January 10 saw the passing of Ezra Gorodesky, one of the founders of the Spanish & Portuguese Congregation in Israel and a much-beloved figure in his community. Gorodesky, a strong Zionist from an early age, made aliyah to Israel from Philadelphia in 1960 after only a brief visit. Over the years, he became known for his passionate devotion to collecting everything from rare books to buttons, glassware, and more. The Israel National Library was the fortunate recipient of ma

The Girl from Lisbon by Guiora Barak This book focuses on the story of Doña Gracia Nasi (c. 1510–1569), who grew up in Portugal in a Jewish family forcibly baptized and went on to escape and become a savior to thousands of Jews also seeking to escape the Inquisition. She is viewed as truly the Queen Esther of her time. Israel-based Guiora Barak spent many year in the diplomatic corps and has a longstanding interest in the history of the Spanish & Portuguese Jews. Purchase