About the Author

Rabbi Ken Spiro

Rabbi Ken Spiro, originally from New Rochelle, NY, graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Russian Language and Literature and did graduate studies at the Pushkin Institute in Moscow. He has rabbinic ordination from Aish Jerusalem and a Masters Degree in History from Vermont College of Norwich University. Rabbi Spiro is also a licensed tour guide by the Israel Ministry of Tourism. He has appeared on numerous radio and TV programs such as BBC, National Geographic Channel and The History Channel. He lives near Jerusalem with his wife and five children, where he works as a senior lecturer and researcher on Aish HaTorah outreach programs.


Crash Course in Jewish History is "a comprehensive, thoughtful and highly educational survey of Jewish history.” - Sir Martin Gilbert

In one volume, Crash Course in Jewish History explores the 4,000 years of Jewish existence while answering the great questions:  Why have the Jewish people been so unique, so impactful, yet so hated and so relentlessly persecuted?

Crash Course in Jewish History is not only comprehensive and readable, it is also entertaining and enlightening. Historian and author Ken Spiro takes the reader on a fascinating and informative journey through time, highlighting the key lessons of Jewish and world history, and most importantly, the profound relevance that the past holds for the future of both the Jewish people and humanity.

Novices and scholars alike will find Crash Course in Jewish History to be thought-provoking and insightful, as well as a valuable and relevant guide to understanding the challenges that we all face in the 21st century.

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Gilad Shalit and the Sea Turtle

Gilad Shalit and the Sea Turtle

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The controversial exchange highlights one extreme difference: Israel values life.


WorldPerfect: The Aish HaTorah Seminar

WorldPerfect: The Aish HaTorah Seminar

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The in-depth presentation of the origins of modern world values.


Why the Jews? The Aish HaTorah Seminar

Why the Jews? The Aish HaTorah Seminar

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Understanding the root of the world's longest hatred.


You Say You Want a Revolution

You Say You Want a Revolution

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Is the "Arab Spring" good or bad for the world?


Part 12: Looking Forward

Part 12: Looking Forward

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Everyone is part of the whole, responsible one for another.


Part 11: Monotheism and its Implications

Part 11: Monotheism and its Implications

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

America’s Founding Fathers turned to the Bible for inspiration.


Part 10: Jewish Family & Responsibility

Part 10: Jewish Family & Responsibility

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Biblical values became the basis for social welfare.


Part 9: Jewish Justice & Education

Part 9: Jewish Justice & Education

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Jewish king was not above the law; rather he exemplified it.


Part 8: The Jewish Perspective

Part 8: The Jewish Perspective

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

He who saves one life is as if he saves an entire universe.


Part 7: Social Responsibility

Part 7: Social Responsibility

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Jews introduced the key concepts of modern morality.


Part 6: Family Values

Part 6: Family Values

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Greek civilization viewed pederasty as the highest form of love.


Part 5: Mass Education

Part 5: Mass Education

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Education is power. Mass illiteracy keeps people under control.


Part 4: Justice for All

Part 4: Justice for All

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Greek democracy was far from “one person, one vote.”


Part 3: War & Peace

Part 3: War & Peace

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Nations often employ the law of the jungle: Might makes right.


Part 2: Value of Life

Part 2: Value of Life

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Today’s violence in sports is child’s play compared to many ancient cultures.


Part 1: Key Values for a Perfect World

Part 1: Key Values for a Perfect World

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

What is the source of our utopian world vision?


FAQs: Why is There So Much Anti-Semitism?

FAQs: Why is There So Much Anti-Semitism?

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Most given causes are just excuses. What's the real cause?


History Crash Course #63: Modern Zionism

History Crash Course #63: Modern Zionism

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Herzl launched the political framework for the modern State of Israel.


History Crash Course #64: The British Mandate

History Crash Course #64: The British Mandate

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The British promised to create a Jewish state, but served their own Arab-linked interests as millions died in the Holocaust.


History Crash Course #65: The State of Israel

History Crash Course #65: The State of Israel

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

After the British turned away Holocaust survivors from Israel, the UN voted to partition the land.


History Crash Course #66: War

History Crash Course #66: War

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Since its founding in 1948, Israel has been in a constant state of war, and yet has achieved great economic success.


History Crash Course #67: The Miracle of Jewish History

History Crash Course #67: The Miracle of Jewish...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

In the final analysis, Jewish history makes no rational sense.


History Crash Course #49: The Jews of Poland

History Crash Course #49: The Jews of Poland

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

King Boleslav of Poland invited the Jews, granting them unprecedented rights and privileges.


History Crash Course #48: The Inquisition

History Crash Course #48: The Inquisition

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Inquisition sought to expose Jews who converted to Christianity but were still secretly Jewish.


History Crash Course #47: The Black Death

History Crash Course #47: The Black Death

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Europeans didn't know what caused the bubonic plague, but had no trouble blaming the Jews.


Jerusalem  (10 min video)

Jerusalem (10 min video)

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

A Stunning video tour of 3000 years of Jewish History.


History Crash Course #42: Rise of Islam

History Crash Course #42: Rise of Islam

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Mohammed reacted with anger when Jews refused to recognize him as the last of the prophets.


History Crash Course #41: From Paul to Constantine

History Crash Course #41: From Paul to Constantine

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Early Christianity attracted those unwilling to take on all of Judaism's precepts.


History Crash Course #37: Bar Kochba Revolt

History Crash Course #37: Bar Kochba Revolt

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Despite the disastrous results of the Great Revolt, the Jews revolt yet again.


History Crash Course #38: Exile

History Crash Course #38: Exile

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Romans sought to extinguish Jewish presence in Jerusalem by renaming Israel to Palestine.


History Crash Course #36: Timeline:  From Abraham to Destruction of the Temple

History Crash Course #36: Timeline: From Abraham...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Two thousand years of Jewish history at a glance.


History Crash Course #33: The Great Revolt

History Crash Course #33: The Great Revolt

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

In a seemingly suicidal move, the Jews take on the mighty Romans.


History Crash Course #29: Revolt of the Maccabees

History Crash Course #29: Revolt of the Maccabees

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Jewish revolt against the Greeks sets a precedent as the world's first religious war.


History Crash Course #27: The Greek Empire

History Crash Course #27: The Greek Empire

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

To the Greeks, what was beautiful was holy; to the Jews, what was holy was beautiful. These views were bound to clash.


History Crash Course #26: The Great Assembly

History Crash Course #26: The Great Assembly

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Extraordinary sages define the essence of Judaism for the Jews of Israel and the Diaspora.


History Crash Course #25: The Second Temple

History Crash Course #25: The Second Temple

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Holy Temple is rebuilt, but is not the same with the Ark of the Covenant missing.


History Crash Course #23: Babylonian Exile

History Crash Course #23: Babylonian Exile

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Babylonians think God has abandoned the Jews and celebrate. But they have a surprise coming.


History Crash Course #22: The End of Israel

History Crash Course #22: The End of Israel

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Kingdom of Judah lasts another of 134 years before it falls.


History Crash Course #21: Assyrian Conquest

History Crash Course #21: Assyrian Conquest

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Assyrians conquer northern Israel and vanquish the nation with exile.


History Crash Course #18: David: The King

History Crash Course #18: David: The King

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

David established Jerusalem as Israel's capital over 3,000 years ago.


History Crash Course #15: The Time of the Judges

History Crash Course #15: The Time of the Judges

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Jewish guidance came from the "judges," who were both warriors and prophets.


History Crash Course #5: The Promised Land

History Crash Course #5: The Promised Land

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

God gave Abraham the Land of Israel as a laboratory to create a model nation for the world.


Purim in Persia

Purim in Persia

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Another feast celebrating God's abandonment of Israel puts in motion a plot to annihilate the Jews.


Alexander and the Jews

Alexander and the Jews

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The one pivotal scene that you won't see in any movie sets the stage for the story of Chanukah.


The Passion: A Historical Perspective

The Passion: A Historical Perspective

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Mel Gibson's film fits comfortably within the history of Christian anti-Semitism.


History Crash Course #34: War For Jerusalem

History Crash Course #34: War For Jerusalem

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Jewish nation fights to save its spiritual center.


America and Jewish Values

America and Jewish Values

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Bible's major role in the creation of the United States and its democracy.


WORLD PERFECT: The Jewish Impact on Civilization

WORLD PERFECT: The Jewish Impact on Civilization

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Where did the values and principles of the modern world come from?


History Crash Course #68: Timeline: From Abraham to the State of Israel

History Crash Course #68: Timeline: From Abraham...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Four thousand years of Jewish history at a glance.


History Crash Course #62: Return to the Land of Israel

History Crash Course #62: Return to the Land of...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The re-birth of Israel is an unprecedented phenomenon in human history.


History Crash Course #61: The Final Solution

History Crash Course #61: The Final Solution

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Hitler implemented his goal to eliminate all Jews from the planet.


History Crash Course #60: The Holocaust

History Crash Course #60: The Holocaust

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

While Nazi Germany systematically rounded up and executed Jews, the world closed its eyes and its doors.


History Crash Course #59: The Face of Anti-Semitism

History Crash Course #59: The Face of...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Even in such civilized nations as France and the United States, anti-Semitism never died out.


History Crash Course #58: Jewish Life in America

History Crash Course #58: Jewish Life in America

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Jews gained untold riches in America, at the cost of their heritage and spirituality.


History Crash Course #57: The Czars and the Jews

History Crash Course #57: The Czars and the Jews

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Government-organized pogroms against the Jews deflected attention from the corrupt regime.


History Crash Course #56: Pale of Settlement

History Crash Course #56: Pale of Settlement

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

This area of Russia where Jews were most oppressed gave rise to amazing achievements.


History Crash Course #55: Jews and the Founding of America

History Crash Course #55: Jews and the Founding of...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The amazing story of Jewish influence on the founding fathers of American democracy.


History Crash Course #54: The Reform Movement

History Crash Course #54: The Reform Movement

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Germans emphasized their loyalty to the "fatherland" in order to be accepted in mainstream society.


History Crash Course #53: The Enlightenment

History Crash Course #53: The Enlightenment

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Age of Reason gave Jews civil rights, but its emphasis on a Godless society was bound to backfire.


History Crash Course #52: The Hassidic Movement

History Crash Course #52: The Hassidic Movement

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Initially a movement largely of the poor and uneducated, Hassidism emphasized spirituality in everyday life.


History Crash Course #51: The Kabbalists

History Crash Course #51: The Kabbalists

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

In the 16th century, the Israeli mountaintop town of Tzfat became the center of Jewish mysticism.


History Crash Course #50: Reformation and the Jews

History Crash Course #50: Reformation and the Jews

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Reformation exposed the corruption of the Church. For the Jews it meant more bad news.


History Crash Course #46: Blood Libel

History Crash Course #46: Blood Libel

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Christian accusations leveled against the Jews were extreme and irrational.


History Crash Course #45: The Crusades

History Crash Course #45: The Crusades

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Crusaders came to liberate the Holy Land from the "infidels" - and woe to any Jew who stood in their way.


History Crash Course #44: The Jews of Spain

History Crash Course #44: The Jews of Spain

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Spain was the Medieval golden land of opportunity for Jews.


History Crash Course #43: The Jews of Babylon

History Crash Course #43: The Jews of Babylon

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The oldest and most stable of Jewish communities was spared the ravages of holy warriors.


History Crash Course #40 - Seeds of Christianity

History Crash Course #40 - Seeds of Christianity

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

At a time of cruel oppression, splinter sects spring up in belief that the apocalypse is at hand.


History Crash Course #39: The Talmud

History Crash Course #39: The Talmud

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

In a time of chaos, the sages do the unprecedented and write down the Oral Law.


History Crash Course #32: Hillel and Shammai

History Crash Course #32: Hillel and Shammai

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

In a time when many things were going wrong for the Jews, the sages Hillel and Shammai defined what was going right.


History Crash Course #35: Destruction of the Temple

History Crash Course #35: Destruction of the...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

On the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, the 9th of Av, the Temple burns to the ground.


History Crash Course #31: Herod the Great

History Crash Course #31: Herod the Great

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

A madman who murdered his own family and many rabbis, Herod was also the greatest builder in Jewish history.


History Crash Course #30: The Romans

History Crash Course #30: The Romans

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Jewish tradition maintains the Romans were descendants of Esau, the bloodthirsty brother of Jacob.


History Crash Course #28: Greek Persecution

History Crash Course #28: Greek Persecution

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Terror reigned -- women were killed with babies tied around their necks.


Archaeology and the Exodus

Archaeology and the Exodus

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

One rabbi asserts that the Exodus never happened. What role does archaeology play in verifying Biblical events?


History Crash Course #24: Purim in Persia

History Crash Course #24: Purim in Persia

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

A feast celebrating God's abandonment of Israel puts into motion Haman's plot to annihilate the Jews.


History Crash Course #20: A Divided Nation

History Crash Course #20: A Divided Nation

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The 10 northern tribes secede, splitting Israel in two.


History Crash Course #19: King Solomon

History Crash Course #19: King Solomon

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

King Solomon, the wisest of all men, built the Temple in Jerusalem and reigned over Israel's golden age.


History Crash Course #17 - David: Shepherd & Warrior

History Crash Course #17 - David: Shepherd &...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Still too young to fight in the army, David becomes Israel's champion when he slays Goliath.


History Crash Course #16: King Saul

History Crash Course #16: King Saul

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

King Saul was a great man who committed one terrible mistake, dooming his reign from the start.


History Crash Course #14: Joshua and Conquest of the Promised Land

History Crash Course #14: Joshua and Conquest of...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

This is no typical war of conquest.


History Crash Course #13: The Tragedy of the Spies

History Crash Course #13: The Tragedy of the Spies

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Every major disaster in Jewish history is connected to the 9th of Av. It all began with the 12 spies.


History Crash Course #12: The Golden Calf

History Crash Course #12: The Golden Calf

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Only a tiny portion of Jews participate in worshiping the golden calf. So why blame the whole nation?


History Crash Course #11: Mount Sinai

History Crash Course #11: Mount Sinai

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The encounter between God and the Jews at Mount Sinai was a totally unique event in all of human history.


History Crash Course #10: Ten Plagues

History Crash Course #10: Ten Plagues

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

With the Ten Plagues, the laws of nature are turned upside down to free the Jews.


History Crash Course #9: Moses

History Crash Course #9: Moses

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

In an all-time irony, Moses the savior of the Jewish people is raised in the house of the enemy of the Jews.


History Crash Course #8: Reunion

History Crash Course #8: Reunion

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

To remedy the family animosity, Joseph sets the stage for a great test.


History Crash Course #7: Joseph

History Crash Course #7: Joseph

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Joseph demonstrates a classic pattern: The Jew arrives impoverished, works hard, and rises to the top.


History Crash Course #6: Isaac and His Sons

History Crash Course #6: Isaac and His Sons

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

History repeats: The groove that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob carve will be for their descendants.


History Crash Course #4: Abraham's Journey

History Crash Course #4: Abraham's Journey

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Abraham gave rise to a nation of Hebrews -- people who live "on the other side."


History Crash Course #3: The World of Abraham

History Crash Course #3: The World of Abraham

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

By understanding the character of Abraham, the "proto-Jew", one can understand what Jews are all about.


History Crash Course #2: The Bible as History

History Crash Course #2: The Bible as History

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

An enormous amount of information in the Bible has been borne out by archeology, through indirect or circumstantial evidence.


Jerusalem: Jewish and Muslim Claims to the Holy City

Jerusalem: Jewish and Muslim Claims to the Holy...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Jerusalem is at the center of the Arab-Israeli conflict. What are the spiritual, historical and political claims – from both sides?


History Crash Course #1: - Why Study History

History Crash Course #1: - Why Study History

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

We learn Jewish history not only to avoid the mistakes of the past, but to understand where our destiny is taking us.


The Impact of the Bible: #4 -

The Impact of the Bible: #4 - "Proclaim Liberty...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

Jewish thought heavily influenced the Founding Fathers and the fledgling United States.


The Impact of the Bible #3: In God We Trust

The Impact of the Bible #3: In God We Trust

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The heavily Bible-influenced Puritans bring the Word to the New World.


The Impact of the Bible: #2 - Protestants and Puritans

The Impact of the Bible: #2 - Protestants and...

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The printing press spreads the word. The Reformation seizes the Church and spreads to Western governments.


End of Days

End of Days

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

As we enter the last month of the 20th century, expectations about the next millennium have reached a fevered pitch.


The Impact of the Bible

The Impact of the Bible

by Rabbi Ken Spiro

The Bible is the best selling book in human history. Its moral, spiritual and even political impact has been profound and unmistakable. How did that come to be?