During the High Holidays This Year, We Are Reaching Toward an Abolition Judaism
Jewish theology doesn’t support genocide and incarceration — it points toward the holy promise of solidarity.| Articles – Truthout
Beneath the diplomacy lies something deeply embedded in Jewish thought – an ancient imperative to redeem the captive The post The return of the Israeli hostages goes beyond politics appeared first on The Spectator World.| The Spectator World
The Israeli government is prepared to expel Palestinians from their territories regardless of international law and near-universal condemnation. The post Israel and Palestine: The Problem of No Man’s Land appeared first on Foreign Policy In Focus.| Foreign Policy In Focus
After Hamas carried out the October 7th attack, Israel, under Netanyahu's government, has become more and more radical in words and in actions against Palestinians. In particular, Israel plans to occupy and/or colonize more territory, making the two-states solution (officially supported by the international community) even less likely. These developments have upended relations with many previously friendly countries, including some with a significant Jewish population. They caused many critic...| Recent Questions - Politics Stack Exchange
Note: This is the first day of Sukkot, the Jewish harvest festival that includes reading Ecclesiastes/Kohelet, one of my favorite books of the Hebrew Bible. Before writing a new post about Ecclesiastes, I reviewed my earlier posts that referenced it. It turns out the following was drafted but never published. Kafka’s Parable (No answer to […]| Bob Schwartz
If Harvard acts with integrity and empathy, it can begin to restore confidence that has been badly shaken. If it hides behind legalese or delay, it will confirm what many already suspect: that the nation’s oldest university has lost its legitimacy. The post Harvard’s Chance to Get It Right appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.| American Enterprise Institute – AEI
A healthy democracy depends on those same habits: patience, attention, and stewardship. A society that forgets how to slow down—how to gather, deliberate, and give thanks—risks losing the capacity for self-government. The post Finding America in a Brooklyn Etrog Market appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.| American Enterprise Institute – AEI
Jewish theology doesn’t support genocide and incarceration — it points toward the holy promise of solidarity.| Articles – Truthout
Blackdot’s AI-powered tattoo machine promises precision and less pain, but sparks debate over health risks, artistry, and spirituality. From religious prohibitions to smart tattoos, the future of ink is being rewritten by technology. The post Blackdot’s painless AI-based tattoos will make inked skin less taboo? appeared first on Green Prophet.| Green Prophet
Lewis is needed, now more than ever, to help men and women of faith move “further up and further in.” Jews will be much better off for the journey with him.| Public Discourse
Judaism What is the Talmud? Summary & How to Read It! Written by Joshua Schachterle, Ph.DAuthor | Professor | ScholarAuthor | Professor | BE Contributor Verified! See our editorial guidelinesVerified! See our guidelines Date written: September 28th, 2025 Date written: September 28th, 2025 Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the […] The post What is the Talmud? Summary & How to Read It! appeared first on Bart Ehrman Courses Online.| Bart Ehrman Courses Online
Norman Fischer is an influential American Zen-Buddhist, a poet and writer, and a Jew. He wrote Opening to You: Zen-Inspired Translations of the Psalms after spending a week with the Trappist monks at Gethsemani Abbey, where he experienced for the first time the Christian monastic practice of daily recitation of the psalms. Troubled by “the violence, passion, and bitterness” expressed in some of the psalms but recognizing the power they held for the monks, Fischer decided to investigate th...| Slant Books
Archaeologists in northern Israel have uncovered a stunning hoard of copper coins dating back more than 1,600 years, buried deep within an ancient underground complex at the Hukok site in Lower Galilee. The 22 coins, discovered in a narrow crevice at the end of a winding tunnel, appear to have been deliberately hidden during one […]| Archaeology News Online Magazine
Dr. Gerald Schroeder published an article in Aish.com about the age of the Universe and the Jewish bible: So the only data I use as far as Biblical commentary goes is ancient commentary. That m...| Skeptics Stack Exchange
Unlike the conversion of the gentile and pagan nations, the conversion of the Jews to the Catholic Faith will come about through their Jewishness, as a fulfillment.| Crisis Magazine
“There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of YHWH of armies will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:7 (vs. 6 in some translations) […] The post Is the Messiah Supposed to Bring World Peace? appeared first on The Torah Guide.| The Torah Guide
Is a virgin birth possible? The virgin birth is impossible as far as science goes. The human body doesn’t work that way; the egg needs to be fertilized. But then, wooden staffs can’t turn into living snakes, looking at a serpent lifted up on a pole can’t heal you from deadly snake venom, the sun […] The post Is the Virgin Birth Jewish? appeared first on The Torah Guide.| The Torah Guide
Early Jewish Interpretation A common misconception about the New Testament is that it teaches belief in three gods. I mean look, the trinity is a core idea in Christianity. Everyone knows the trinity is three God’s –case closed. Well, “Trinity” is a contraction of the words Tri-unity. So, “trinity” is intended to emphasize God’s oneness. […] The post Is the God of the Old Testament a Trinity? appeared first on The Torah Guide.| The Torah Guide
No one would call a Christian a “faithful Jew.” Why, then, do some—men who should know better—call Jesus, the author of Christianity, a “faithful Jew?”| Crisis Magazine
Patriotism’s relationship to history is bound to be complicated.| Law & Liberty
In the poem “Exile for the Sake of Redemption,” Yehoshua November dares to bring the Divine down to earth. This suggests that it is up to us as it is to God to “engage in activities that we imagine will enrich our future.” Teaching and learning are two of those activities. Poetry—writing and reading it—is another.| Slant Books
A festive and crowd-pleasing appetizer for Rosh Hashanah or your Yom Kippur breakfast: an apples and honey themed cheese board! And in keeping with the Jewish tradition of not mixing meat and dairy, this cheese board is completely vegetarian. Thanks to Cabot Creamery Co-operative for sponsoring this High Holiday recipe. Rosh Hashanah begins on the... Read More » The post Rosh Hashanah Cheese Board appeared first on West of the Loop.| West of the Loop
Imagine a cinnamon babka topped with sweet icing and decorated with sprinkles in classic Mardi Gras colors of green, gold and purple. It’s a King Cake Babka! Are you a fan of King Cake? My daughter has a friend whose mother is from New Orleans and every February when the girls were in elementary school,... Read More » The post King Cake Babka appeared first on West of the Loop.| West of the Loop
(The Conversation) — Violence in the West Bank has intensified since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza.| RNS
The Healing of Tobit by Bernardo Strozzi (CC0 1.0). There is ongoing discourse about the relationship between patient agency and external factors in health outcomes. It can be difficult to identify the multifaceted variables that answer the question of why one person becomes ill and not another. While individual action does certainly play a role,…Read More| Canopy Forum
JERUSALEM (RNS) — Once men and women take the same exam, ‘every community can decide for themselves what kind of teacher or leadership model they want,’ said Michelle Shelemay Dvir, a religious student at the Bradfield Institute.| RNS
This is my latest article on CT. You can get the original here…. Twenty-one years ago, a clip from the Da Ali G show caused a storm when it showed ‘Borat’ (Sacha Baron Cohen) performing a so…| TheWeeFlea.com
We talk a great deal about the mindset and worldview of the Hebrew people, because that’s the only way to understand the Bible. But not everything about that outlook is admirable, especially …| Radix Fidem Blog
In this interview in the Jewish Joy series, we sit down with a pair of Sephardic Jewish authors, Sarah Aroeste and Bridget Hodder.| Multicultural Kid Blogs
by Matthew Ong cover art: Helios surrounded by a zodiac wheel, detail from the mosaic floor of the Hammat Tiberias Synagogue, 4th c. CE (picture from Wikipedia) During Roman rule there was no forced mass expulsion of people living in the region surrounding the province of Judea to an area outside that region. This holds … Continue reading Myth: “In 70 CE Jews were expelled from their homes in the coastal Southeastern Mediterranean” – #EOPalestine 17 →| Everyday Orientalism
by Stephennie Mulder Cover art: Mosaic fragment depicting King David in the guise of the Greek musician and prophet Orpheus, from the Synagogue of Gaza, 508 CE (Wikimedia Commons) If you’ve heard that assertion before, you’re not alone. There’s only one problem: it’s not true. While it’s certainly true that the region has known its … Continue reading Religious coexistence in Gaza – #EOPalestine 15→| Everyday Orientalism
There was a time, and not so long ago, I would walk into my synagogue for Shabbat services, and be greeted at the entrance by other well-dressed members of the congregation who would smile and gre…| Envisioning The American Dream
As a part of Jewish Joy series we are thrilled to introduce you to Lesléa Newman, author of approximately 70 books for children and adults.| Multicultural Kid Blogs
Lawrence’s “The Migration Series” is painted with Casein tempera, a paint derived from milk protein. HeLevi’s poems are composed of air from the lungs, the vibration of the vocal cords, and the shaping of sounds with the mouth and throat. The voice was translated into visual form, alphabetic writing, and was initially preserved in iron gall ink written on parchment or vellum. This poem, these paintings: wonders. The might of human imagination and artistry.| Slant Books
Meet Emi Watanabe Cohen, an author who mixes the folklore of her Jewish and Japanese ancestors into contemporary magical worlds.| Multicultural Kid Blogs
According to documents declassified in 2000, in 1988 the CIA conducted an experiment as part of a secret project called "Sun Streak," in which they used| www.israelhayom.com
A conversation woth Shoshana Nambi, an author whose writing invokes a strong sense of place and a love of her community.| Multicultural Kid Blogs
Baby Goats Resting on the Road by Amaury Laporte (CC BY-SA 2.0). If anyone unfamiliar with Judaism were to be introduced to the concept of a kosher kitchen for the first time, they would likely raise questions. Why does the family have different dishes and cutlery for meat and dairy foods? While that may be…Read More| Canopy Forum
This essay isn’t political. It’s about the heart. It’s about the spirit, bruised, battered. It’s about friends, this essay. They feel agitated. They feel helpless. They are limiting their exposure to the minute-by-minute updates. They are turning off their news feeds. Or they are obsessively refreshing their screens. Fueling and refueling their rage, their fear, their despair.| Slant Books
Jewish Wedding by Wincenty Smokowski (1858, US-PD). Throughout the Pentateuch and subsequently in the books of the Prophets and Writings, readers are confronted with the existence of polygamous relationships – Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon, to name a mere few – but as of the eleventh century CE, Jewish men have been prohibited from taking…Read More| Canopy Forum
I've been thinking lately about how we can be refuges of acceptance, calm,and love for each other. After all, it's been and it is a helluva time (and time out of time). Personally, I've lost two very close friends this winter, and politically, the speed and depth of loss, chaos, and uncertainty is painful, disorienting, and terrifying.When I think of someone who truly embodies the best we can be for each other, I think of my friend Jack Winerock. No wonder then that to celebrate his 80th birthda| CMG
My friend, colleague, and fellow interfaith traveler Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen recently had his book “God Shall be One” – Reenvisioning Judaism’s Approach to Other Religions (Maggid Press, 2024) …| The Book of Doctrines and Opinions:
Karl Shapiro was a leading poet of his time: winner of the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for his collection V-Letter and Other Poems, Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress for 1946-1947, editor of Poetry magazine from 1950 to 1954. And he was included in the 1956 anthology Fifteen Modern American Poets, along with poets like Robert Lowell, Richard Wilbur, and Theodore Roethke.| Slant Books
Happy birthday for a 2nd time On Christmas night, the first night of Hanukkah, and my sister-in-law Karen's birthday, we light a bunch of...| Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
Explore Jewish joy with Veera Hiranandani, a biracial Jewish author, in this exclusive interview about the power of diverse representation.| Multicultural Kid Blogs
Explore the diverse Jewish identity of Emily Bowen Cohen, a Muscogee (Creek) Nation member and author-illustrator, in this interview.| Multicultural Kid Blogs
A fascinating history of the healing power of crystals and gemstones in the judaism including reference to the stones in the Ephod (Hoshen Stones).| Kibitz Spot
September 17, eight days before the Asheville storm, my wife and I left town. First stop, D.C. to visit our son and his partner. Next stop, New Rochelle, N.Y. to visit our daughter and her boys. Monday, September 30, the day after a “Yetzirah: A Hearth for Jewish Poetry” retreat for the board and staff in Manhattan: head home. Settle back just in time for the first night of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. That was the plan.| Slant Books
There is a mild debate in Israel over a little introduction to medieval thought published by Prof Shalom Sadik who advocates a Maimonidean rational naturalism and Rabbi Shmuel Ariel who presents a religious critique Prof Sadik in his book A … Continue reading →| The Book of Doctrines and Opinions:
For those who bought the new volume of Rabbi Shagar translations which I edited with Levi Morrow (Maggid – Koren 2024). There was one small 1500 word section that was removed from the book by…| The Book of Doctrines and Opinions:
Turning: an, if not the, essential act of Jewish life. Teshuvah, we call it. Repentance, it’s translated. “Teshuvah,” writes Rabbi Alan Lew, is “a Hebrew word that we struggle to translate. We call it repentance. We call it return. We call it a turning. It is all of these things and none of these things. It is a word that points us to the realm beyond language, the realm of pure motion and form.”| Slant Books
Yiddish slang has worked it's way into English, often popping up where we don't even recognize it. Here are 25 Yiddish words you should know.| Kibitz Spot
Prayer. It never fails. I take my place in the pew. I fling my tallis, my prayer shawl, over my head. It lands like a bird on my shoulders. I put on my reading glasses. I take the siddur, the prayer book, from its pocket in the back of the pew in front of me. Because I never arrive on time, I search for the place where we are in the service.| Slant Books
Since October 7, 2023, the world has been focused on the Holy Land. And not in a positive or hopeful way. So what better time for Bret Lott’s latest book—Gather the Olives: On Food and Hope and the Holy Land—to come out? As he notes in his foreword, Lott delivered the manuscript to his publisher in the summer of 2023, when it was possible to find in Israel the subtitle’s “hope.” And find it he does.| Slant Books
home| Rabbi Rackman.com
This year’s first seder: with strangers. Not exactly strangers. Poets. I knew the work of a few of them. One is a dear friend. Two spouses, one of whom is my wife. Sitting down at the diaspora seder table—(diaspora Jews hold two seders; Israeli Jews, one)—,I assumed most if not all of the twelve of us were Jews. Strangers? Not exactly.| Slant Books
Our mouths, our words, can be used for good or ill, to liberate or enslave, to bless or curse or encourage, to ask difficult questions. We share our stories, so others might be invited to tell their stories in turn, allowing us to not simply scream at and past each other but to see what values we might hold in common, to perhaps one day even arrive at a place of mutual understanding and esteem.| Slant Books
In John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, fictitious British secret service officer Alec Leamas concludes that spies are a “procession of fools, traitors, and pansies.”[1] If Leamas is …| BruceAshford.net
The prayer book’s title, Mishkan T’filah, comes from this verse: “And let them build Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). “Mishkan T’filah,” write Rabbis Elyse D. Frishman and Peter S. Knobel, editor and chair of the editorial committee respectively, “is a dwelling place for prayer, one that moves with us wherever we might be physically or spiritually.”| Slant Books
Two weeks after the dramatic July 4, 1976, rescue of hostages—Israeli as well as non-Israeli Jews—from Entebbe International Airport, I learned my first word of modern Hebrew: savlanut. Along with seventy other volunteers, I was in a chapel across from the JFK terminal where our El Al flight would depart for Israel in a few hours. Savlanut, that’s the most important word, said Nurit, the director of Sherut La’am, told us.| Slant Books
I accompany you as you hold onto your walker, taking one difficult step after another, inching your way, labored breath by breath, toward the dining room, a meal you refuse to eat. My life, as it always has been, is elsewhere. So, every day we FaceTime. We don’t have much to say to each other now. But with many words or few, distant or near, we still, as long as you are in this world, know each other’s presence.| Slant Books
Street portrait. Jerusalem, February 2019.| Cardinal Guzman
As the COVID-19 pandemic seems both behind us and still present as a threat and a collective trauma, Susan Einbinder’s Writing Plague: Jewish Responses to the Great Italian Plague could not have come at a better time.| The Marginalia Review of Books
