Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi was a prominent Jewish historian and scholar, born in 1932 in New York City. He is best known for his work on Jewish history and memory, particularly his influential book, "Zachor: Jewish History and Jewish Memory." Yerushalmi's research focused on the ways in which Jewish communities have remembered their past, especially in the context of the Holocaust and other significant events. Yerushalmi served as a professor at Columbia University and contributed to the field of Jewish studies through his writings and teachings. His scholarship emphasized the importance of memory in shaping Jewish identity and culture. He passed away in 2009, leaving a lasting impact on the study of Jewish history.