Join Dr. Desi Rosenthal, M.D. and John Ury and embark on a captivating journey through the tumultuous history of Eastern European Jews from 1200 to 1914. In Part I (1200-1772), discover how Jews, fleeing persecution and expulsion from Western Europe, found refuge in Poland and Lithuania, flourishing for four centuries until their success led to pushback and hatred from the Church and peasants. Witness the tragic breakdown of law and order in the 1600s, where defenseless Jews faced brutal massacres by roaming bands like the Cossacks and explore how they turned to false Messiahs and revitalized religious movements such as Hassidism during these dark times.

In Part II (1772-1914), delve into the worsening plight under Russian rule, where Jews were confined to the Pale of Settlement and subjected to relentless pogroms and persecution, prompting millions to flee to America and beyond in the 1880s. John and Desi's fast-paced and entertaining course features movie clips from The Dybbuk and Fiddler on the Roof, animated documentaries on shtetls, false Messiahs, Hassidism, and 80 original slides.