STRANGERS AND NATIVES: A Newspaper Narrative of Early Jewish America, 1734-1869

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By Ron Rubin

Foreword by Jonathan D. Sarna

A timely perspective for the 250th birthday of the United States featuring both pre and post birthday accounts on the religious, social, political and cultural roles of the young nation’s Jewish community.

What makes this pioneering work distinctive is that it is based exclusively on newspaper sources. In addition to the author’s commentary, some 200 newspaper issues are copied either partially or in full. Accompanying many of the newspaper accounts , bringing the articles to life, is contemporary art work, maps, photos, diagrams.

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A New Podcast on THE SPIRITUAL WISDOM OF RAV KOOK

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Given by the author, Rabbi Ari Ze’ev Schwartz on youtube

This podcast series features the author teaching his book, The Spiritual Wisdom of Rav Kook. A few videos will be uploaded each week for the upcoming year until the entire book is finished.

For more information on this book, visit Urim Publications

ESSENTIALS OF JUDAISM – Review

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by Israel Drazin

Posted on Times of Israel

Essentials of Judaism is a 558-page volume from Urim Publications, an independent publishing house established in 1997 in Jerusalem and New York (Brooklyn), specializing in high-quality Jewish-interest books. It publishes approximately 15 books annually on subjects such as Jewish thought, law, spirituality, modern biographies, Bible commentary, and children’s literature. Tzvi Mauer and Moshe Heller established it.

This 2026 volume was written by Chashi Freedman and Chaim Iram, with a Foreword by Benjamin Ish-Shalom. It is both an introduction and a guided tour through the landscape of Jewish belief, practice, history, and values.

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JUST SAY YES! Choosing a Life of Kindness, Clarity, and Connection – Review

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By Rosally Saltsman

Posted at The Jewish Press

Rabbi Yisroel Majeski shares a beautiful story in a video called Meaningful Minute. A Rebbe once asked his student, “Who is the holiest Jew that ever existed?”The Chassid answered, “Avraham Avinu, of course! He discovered G-d.” The Rebbe asked another student, “What was the holiest time period of all?”“When the Jewish nation received the Torah at Har Sinai.” He asked a third Chassid, “What is the holiest place in the entire world?”“The Kodesh Kedoshim, Holy of Holies, in the Beis HaMikdash.”The Rebbe responded, “You are all wrong. The holiest person is you. The holiest time is right now. The holiest place is here.”

The above is an excerpt from Just Say Yes! which embodies the ideas of living in the here and now, striving to be the best person you can be.

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KAYTEK THE WIZARD – A name from a story became a name for survival.

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Posted at The Times of Israel, April 14

Kajtek – A Child in Disguise, a Jewish Martyr, and the Name She Carried into War

Before she was Kajtek, she was Stefcia.

Before she was Stefcia, she was Edna.

She was not yet 5 years old, small and blonde, standing at a birthday party in Warsaw when the first bombs fell. Before that moment, she had been a child who was read to every night by a family of ten who loved her.

One of those books was Kaytek the Wizard.

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DEPARTING EGYPT PASSOVER HAGGADA – Review

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Posted on The Times of Israel

by Ben Rothke

Every year brings new printings of the Haggadah from every sector of the Jewish world, with a focus that spans the spectrum of religious thought. Here is a Haggadah I came across that may be of interest to readers.

In the Departing Egypt Passover Haggadah: Insights and Commentary (Urim Publishing), Rabbi Dr. Aryeh Frimer writes that there have been about 5,000 editions of the Passover Haggadah published. In this extremely broad, deep, and meaningful commentary, it seems like Frimer quotes from all 5,000.

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“I Was Trapped Behind the Iron Curtain… What Happened Next Changed Everything”

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Podcast with author Silvia Fishbaum

Posted on Chabad.org

Hear Silvia Fishbaum share how her second attempt to escape communist Czechoslovakia succeeded and how she uses her personal experience to educate the world about Judaism and Anti-Semitism.

For more information on this book see Urim Publications