The recent struggle to remove antisemitic and anti-Israel content from a California ethnic studies curriculum demonstrated the formidable challenge posed... Rabbi Slifkin’s impressive knowledge is more than easily matched by his infectious enthusiasm for his chosen subject of expertise: Jewish zoology. For example, did you know that a nesher is not an eagle, as assumed by such rabbinic greats as the medieval Provençal luminary R. Isaac ben Abba Mari (c.1122–c.1193; author of “Sefer Ha-Itur” ), as well as by his 13th century colleague R. Hezekiah ben Manoah, author of the biblical commentary “Chizkuni.” They, along with countless other French and German rabbis who agreed with this misidentification, had never laid eyes on the Middle East-based griffon vulture, “a spectacular bird with a wingspan that can measure eight feet … the most magnificent bird of prey in Israel.” Understandably, they opted to identify the