History of the Blood Libel
From the Middle Ages to Today
With Prof. Elissa Bemporad
Mondays from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. ET, June 8 - 29
All registrants will also receive recordings of classes
The term "blood libel" is in the headlines these days — but do we know the history behind it?
Don't miss this rare chance to learn the history from Prof. Elissa Bemporad, an acclaimed professor and three-time National Jewish Book Award winner.
Focusing on the “blood libel” and its evolution, this course will investigate the history of anti-Jewish conspiracies, from the early Middle Ages to the modern era.
Over four hour-long online sessions, we will analyze the specific social, economic and political contexts that catalyzed the false accusation of ritual murder — and we'll dissect intersections with other manifestations of antisemitism, ranging from the charge of deicide to the myth of Judeo-Bolshevism during and after World War II.
By registering, you'll also begin receiving an events email each Sunday from My Jewish Learning featuring free and paid classes and events offered by our 70 Faces Media brands. There are no refunds for this course.
About Your Teacher
Elissa Bemporad is Professor of History and Chair in East European Jewish History and the Holocaust at Queens College and the Graduate Center – CUNY. She is a three-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award and is the author of three monographs, including "Legacy of Blood: Jews, Pogroms, and Ritual Murder in the Lands of the Soviets" (Oxford University Press, 2019), and "Revolution, Civil War and New Ways of Life" (NYU Press, 2025). She is the editor of several volumes, including "Pogroms: A Documentary History" (Oxford University Press, 2021) and, most recently, "The Destruction of Dubova: Chronicle of a Dead City" (Bloomsbury 2025).
Related Courses
About My Jewish Learning
My Jewish Learning is the internet's leading pluralistic Jewish education resource. We offer thousands of articles, videos, live classes and other resources to help you navigate all aspects of Judaism and Jewish life — from Jewish ritual and practice to texts to history and culture.
My Jewish Learning is geared toward all backgrounds and levels of knowledge and is a part of 70 Faces Media, the largest Jewish digital media organization in North America.