Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ask Jewish Lives?

Ask Jewish Lives is a free, AI-powered text-based chat experience where users can “converse” with historical figures as portrayed in the award-winning Jewish Lives biography series published by Yale University Press. Ask Jewish Lives is a project of the Leon D. Black Foundation.

Why use Ask Jewish Lives?

Unlike general AI tools that gather content from across the web, Ask Jewish Lives is grounded in Jewish Lives biographies, written by leading scholars and experts, and vetted through rigorous peer review.  

Is Ask Jewish Lives free to use?

Yes. Ask Jewish Lives is free, with no purchase required.

What is Ask Jewish Lives used for?

Ask Jewish Lives is designed to enrich user exploration of the Jewish experience through the lens of the Jewish Lives biography series. It is intended for educational use only.

Can Ask Jewish Lives create images or speak out loud?

No. Ask Jewish Lives is a text-based experience only. It does not generate images, audio, or spoken responses. All interactions take place through written text.

What types of questions should I Ask Jewish Lives?

To get started, try asking…

• What ideas most shaped your thinking?

• What does being Jewish mean to you?

• What was at stake in the decisions you faced?

• What feels most urgent about your story today?

• What misunderstandings exist about your life or work?

Can I save or revisit my chats?

No. However, you can copy and paste chats to your device with the copy-to-clipboard function, which can be found beneath the Sources section.

What device works best?

You can use any device but for the best experience we recommend using a desktop or laptop computer.

I’m an educator. Can I use this in the classroom?

Yes! Ask Jewish Lives is designed with educators in mind. We invite you to explore free educator modules for integrating Ask Jewish Lives into high school and college classrooms.

Does Ask Jewish Lives replace the books?

No, the depth of knowledge and insight presented in the Jewish Lives series cannot be replaced by AI. We invite you to explore our prizewinning books and save 25% on your purchase with a limited time only discount. Just use code ASKJEWISHLIVES at checkout.

Will more historical figures be added?

Additional personalities may be added over time.

How can I share feedback or ask questions?

We welcome your thoughts. Please email us at contact@jewishlives.org.

Disclaimer

By using Ask Jewish Lives, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use, and consent to the recording and sharing of chats with the Leon D. Black Foundation and its service providers. Ask Jewish Lives is powered by artificial intelligence. Never share sensitive information like social security numbers or credit card numbers.