History of the Jews

Dovid Parnas

This is a chronological, narrative podcast about the history of the Jews. I aim to tell the story as it unfolds—grounded in archaeology, contemporaneous sources, and modern scholarship, but always focused on the people living through it. We begin in the ancient Near East over three thousand years ago and move forward through time. Along the way, we’ll encounter empires, exiles, and revolutions—but also the quieter realities of daily life: how people understood their world and how they responded to it. Jewish history is often reduced to a few familiar themes—religion, antisemitism, politics. This podcast takes a broader view, following the story across millennia and the world. Because seen in full, the history of the Jews becomes something larger: a unique window into the human experience.

Episodes

  1. E5 - The Early Israelites

    APR 29

    E5 - The Early Israelites

    Who were the early Israelites—and where did they come from? In this episode, the Bronze Age Collapse tears apart the eastern Mediterranean, and the Egyptian Empire loses its hold on Canaan. We trace what that collapse looked like on the ground—and the opportunities it created for the people living through it. Overlooking the ashes of the Canaanite cities, new communities take shape in the highlands. The Israelites forge a new life. We step inside an early Israelite home, exploring their culture before turning to the deeper question of how they got there. Were they invaders, nomads, or just Canaanites looking for a better life? Read the episode and bonus content at: https://historyofthejews.substack.com/ You can also reach me at: hotj.podcast@gmail.com

    30 min
  2. E4 - Bronze Age Collapse

    APR 22

    E4 - Bronze Age Collapse

    The Israelites enter recorded history around 1208 BC—right as the world of the Eastern Mediterranean unravels in what we call the Bronze Age Collapse. In this episode, we explore that collapse—the final piece of the puzzle before we can begin telling the story of the ancient Israelites. We trace its impact across the region, from the great powers of Greece and Anatolia to the empire of Egypt. Along the way, we confront one of history’s enduring mysteries: the “Sea Peoples.” Who were they, and what did they want? Displacement—perhaps caused by drought, famine, or earthquakes—may have pushed them into a wave of migration and conflict. As they move south, clashing with the civilizations of the Near East, their advance ultimately ends in Egypt. There, they are defeated—and many are resettled in Canaan, setting the stage for the later encounters between the Israelites and the Philistines. Read the episode and bonus content at: https://historyofthejews.substack.com/ You can also reach me at: hotj.podcast@gmail.com

    30 min
  3. E3 - Canaan: An Egyptian Province

    APR 14

    E3 - Canaan: An Egyptian Province

    Did you know that Egypt ruled Canaan before the Israelites? After the Egyptians ravage the Hyksos, they integrate Canaan into their empire and rule there. This episode follows the story of Lab'ayu, a corrupt Canaanite king, to show the chaos and corruption that pervaded Canaan under the Egyptians. We also examine the Habiru, a mysterious group of outsiders often linked to the Hebrews, and their role in the chaos of the time. Read the episode and bonus content at: https://historyofthejews.substack.com/ You can also reach out to me at: hotj.podcast@gmail.com

    30 min
  4. E2 - Rise and Fall of the Hyksos

    APR 7

    E2 - Rise and Fall of the Hyksos

    Who were the Hyksos—the “foreign kings” who once ruled Egypt—and why did they leave such a deep scar on Egyptian memory? And could they be connected to the origins of the Israelites? In this episode, we trace the long and bitter relationship between Egypt and its northern neighbors. As migrants from Canaan move into Egypt, they rise from traders and migrants to rulers of the Nile Delta, establishing the Hyksos kingdom. Their rule provokes a violent Egyptian response: the rise of the New Kingdom and a campaign of destruction that reaches into Canaan itself. By the end of the episode, the world before the Israelites looks very different—shaped by migration, conquest, and the lingering memory of foreign rule. Check out transcripts and bonus content: https://historyofthejews.substack.com/

    19 min
  5. E1 - Where to Begin?

    APR 1

    E1 - Where to Begin?

    We begin our journey through Jewish history with the first explicit mention of Israel in the historical record: the Merneptah Stele. But on its own, it raises more questions than it answers—why are the Egyptians attacking Israel, and who are these Israelites in the first place? We turn to ancient accounts—from the Bible and Greek writers—but they don’t fully explain what we see. So instead, we step back and explore the broader world of Bronze Age Canaan and Egypt. As that context comes into focus, the tension between them—and the stage on which Israel first appears—begins to take shape. Substack: https://historyofthejews.substack.com/

    27 min
  6. E0 - Introducing Jewish History

    APR 1

    E0 - Introducing Jewish History

    This episode introduces History of the Jews. Through the story of Dmitrii Bogrov, a revolutionary assassin, we explore how Jewish history is often misunderstood—reduced to familiar themes like religion or antisemitism. This podcast takes a different approach: telling a full history, grounded in archaeology and contemporary sources, and focused on context rather than clichés. Check out Substack to see bonus posts! This weeks post explores two other ways to look at Bogrov's life. Substack: https://historyofthejews.substack.com/

    9 min

Trailer

About

This is a chronological, narrative podcast about the history of the Jews. I aim to tell the story as it unfolds—grounded in archaeology, contemporaneous sources, and modern scholarship, but always focused on the people living through it. We begin in the ancient Near East over three thousand years ago and move forward through time. Along the way, we’ll encounter empires, exiles, and revolutions—but also the quieter realities of daily life: how people understood their world and how they responded to it. Jewish history is often reduced to a few familiar themes—religion, antisemitism, politics. This podcast takes a broader view, following the story across millennia and the world. Because seen in full, the history of the Jews becomes something larger: a unique window into the human experience.

Information

  • Creator
    Dovid Parnas
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dovid Parnas
  • Show Website
    History of the Jews

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