in 586 BCE Babylonia conquered the Kingdom of Judah. Jerusalem and the First Temple were destroyed, and most of Jews exiled.

In 1092 the pope Urban II called to Christians to recover the Holy Land and the Sepulcre of Jesus from Moslems. Mobs of enthusiastic peasants and feudals called the Crusaders moved towards the Land of [..]

(c.1004-965 BCE) - established Israel as a major power in the region, united twelve Israeli tribes in one kingdom and founded his capital in Jerusalem.

(Hebrew) - spring, water source. Essenes members of ascetic Jewish sects that went to live into a desert and dedicated themselves to religion. F G Genizah (Hebrew, "hiding") - a hiding place [..]

clandestine Jewish organization for armed self-defense in Palestine under the British Mandate, that eventually became the nucleus of the Israel Defense Forces. Halakha Any normative Jewish law, custom [..]

(c. 37-100 CE) - roman name of Joseph Ben-Matityahu, the Jewish military leader that was captured by Romans during the Jewish Revolt, and later became a historian. His works constitute the best availa [..]

a semitic people who inhabited Negev and ancient Edom in Transjordan from 3rd century BCE to 7th century CE. Were nomads at first, then turned into traders and lead caravans along the Spice Route. Fou [..]

the name for the Land of Israel, introduced first by Greeks and Romans, and in general use in the years of the Jewish exile from the Land of Israel. Palmah (abbreviation for hebrew "Plugot Mahatz [..]

Jews of Spanish and Portuguese origin, descendants of the Jews expelled from there in 15th century. Septuagint Strictly speaking, refers to the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Torah, probably [..]

"teaching" - compendium of discussions of the Mishnah by generations of scholars and jurists in many academies over a period of several centuries. The Jerusalem (or Palestinian) Talmud mainl [..]