History

Countries you didn’t know are named after people

Who is the hero Bolivia is named after, after whom Saudi Arabia is named, and who was Rus from whom Russia was born? A few examples of countries named after historical figures.

“Israel” is the new name of Jacob our patriarch, which was given to him by the angel who wrestled with him before he met Esau
The  turbulence of the past year fuelled by the Iranian regime’s war on Israel has fashioned Israel’s 78th birthday as a critical moment for self reflection.

Israel at 78: An appropriate birthday gift - opinion

Theodor Herzl and Ahad Ha'am Asher Ginsberg.

Herzl, Ahad Ha’am, and the Jewish question we still haven’t answered

Interior of Pensacola’s Temple Beth El, founded in 1876 as Florida’s oldest synagogue.

Steeped in history, Pensacola Jews celebrate the 150th anniversary of Florida’s oldest synagogue


Israel digs up the West Bank – and reignites a battle over history

As Israel expands excavations in the West Bank, ancient ruins become entangled in a modern political struggle over land, history, and identity

Workers and volunteers on an archaeological dig sift through dirt at Alexandrion/Sartaba in the Jordan Valley.

Rewind history to the Gulf War with these Israeli classics

TV Time: The Israel Film Archive has a wealth of clips going back over a century, including home movies, footage of weddings, nature scenes, inventions, fashion shows, folk dances, and movies, etc.

MARY, THE plain yet intellectually savvy Bennet sister, is the main character in ‘The Other Bennet Sister.’

The Judean Desert in bloom: Following ancient paths of healing just beyond Jerusalem

Again and again, I discovered that some of the most profound healing environments lie just beyond Jerusalem’s crowded streets.

A Judean Desert carpet of spring wildflowers.

Why the future of war belongs to the improvers, not the inventors - opinion

A future large-scale war will not be won with a handful of expensive drones, but those that are flexible enough to adapt and numerous enough to matter.

Servicemen of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire a BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system towards Russian troops, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the frontline town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region, Ukraine January 24, 2026.

From Khaybar to Khamenei: Historic battles and their echo in modern Iran - opinion

Historic battles and religious memory echo across generations, from the Battle of Khaybar to the death of Khamenei.

 The Battle of Khaybar.

From Shushan to Tehran: Purim’s story repeats itself - opinion

Again and again, the pattern returns: a decree of destruction, a sudden fall, a people still standing.

People celebrate Purim in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem.

After 144 years, Israel's Health Ministry to move from Jerusalem’s Ottoman-era health building

Its history spans the late Ottoman Empire, in which the Turks ruled Jerusalem from 1516 until 1917, to the British Mandate, to the State of Israel.

District Health Office at 86 Jaffa Road – the Ottoman-era stone façade with courtyard entrance.

Why Israel still honors Britain in its streets despite bitter history

The long, seesawing history of Britain’s involvement in Zionism, from imperial sponsorship to modern diplomatic rupture.

Streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are named after Britain’s King George V due to the Balfour Declaration supporting the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in what was then known as Palestine, which was issued during his reign.

The Tomb of Mordechai and Esther: Iran's Jewish, Purim heritage

According to the tradition of the Jews of Persia, after Haman’s downfall, hostility toward the Jews intensified, and Mordechai and Esther left Shushan and wandered north, to the city of Hamadan.

THE MAUSOLEUM containing the tombs of Esther and Mordechai, Hamadan, Iran.

Can we use history to predict Trump's next move on Iran?

With tensions rising amongst the United States and Iran, this week's episode of The Deep Dive explores what we can learn from history.

Presidential historian, Gil Troy, sits with Jacob Laznik to discuss Iran, diplomacy, and how we can learn from history.