Baal Shem Tov
(1700-1760)

Founder of Hasidism, a spiritual movement in Judaism. Born in the region of Podolia (now in Ukraine). He attracted a large number of followers (about 10,000), which later developed into the several communities of contemporary Hasidim.

Babel, Isaac
(1894-1940)

Russian short-story writer and playwright, born Odessa(now in Ukraine). A brilliant stylist, he combined Jewish irony with Russian caricature. Babel was criticized by the Communist party, arrested in 1939 and was executed.

Babel, Tower of

Building intended to reach to heaven erected by the descendants of Noah after the Flood. God frustrated the work by confusing their languages, to the diversity of tongues.

Babi Yar

Large ravine on the northern edge of the city of Kiev in Ukraine, the site of a mass grave of victims, mostly Jews, whom Nazi German SS squads killed between 1941 and 1943.

Babylonian Exile

In the history of Israel, the period from the fall of Jerusalem (586 BCE) to the reconstruction in Palestine of a new Jewish state (after 538 BCE). After the capture of the city by the Babylonians some thousands, probably selected for their prosperity and importance, were deported to Mesopotamia.

Badge Jewish

Originated in Islam c. 720 when non-Muslims were ordered to wear specific marks. Formally introduced in Christen-dom 1215 between Christians and Jews. Consisting generally of circular, mostly yellow badge. In Nazi era, Jews again compelled to wear distinguishing badge (with Yellow Shield of David).

Balfour Declaration

A statement, issued by the British government on November 2, 1917, favoring the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jews.

Bar Kochba
( ? -135 CE)

Revolutionary leader. On the outbreak of the revolt against Romans (132), which he led, Rabbi Akiva acclaimed him as the Messiah. Bar Kochba's forces captured Jerusalem and established revolutionary regime. Romans counterattacked in 133, retaking Galilee, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Jerusalem. Bar Kochba killed when last stronghold, Betar, fell by storm.

Bar Mitzvah

Ceremony marking the initiation of a boy at the age of 13 into the Jewish religious community.

Baron Salo W.
(1895–1989)

Jewish historian and educator. In his monumental A Social and Religious History of the Jews (27 vol., 2d ed. 1952–83) Baron stresses the social history of the Jewish people in the wider context of world history.

Bashevis Singer, Isaac
(1904-1991)

American writer of novels, short stories, and essays in Yiddish. In 1978 he won the Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Yiddish-language author to be so honored.

Bat Mitzvah

Age at which girl attains religious maturity, that is 12 years and a day.

Bat Yam

City, west-central Israel, on the Mediterranean Sea, near Tel Aviv. It is a suburb and an industrial center. The city was founded in 1926.

Bat-Miriam, Yokheved
(1901-79)

Hebrew poet; born in Russia; settling in Palestine in 1926. Israel Prize 1972. Bat-Miriam wrote no poetry after 1948, the year of her son's death in the War of Independence.

Beer-Sheba

City in South Israel. Beer-Sheba is first mentioned as the site where Abraham, founder of the Jewish people, made a covenant with the Philistine king. Isaac and Jacob, the other patriarchs, also lived there. Modern settlement dates from 1900.

Begin Menahem
(1913–1992)

Israeli prime minister, who in 1979 signed the first peace treaty between Israel and an Arab country (Egypt). Begin was the co-recipient, with Egyptian president Anwar el-Sadat, of the 1978 Nobel Prize for Peace.

Ben-Gurion, David
(1886-1973)

Statesman and political leader David Ben-Gurion became the first prime minister and chief architect of the state of Israel. He was revered as "Father of the Nation."

Ben-Yehuda, Eliezer
(1858-1922)

Hebrew scholar,writer; father of modern Hebrew. In 1881 he immigrated to Palestine, and four years later he established a magazine dedicated to the revival of Hebrew as a living language.

Ben-Zvi, Izhak
(1884-1963)

Second president of Israel; born in Ukraine. With David Ben-Gurion and other Zionist leaders he helped create the Jewish state. He was a historian and a scholar of note in the field of Jewish ethnology.

Bernhardt, Sarah
(1844-1923)

French actress. Illegitimate daughter of Dutch Jewess; baptized but remained proud of Jewish heritage. One of the greatest interpreters of Racine. Although leg amputated 1914, continued acting until death.

Bet

Second letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

Bialik, Hayyim Nahman
(1873-1934)

Hebrew poet, publisher;born in Russia. His fame began with the publication (1903) of his poem In the City of Slaughter, inspired by a pogrom in Kishinev. He wrote novels, humorous songs, and sketches. Bialik had a great effect upon modern Hebrew literature.

Brodsky, Yosif
(1940-1996)

Russian-American poet, who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1987. A believer in the redemptive power of literature, Brodsky worked to make poetry accessible to a wider public.

Bronfman, family

Family of Canadian businessmen, philanthropists. Was a founder of Canadian Jewish Congress from 1919. The philanthropy extended to many aspects of Jewish social, cultural, and Zionist activities.

Buber, Martin
(1878–1965)

Jewish philosopher, theologian, and scholar of Hasidism: born in Austria, in Israel from 1938.

Bulan, King
(9th century)

The first Jewish king of the Khazar Kingdom. He was converted to Judaism by Rabbi Yitzhak HaSangari during the 9th century. Khazars were a Turkic people of early southern Russia. A portion of the Khazar people was Jewish and intermarried with Jews. The Khazars lost their independent kingdom in 1016.

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