statesman. The brother, governor of the province of Asia during the time of Emperor Nero, asked his philosopher brother to help him with practical advice on how to govern better and improve his relationship with his subjects, and in particular how to moderate and restrain anger, a disturbing emotion and sometimes even frightening in its outbursts. Seneca, as is evident from the treatise he wrote, thought that the best way was to prevent the outbreak of anger and the impulse that always accompanies it – to take revenge. The work sheds new light on the universal human emotion that dominates people of all times and generations, describes anger and its consequences, offers suggestions for controlling this harmful emotion with reason, and gives advice for preventing circumstances that may arouse anger and the urge for revenge that stems from it. To illustrate his points, Seneca brings a selection of historical events about the behavior of rulers who can take revenge on their subjects as they please, and about the subjects' methods of survival.

Trusting the Process offers a fresh approach for anyone working or dealing with older individuals by employing new and exciting custom methodologies in psychodrama, particularly for clients with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. This book offers a general explanation of the use of psychodrama by giving an overview of the therapeutic use of drama in all its forms, clearly explaining the concepts and methods and describing the rationale of every intervention while also following a group over six years with precious documentation of the group process. It addresses the main concerns of those who suffer from dementia - adjusting to a new and changing level of functioning, fostering a sense of belonging, preserving their innate dignity and redefining relationships and roles. This practical guide will help therapists, social-workers, family and other care-givers, teachers and medical professionals working with older clients seeking comfort from the loneliness of old-age and dementia.

In this comprehensive and unique study, Ofer Israeli focuses on six case studies from the Middle East and analyzes the unexpected and unintended consequences of interventions in this region by the United States, Britain, and other Western powers during the Cold War. From his research, he develops a complex causal mechanism, or applied tool, that states can employ when designing and implementing foreign policy - with the aim of reducing the number of conflicts and wars in the world, and especially in the Middle East. In doing so, the book examines the complex effects of international relations concerning a variety of indirect results - intended and unintended - of deliberate human action. These effects may be desirable or undesirable, overt or covert, expected or surprising, predictable but not actually observed, or observed but at the same time neglected or downplayed.

The story of the migration of German Jews between the two world wars is a multifaceted story that spans different routes and destinations: to the United States, the Land of Israel, Britain, and other places in the world. The book explores this story from a comparative perspective and from the perspective of the immigrants themselves. In this way, the envelope that defines the migration of Jews from Germany as a movement of purely persecuted refugees, as passive objects swept along in the course of history, is unraveled. The book seeks to examine the decisions of migration, its timing, and its destinations, and to illuminate the similarities and differences in the identities of the immigrants at different times and destinations. To this end, it traces the course of immigration from the moment the decision to emigrate was made, the choice of timing and destination, the obstacles and opportunities, to the patterns of adaptation in the destination countries and the role played by immigrant groups in the host countries. This historical perspective places the question of whether the immigration of German Jews created a distinct German Jewish diaspora or whether it marked the end of the German chapter in Jewish history at the center.

The Politics is a foundational work of Greek philosophy and a cornerstone of Western political thought. It is an investigation into the nature of the polis (the city-state), which Aristotle defines as a partnership of a certain kind among similar people for the sake of the best attainable life. In this inquiry, Aristotle seeks to determine how a virtuous and flourishing city is constructed and sustained. In Books VII–VIII - presented here for the first time in Hebrew - Aristotle depicts a vivid portrait of the ideal Greek city, and formulates a guide for the establishment of a flourishing city.