This Day, February 3, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 319(12th of Adar, 3779): Dedication of the Temple built by King Herod the Great at Jerusalem1112: Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry, uniting the fortunes of those...
View ArticleThis Day, February 4, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 4211: The reign of Septimius Servus, the Roman emperor who outlawed conversions to both Judaism and Christianity in an attempt to unify his crumbling empire, came to an end.362: Roman Emperor...
View ArticleThis Day, February 5, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 5517/519: Alcimus Avitus, the Archbishop of Vienne in Gaul who in 576 on Easter temporarily succeeded in calming a crowd angered when a recent convert to Christianity was doused with oil. Four...
View ArticleThis Day, February 6, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 6 337: Julius I began his papacy during which “he officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th of December.”http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml1095:...
View ArticleThis Day, February 7, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 7457: Leo I becomes emperor of the Byzantine Empire. As can be seen from this decree, Leo was no friend of the Jewish people. "Therefore We, desiring to accomplish what Our Father failed to...
View ArticleThis Day, February 8, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 8421: Constantius III becomes co-Emperor of the Western Roman Empire serving as co-Emperor with Honorius. Constantinius only reigned for 7 months, but during his long tenure Honorius was no...
View ArticleThis Day, February 9, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 9474: Zeno was crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. “The feeling of Emperor Zeno towards the Jews is illustrated by a remark made at the races of Antioch. After a mob murdered many...
View ArticleThis Day, February 10, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 101163: Baldwin III, the first so-called King of Jerusalem to have been in “the Holy Land” passed away. None of these Crusader monarchs were rightful heirs to the crown worn by David, Solomon...
View ArticleThis Day, February 11, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 1155: Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Emperorship, dies under mysterious circumstances in Rome clearing the way for Nero to become Emperor Would things have been better...
View ArticleThis Day, February 12, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 12 553: Byzantine Emperor Justinian ordered the public reading of the Greek translation to Parshat Hashavuah (weekly Torah portion) on Shabbat morning and prohibited Rabbis from giving drashot...
View ArticleThis Day, February 13, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 13515 BCE (3rd of Adar, 3245): Completion of the construction of the Second Temple at Jerusalem.996: Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim who “ordered…Jews to wear wooden calves around their necks” began...
View ArticleThis Day, February 14, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 14842: Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German languages. The two monarchs were grandsons of Charlemagne making them cousins. Charles,...
View ArticleThis Day, February 15, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 15399 BCE: The philosopher Socrates is sentenced to death. No, Socrates was not Jewish and he did not know about what were the “Israelites” of his day. However, Socrates would be one of...
View ArticleThis Day, February 16, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 16600: Pope Gregory the Great decrees that the phrase "God bless You" is an appropriate response to a sneeze. Gregory's policy in regard to the Jews is expressed in the following sentence,...
View ArticleThis Day, February 17, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 171411: Musa Celebi became Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. During his reign the small Jewish community of Manisa grew in size and wealth after it had been conquered by the Ottomans.1525(24th of...
View ArticleThis Day, February 18, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 18654: “In Toledo Spain, Receswinth, King of the Visigoths, forced Judaizing Christians (converted Jews who still kept Jewish traditions) to swear loyalty to the Church or die” which meant...
View ArticleThis Day, February 19, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 19197: Emperor Septimius Severus defeated the usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum, Severus was trying to use syncretism to maintain imperial unity and authority. Since Jews, as...
View ArticleThis Day, February 20, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 20390: Emperors Valentinian II., Theodosius, and Arcadius issued a decree that thwarted the attempt of the association of "navicularii" (ship-and cargo-owners) of Constantinople to force the...
View ArticleThis Day, February 21, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 21362: Athanasius returns to Alexandria so he can lead the fight against various Christian heretics such as the Arians. His negative views about the Jews were really part of his fight...
View ArticleThis Day, February 22, In Jewish History by Mitchell A. Levin
February 22 1290 BCE: The coronation of Ramses II, who, according to some, is the Pharaoh of the Exodus. Since the Bible does not mention the Pharaoh by name, Ramses is not the only candidate. In...
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