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Baal-Shem-Tov

(Encyclopedia)Baal-Shem-Tov bäl-shĕm-tôv [key], c.1698–1760, Jewish founder of modern Hasidism, b. Ukraine. His life is the subject of many tales that circulated even before his death. Originally named Israel ...

Banks, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Banks, Thomas, 1735–1805, English neoclassical sculptor, studied at the Royal Academy. A traveling scholarship enabled him to study in Rome from 1772 to 1779. In 1781 he went to Russia, where Cather...

Comnenus

(Encyclopedia)Comnenus kŏmnēˈnəs [key], family name of several Byzantine emperors—Isaac I, Alexius I, John II, Manuel I, Alexius II, and Andronicus I—who reigned in the 11th and 12th cent., and of the histo...

algum

(Encyclopedia)algum ălˈməg, ôlˈ– [key], precious wood mentioned in the Bible (2 Chron. 2.8; 9.10,11), used in the Temple of Solomon and in his palace, brought from Ophir and Lebanon. It is perhaps a red sand...

Ophir

(Encyclopedia)Ophir ōˈfər [key], in the Bible. 1 Seaport or region from which the ships of Solomon brought fine gold in great quantity. Sandalwood, precious stones, ivory, apes, and peacocks were also part of th...

Baana

(Encyclopedia)Baana or Baanah both: bāˈənə [key], in the Bible. 1 Murderer of Ish-bosheth. 2 Father of Heleb. 3 Officer under Solomon. 4 One who returned with Zerubbabel, apparently the father of Zadok (6.) ...

Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Abraham [according to the Book of Genesis, Heb.,=father of many nations] or Abram āˈbrəm [key] [Heb.,=exalted father], in the Bible, progenitor of the Hebrews; in the Qur'an, ancestor of the Arabs....

Gretna

(Encyclopedia)Gretna. <1> City (2020 pop. 17,515), seat of Jefferson parish, SE La., on the Mississippi River. A suburb of New Orleans, it produces marble, ...

Ginsburg, Christian David

(Encyclopedia)Ginsburg, Christian David gĭnzˈbərg [key], 1831–1914, English Hebrew scholar, b. Warsaw. He was converted to Christianity in 1846 and settled in England. He translated (1857) the Song of Songs, w...

Erté

(Encyclopedia)Erté ĕrtāˈ [key], 1892–1990, French designer and illustrator, b. St. Petersburg as Romain de Tirtoff. He moved to France and worked for a time sketching for Paul Poiret and designing opera and t...