May 24

1218:  The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt.
The driving forces behind the crusade were two Popes who broke new ground in
the mistreatment of the Jews – Innocent III and his successor, Honorius
III.   One of their mo…

 May 16

0942(21st
of Iyar, 4702): Saadia Gaon passed away. Born in 882, Saadia Gaon was the head
of the Talmudic Academy of Sura (Babylonia). He was a recognized authority on
the Talmud, and a profound student of philosophy and philology. Saadia …

 May 15

392:
Theodosius I, who had been emperor of the eastern half of the Roman Empire
became the last ruler of the entire Roman Empire (east and west) “A general of
Spanish origin, and the son of another general, was chosen to replace Valens
wh…

May 1

305:  Due to age and ill health and a desire to
provide stability for the Roman Empire Diocletian resigned as Emperor of
Rome.  Relatively speaking, Diocletian’s
reign was a positive period for the Jews. 
Diocletian was not overly…

April 30

313: Licinius
defeated Maximinus at the Battle of Tzirallum, thus making him the Emperor of
the Eastern Roman Empire.  The Emperor of the Western Roman Empire was his
brother-in-law, Constantine. The two in laws would clash repeatedly un…

April 27

399 BCE: Socrates drank hemlock as he
carried out the death penalty that had been imposed on him by the government.
For centuries to come some Jews would study Socrates and other Greeks, in many
cases trying to find a harmony between Judaism …

April 21

753
BCE: According to tradition, on this date Romulus and Remus founded Rome.  Considering the impact that Rome would have
on the Jewish people this date is worth noting. 

586:
Ricard I became King the Visigoth King of His…