Articles

| 09/06/2021

What does Jewish law say about the common practice of borrowing melodies from musicals, popular English and Hebrew songs, operas and even Christian and Muslim music for prayers and Shabbat zemirot?

Parashat Korah: Seizing a Chance
To Make a Correction

| 06/06/2021

The story of the rebellion against the prophet Samuel serves as a corrective for Korah and the failures of the Judges of the period.

Parashat Shelach Lecha: A Zionist Response to the Pessimism of the Spies

| 30/05/2021

Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin, president of the Schechter Institutes, shares an inspirational song that serves as a Zionist alternative to the pessimism of the spies at the center of this week’s parasha of Shelach Lecha.

Parashat Naso: How Do We Serve God From a Place of Doubt?

| 18/05/2021

Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson draws a parallel between attributes of the sons of Levi – Gershon, Kehath and Merari – and how we approach situations when there is doubt and uncertainty.

Parashat Bamidbar: The Desert is the Perfect Place to Become Holy

| 09/05/2021

A substantial part of the Torah takes place in the desert. Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch explains why a place of emptiness and desolation is the ideal setting for one of the holiest moments in the history of the Jewish People.

Parashat Behar-Bechukotai: The Meaning of Dwelling in the Land

| 03/05/2021

Dr. David Frankel, senior Bible lecturer at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, explains how the Bible is teaching us to rethink our relationship to our property and our land.

Parashat Aharei Mot-Kedoshim: Building a Metaphorical Sanctuary

| 18/04/2021

Rabbi Akiva cites the verse “Love your neighbor as yourself" from this week's parasha as a challenge to building a metaphorical sanctuary, entering its Holy of Holies and learning to love and live well.

Parashat Tazria-Metzora: The Greater Good Versus Individual Rights

| 16/04/2021

Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya, director of Midreshet Yerushalayim and Midreshet Schechter, discusses the case of the leper as a prime example of how society must weigh individual rights against the community's well being.

From the Holocaust to the Rebirth of Israel:
A Tale of Two Letters –1938 & 1951.
Responsa in a Moment Volume 15, Number 4, April 2021

| 08/04/2021

Two family letters give perspective to the history and current state of Israel as it marks 73 years of statehood.

Responding to Tragedy: Parashat Shemini and Holocaust Remembrance Day

| 05/04/2021

As we observe Holocaust Remembrance Day, Dr. Tamar Kadari, Dean of The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, looks at different ways to respond to tragedy.

Drama or Trauma: Who Are You When You Cross the Red Sea?

| 29/03/2021

Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson, Spiritual Mentor/Senior Lecturer of Rabbinics and Chassidic Thought at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, explores what happened to us in Egypt and the journey across the Red Sea.

“From Sorrow into Joy, from Darkness into Great Light”

| 21/03/2021

Rabbi Professor David Golinkin, President of The Schechter Institutes, examines events in history – both Biblical and modern – and how those involved gave thanks for their salvation.

What To Do When Erev Pesah is on Shabbat (1). Responsa in a Moment: Volume 15, Number 3, March 2021

| 14/03/2021

Erev Pesah falls this year on Shabbat. How should one go about preparing for the festival and for the Shabbat meals?

Parashat Vayakhel-Pekkudei: A Dwelling Place for God Paves a Path to Freedom

| 08/03/2021

Eitan Cooper, Executive Vice President of The Schechter Institutes, imparts two fundamental lessons from the building of the Tabernacle.

Parashat Ki Tissa: Challenging Times Call for Creative Leadership

Dr. Peri Sinclair

| 01/03/2021

Dr. Peri Sinclair, Director General of TALI, finds a new perspective on this weeks parasha, Ki Tissa, in light of the pandemic and leadership challenges of the past year.

Must God’s Name Be Written
in English as G-d? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 15, No. 2, February, 2021

| 22/02/2021

It is common practice among many Jews, especially Orthodox Jews, to write G-d instead of God. Is there any halakhic basis for this practice? Should it be followed?

Parashat Terumah: Mining the Treasures Within Us

| 13/02/2021

Dr. Tamar Kadari offers a colorful parable from the Midrash that teaches how charity is not related to wealth but what we have inside us.

Choosing to Belong to the Chosen People

| 08/02/2021

Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya, director of Midreshet Schechter and Midreshet Yerushalayim, discusses Parashat Mishpatim and the unique relationship between God and the Jewish People.

Why did Moses descend with two tablets of the 10 commandments?

| 31/01/2021

Physical depictions of the 10 commandments lead us to believe that two tablets were required to write all of the 10 commandments. Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Parashat Yitro cites a Talmudic discussion and two prominent archeological discoveries as evidence that there were two identical tablets.

Songs of the Heart: Reb Mimi Feigelson on Shabbat Shira

| 25/01/2021

What can never be taken from us? Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson, Spiritual Mentor/Senior Lecturer of Rabbinics and Chassidic Thought...

Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Redemption and Inheritance

| 17/01/2021

This week Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin, President of the Schechter Institutes, zooms out and examines Exodus chapter six and the...

God’s Infinite Wisdom: Dr. Ari Ackerman on Parashat Vaera

| 10/01/2021

Blood, Frogs, Lice… In Parashat Vaera Moses confronts Pharaoh with the threat of plagues. Dr. Ari Ackerman, Lecturer in Jewish...

Whose God is it Anyway? Eitan Cooper on Parashat Shemot

| 03/01/2021

God of Abraham or God of Moses? Eitan Cooper, Executive Vice President of The Schechter Institutes, examines two contrasting portrayals of God...

What’s in a Name? Dr. Peri Sinclair on Parashat Vayechi

Dr. Peri Sinclair

| 28/12/2020

Are our names our destinies? Dr. Peri Sinclair, Susan and Scott Shay Director General of the TALI Education Fund, explores...

Human Action or Divine Plan? Dr. Sarah Schwartz on Parashat Vayigash

Dr. Sarah Schwartz

| 20/12/2020

Judah or Joseph? Which brother’s point of view would you adopt? Dr. Sarah Schwartz, head of Bible studies at The Schechter...

Bringing Light: Reb Mimi Feigelson on Shabbat Chanukah

| 07/12/2020

How will we bring light this Chanukah? Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson, Spiritual Mentor/Senior Lecturer of Rabbinics and Chassidic Thought...

Does Halakhah Require Vaccination Against Dangerous Diseases Such as Measles, Rubella, Polio and Covid-19?

| 01/12/2020

Does Jewish law require vaccination? How does Jewish law relate to those who endanger the lives of others by refusing to be vaccinated?

Can an Enemy Become a Friend? Dr. Gila Vachman on Parashat Vayishlach

| 30/11/2020

What are our expectations of Esau, Jacob’s older brother and a much maligned biblical character? Dr. Gila Vachman, Director of...

Tapping into the Greatness of Rachel and Leah in Parashat Vayetze

| 22/11/2020

Rachel and Leah are not just our shared ancestors, they also represent two approaches to how to live a meaningful...

Parashat Toldot with Tamar Kadari

| 15/11/2020

Parashat Toldot describes Rebecca, the wife of Isaac. Despite coming from a family of deceivers, she epitomizes verse 2.2 in Song of Songs, as a "lily among brambles" because of her good deeds and inner virtues.

Saying No to God in Parashat Chayei Sarah

| 09/11/2020

Parashat Chayei Sarah recounts the death of Sarah, our matriarch, upon hearing of the binding of her only son, Isaac. It affected her so deeply that it ended her life.Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson explains how when Sarah told God, "No, I cannot endure this," she taught us that it is not only okay to say no to God but it can also be seen as an act of love and faith towards God.

Parashat Vayera: What is so Bad About the Middle Path?

| 29/10/2020

Parashat Vayera tells us the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, the famous cities that were so corrupt that God had to destroy them in their entirety, in spite of Abraham’s attempts to assuage God from performing this extreme action.

Parashat Lech Lecha with Rabbi David Golinkin

| 22/10/2020

And God said to Abraham, ‘get you up and go from your land from the place where you were born from the house of your forefathers to the land that I will show you.

Parashat Noach with Dr. Ari Ackerman

| 18/10/2020

At the end of chapter 11 of the book of Genesis, is the episode of dor haflaga, or the generation of dispersion.

Parashat Bereshit with Eitan Cooper: Truth, Good and Evil in 2020

| 11/10/2020

In its first four chapters, the Book of Genesis paints a portrait of humanity that is refreshingly applicable to our current political and social dilemmas, and then offers a way forward as well, if we choose to take it.

Rethinking Pilgrimages to Jerusalem Amid a Global Pandemic

| 06/10/2020

As we celebrate the week-long festival of Sukkot, we are forced to approach the holiday in a drastically different way, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. This includes our inability to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Western Wall.

Abraham Accords Allow for Gulf Muslims to Visit Jerusalem

Professor Doron Bar explains how the signing of the historic Abraham Accords affects the Temple Mount.

Getting in Touch with Our Inner Jonah before Yom Kippur

Nava B. Meirsdorf

| 22/09/2020

Ahead of Yom Kippur, Schechter Rabinical Seminary Student, Nava B. Meirsdorf shares the meaningful lesson hidden within the depths of the Book of Jonah and helps us to find the courage to fulfill our life's mission.

Rosh Hashanah 5781: A New Year’s greeting from Rabbi David Golinkin

| 13/09/2020

In honor of Rosh Hashanah and in the hope of a better year ahead, Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin shares two classic piyutim, liturgical poems, one from the Ashkenazic tradition and one from the Sephardic tradition, both offering the same message of hope for the coming year.

Coming and going in Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech

| 06/09/2020

As we approach the last Shabbat of the Jewish year, Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson uses Parashat Nitzavim-Vayelech as an opportunity to invite us to examine and question our strengths and what we want to take with us into the new year.

A Jewish View of Non-Violent Protest and Civil Disobedience

| 31/08/2020

In general, Jewish law and tradition have a positive attitude towards protest. Genesis 18 contains Abraham’s classic protest against what he perceived as Divine injustice regarding the destruction of Sodom.

Making Peace with God in Parashat Ki Tavo

| 27/08/2020

Parashat Ki Tavo is devoted largely to the tokhehah, a warning of punishment that will befall Israel if they ignore God’s will, and many if not most of the verses in this long passage are devoted to diseases and affliction of body and soul, and most of the others are devoted to devastation wreaked upon the economy.

Learning from the uncomfortable commandments of Ki Teitzei

| 23/08/2020

Rabbi Avi Novis Deutsch confronts three very unusual commandments that appear in the beginning of Parashat Ki teitzei and uses them to not necessarily follow these commandments, but to learn from them.

Connecting contemporary politics to Parashat Shoftim with Eitan Cooper

| 16/08/2020

This week’s Torah Portion, Shoftim (Judges) describes the political institutions of Biblical Israel – Judiciary, Monarchy, Prophet and Priest. It is the closest thing to a political constitution in the Torah, so it is worth exploring in the light of contemporary politics.

Is it Permissible to Pray Barefoot?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 8 August 2020

| 13/08/2020

Question from Rabbi Yoav Ende: There is a growing trend to remove one’s shoes before entering a synagogue. Is it permissible to pray barefoot?

Shmita and Social Justice in Parashat Re’eh

Dr. Peri Sinclair

| 09/08/2020

Parashat Re'eh revisits the ideas of Sh'mita (Sabbatical year) and Tzedek (justice). Dr Peri Sinclair explains the connection between these two values and offers an opportunity to engage with questions of morality, community, social justice and poverty.

Circumcising our hearts in Parashat Eikev

| 02/08/2020

Why is the central commandment of circumcision not found in this week's parasha?

The Liturgical Dilemma of the Nahem Prayer on Tisha B’Av

| 26/07/2020

Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin offers three different theological liturgical reactions to the Six-Day War and the Nahem prayer.

Learning from the Sin of the Spies in Parashat Devarim

| 20/07/2020

Calling out to God in prayer and knowing that we really do not know what lies ahead are two opposing concepts can be found in various places in the Talmud. They were as relevant in the time of the writing as they are now, but how does this relate to this week’s parasha?

Having a clear conscience before people and God in Parashat Matot-Masei

| 12/07/2020

This week’s parasha, Matot-Masei tells the story of how the tribes of Reuven and Gad were able to settle in the land outside of Israel after asking permission from Moses.

Why do Some Jews Refrain From Eating Food Cooked by Non-Jews?
Is There Room for Leniency?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 7

| 02/07/2020

Orthodox Mashgihim (Kashrut supervisors) are usually quite strict about Bishul Akum (food cooked by non-Jews). What are the sources for this prohibition and is there room for leniency?

Parashat Pinchas with Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch

| 02/07/2020

How can Parashat Pinchas help enhance our Shabbat experience?

Postcards from God in Parashat Balak with Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson

| 25/06/2020

Do you get postcards from God? What do postcards from God look like?

Instilling a New Culture in the Promised Land in Parashat Chukat with Eitan Cooper

| 18/06/2020

Parashat Chukat not only chronicles the deaths of Moses’s siblings, Aaron and Miriam, but Eitan Cooper, Executive Vice President of...

The Elusiveness of Honor in Parashat Korach with Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin

| 14/06/2020

This week’s parasha, Parashat Korach, deals with the theme of honor and how it affects us. Through the story of...

Combating Materialism in Behar-Bechukotai with Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin

| 14/05/2020

Among the many curses found in this week’s parshiyot Behar-Bechukotai, Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin focuses on “You shall eat and not be satisfied” and...

If There is No Minyan, Are There
Alternatives to the Mourner’s Kaddish?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 6

| 13/05/2020

According to normative Jewish law, the Kaddish, including the mourner's Kaddish, may only be recited in the presence of a minyan. In light of the pandemic, are there alternatives to saying Kaddish with a minyan?

Accessing the Divine Presence in Parashat Bamidbar with Eitan Cooper

| 07/05/2020

This week’s parasha begins the book of Bamidbar, the fourth book of the Torah, giving a detailed description of the...

Sources of Strength in Parashat Beha’alotcha with Dr. David Frankel

| 07/05/2020

This week’s parashat Beha’alotcha holds a relevant and meaningful passage, uttered by Moses: Rise, O Lord, and may your enemies flee...

Celebrating Miracles Every Day in Parashat Emor with Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch

| 05/05/2020

Parashat Emor details the three major holidays in the Jewish Calendar. Halfway between Pesach and Shavuot, Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch, Dean of...

Making a Seder in the Shadow of Corona

| 13/04/2020

Why is this night different than all other nights? In two weeks this question will be asked in many homes,...

How is this Night Different?

This year we will indeed be different, but the seder will be no less meaningful. Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies...

Heavenly Discipline: Dr. Shula Laderman on Parashat Shemini

| 12/04/2020

Dr. Shula Laderman, lecturer in Judaism and the Arts at The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, offers an interpretation of Avner Moriah’s...

This Night Will be Different: Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Seder Ritual

| 12/04/2020

How is this night different from all other nights? This year, Passover will indeed be different. Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin, President...

Ten Brief Responsa/Halakhic Reactions to the Corona Crisis
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 5

| 05/04/2020

From holding a virtual seder to sitting shiva and hearing the Megillah via electronic media: Answers to a variety of questions on Jewish law as they relate to prayer and observance during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aharei Mot and Kedoshim: Asking The Hard Questions With Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya

| 05/04/2020

There are two parashiyot this week, Aharei Mot and Kedoshim, both coming at a time in our collective self-isolation where we can draw...

Rejoicing on Purim

The Jewish people throughout history have always opposed drunkenness, which is why the quotation in the Talmud, “One must drink...

Haman on a Tree: Dr. Tamar Kadari shares a Purim Midrash

“So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordechai. Then the wrath of the king abated.”...

Leaving Our Egypt: Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson on Parashat Hachodesh

Rosh Chodesh (New Month)

In a time of much global uncertainty words of Torah can bring comfort and open new ways of thinking. Take...

Drawing Close: Rabbi Ilana Foss on Parashat Vayikra

Rabbi Ilana Foss

Parashat Vayikra, the beginning of the Book of Leviticus, arrives at a timely moment as the world continues to battle...

Heeding the Prophet’s Call

During these trying times, Passover and its accompanying rituals still beckon even if this year will be very different in...

In Light of the Spread of the Corona Virus, is it Permissible to Listen to the Megillah Reading “Live” Via Telephone, Radio, Television or on Facebook?: Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 4

| 01/03/2020

In light of the spread of the corona virus, is it permissible to listen to the Megillah reading “live” via telephone, radio, television or on Facebook? Responsa in a Moment Volume 14, Number 4 March 2020

Visualizing Parashat Terumah with Dr. Shula Laderman

| 24/02/2020

In Parashat Terumah, God instructs Moses how to fashion a dwelling place, a sanctuary for God’s presence. Dr. Shula Laderman,...

Negiah: Is it Forbidden for a Jewish Man
to Touch a Woman or Shake Her Hand?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 3

| 23/02/2020

It is accepted today in the Haredi world and, to a certain extent, in the Modern Orthodox world that a Jewish man must not touch a woman at all, including a handshake. Is this true? Is this custom really a halakhic prohibition?

Offering Counsel: Rabbi Irina Gritsevskaya on Parashat Yitro

| 23/02/2020

n the parasha Yitro advises Moses to appoint a team of magistrates and judges to advise him in the task...

Which Way to Go? Eitan Cooper on Beshalach

| 22/02/2020

In Parashat Beshalach the route the Israelites will take through the desert is described. Neither the journey nor the identity...

Hear Their Voices: Neve Schechter Awards Inaugural Contemporary Israeli Art Prize

| 25/01/2020

Women and women’s voices were front and center at a moving, musical evening at Neve Schechter on January 2, 2020. Neve...

What Does the Torah Say About Asking Questions? Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox on Parashat Bo

| 25/01/2020

In Parashat Bo the Israelites are commanded to observe the anniversary of the Exodus each year and tell the story...

Moses’ Magical Staff: Dr. Tamar Kadari on Parashat Va’era

| 24/01/2020

In Parashat Va’era, Pharaoh refuses to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt, even after Aaron exhibits miraculous powers, transforming his staff into a serpent. Moses must...

Prof. Renée Levine Melammed on Miriam The Sister of Moses

| 23/01/2020

In Parashat Shemot, a child, Moses, is born to Yocheved and placed in a basket on the river, while the...

Prof. Moshe Benovitz on Jacob’s Blessing and Your Children

| 22/01/2020

In Parashat Vayechi, Jacob blesses his grandsons, Ephraim and Menashe, on his deathbed and asks them to bury him in...

The Better Angels of Our Nature

| 25/12/2019

In Parashat Vayetze, a ladder with angels ascending and descending from it appears in Jacob’s dream. The significance of the...

Schechter Ordains 100th Rabbi!

| 25/12/2019

In a festive ceremony filled with music, Torah and song, the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary ordained its rabbi, marking 30 years of ordaining...

New TALI partnership with Integrated Schools

The start of the 2019-2020 school year brought with it an exciting new collaboration for the TALI Education Fund. TALI is...

Shining Brightly in Ukraine

he Kiev Masorti community had a powerful multi-faith Chanukah candle lighting on December 23rd. Rabbi Reuven Stamov, Schechter alum and resident...

Telling Your Story: Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson on Parashat Vayigash

| 25/12/2019

n Parashat Vayigash Judah approaches Joseph to plead for the release of Benjamin, offering himself as a slave to the...

Plotting Leadership: Eitan Cooper on Parashat Miketz

| 24/12/2019

In Parashat Miketz, Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and is appointed to implement Egypt’s anti-famine plan, which brings him into contact...

Why Do We Light Hanukkah
Candles in the Synagogue?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 2

| 23/12/2019

According to the Talmud, Hanukkah is a home celebration. Why, then, is there is a widespread custom to light Hanukkah candles with the blessings in the synagogue?

Wily Women: Dr. Gila Vachman on Parashat Vayeishev

| 23/12/2019

In Parashat Vayeishev, Tamar tricks Judah into helping her conceive an heir. Later on, Joseph, after defying his Egyptian master Potiphar’s wife, is...

Reexamining Esau: Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Parashat Vayishlachch

| 12/12/2019

In Parashat Vayishlach, Jacob prepares for a potential battle and sends Esau a large gift of hundreds of heads of livestock to appease him. Rabbi Avi...

Parashat Vayera. Women and our Biblical Heritage

| 25/11/2019

Parashat Vayera details Hagar and Ishmael being cast out at Sarah’s behest. Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox, Lecturer in Family and...

Prof. Renée Levine Melammed, Parashat Chayei Sarah and an Unknown Matriarch

| 12/11/2019

Sarah, Abraham’s wife and the matriarch of the Jewish people, is a strong and independent character. Prof. Renée Levine Melammed, professor...

Finding Your Truth in Parashat Toldot

| 12/11/2019

Rebecca and Isaac pray for a child. Rebecca soon feels violent movement within her womb and cries to God. Rabbi...

When Should We Study Pirkei Avot and
When Should We Recite Barekhi Nafshi and
Shirei Hama’alot on Shabbat Afternoon?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 14, Number 1

| 05/11/2019

What are the sources for the different customs of studying Pirkei Avot and reciting Barekhi Nafshi and Shirei Hama’alot on Shabbat throughout the Jewish year?

Taking a Stand: Rabbi Dr. David Frankel on Parashat Lech Lecha

| 25/10/2019

Rabbi Dr. David Frankel, Senior Lecturer in Bible at The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, discusses our forefather Abraham’s ability to...

This is Your Wake-Up Call Dr. David Frankel on Yom Kippur

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai” (Jonah 1:1). On Yom Kippur afternoon Jews around the...

In the Image of God Dr. Tamar Kadari on Genesis

| 12/10/2019

“And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created...

Down Came the Rain: Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Noah and Gilgamesh

Interfaith

| 01/10/2019

In this week’s Parasha, Noah is chosen by God to perpetuate the human race after his wicked contemporaries perish in...

A Tisket, a Tasket, a Bikkurim-Filled Basket: Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Ki Tavo

| 25/09/2019

Parashat Ki Tavo discusses bikkurim, first fruits: “You shall take some of every first fruit of the soil, which you...

On Ben Gurion, the Bible and an Unusual Press Conference

With Israeli election results still in motion, let’s take a look at David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, and...

Getting Carded (In a Good Way)

Turning sixteen in Israel isn’t just a number. At sixteen, Israeli teens get their national identity cards. Learn how TALI is helping...

Repentance, Prayer and Tzedakah: A New Year Greeting from Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin

| 25/09/2019

The Unetane Tokef has been a part of the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur liturgy for centuries. New interpretations offer ways of making sense of this theologically challenging prayer so that all of us can find points of connection.

Aleph or Bet: Dr. Shula Laderman with a Festive Torah Tale

| 25/09/2019

“Aleph! Aleph! Although I shall create the world through the letter bet you will be the first of all the...

Everyday Obligations: Dr. Shula Laderman on Parashat Ki Teitzei

| 12/09/2019

Parashat Ki Teitzei contains many positive and negative commandments governing the Israelites’ daily lives. Dr. Shula Laderman, Lecturer in Judaism...

Moses and Herzl
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 13, Number 5

| 25/08/2019

A careful reading of the respective biographies of Moses and Herzl yields a series of striking parallels between them in terms of education, character, plans and ultimate success.

Parashat Vaetchanan: The Rationale Behind The Commandments

| 16/08/2019

In this week’s Parasha, Parashat Vaetchanan, Moses repeats the importance of keeping God’s commandments when the people enter the Land of Israel....

Seeing and Being Seen: Parshat Re’eh

| 16/08/2019

This week’s Torah portion begins with an admonition to see: “Re’eh,” and concludes with the commandment “Yira’eh” (you are to...

Must We Listen to Our Leaders? Dr. David Frankel on Parashat Shoftim

| 16/08/2019

In Parashat Shoftim, Moses instructs the Israelites to appoint judges, beginning a system of governance that will also serve the...

Traveling Tombstones: Professor Doron Bar on Herzl’s Reburial in Israel

| 01/08/2019

On August 17, 1949, Theodor Herzl, founding father of Zionism, was reinterred in Israel. His gravesite was established on the highest...

If Donkeys Could Talk: Dr. Shula Laderman on Parashat Balak

| 16/07/2019

The fascinating story of Balak and Balaam’s failed attempts to curse the Jewish people is found in this week’s parasha....

Parashat Pinchas: Understanding What Leadership Really Means

| 16/07/2019

Are you ready for the elections? In Parshat Pinchas, we witness the ordination of Joshua bin Nun as the successor...

Finding Our Way Back in the Month of Av

| 16/07/2019

The Jewish month of Av brings with it a season of mourning for the destruction of the Temple. The rabbis...

“Bethlehem” Exhibit Now at Neve Schechter

The first chapter of the Book of Ruth ends with the story of Naomi’s return from Moab to Bethlehem with her Moabite...

Stick or Carrot? The Giving of the Torah

| 19/06/2019

When it comes to educating students, teachers often ask which is more persuasive: the carrot or the stick? Was the...

Where Are the Women in Jewish Thought?

| 19/06/2019

The field of Jewish Thought for many years has been considered the sphere of male thinkers and philosophers. This week Dr....

Was Anything so Wrong in Korach’s Message? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch Explores the Parasha

| 16/06/2019

“For all the community are holy, and the Lord is in their midst. Why then do you, Aaron and Moses,...

Exclusivity and Openness on Shavuot

Rabbi Ilana Foss

| 25/05/2019

Exclusivity is often seen as a selling point. Whenever I’m at Ben Gurion airport I look longingly at the executive...

Paul Shrell-Fox on Brotherly Kinship

Mazal Tov to Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox on his Bar Mitzvah anniversary! In the seventh reading of Parashat Behar, the...

Everyone has Value: Reb Mimi Feigelson on Parashat Bechukotai

Parashat Bechukotai deals with what sort of pledges we make to God in the Temple: Who makes offerings? How much...

Watershed Moments: Dr. Gila Vachman on Parashat Chukat

What was the connection between the death of Miriam and the absence of water?Our sages say that the three “gifts”...

Forging our Future: Dr. David Frankel on Parashat Bamidbar

Is Parashat Bamidbar a period of rebellion and complaints or is it, as stated in Jeremiah, about God and Israel’s...

Thoughts on Yom Haatzmaut

| 14/05/2019

As Israel celebrates its 71st birthday, some of Schechter’s faculty share what “Israeliness” means to them. May Israel go from...

All I Really Need to Know about Judaism,
I Learned in Pirkei Avot
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 13 Number 4

| 05/05/2019

All I really need to know about Judaism, I learned in Pirkei Avot. Why every Jew should study Pirkei Avot between Pesah and Shavuot, and throughout the year.

Seder or Symposium: Rabbi Prof Golinkin On Seder Origins

| 25/04/2019

What is the origin of the Seder and the Haggadah? Rabbi Professor David Golinkin, President of The Schechter Institutes, discusses the connection between the...

Revisit the story of Exodus

| 25/04/2019

Who is God in the Story of the Exodus? Now that we have celebrated the first days of Passover, let’s revisit...

Parashat Metzora: Is Sin the Cause of Suffering?

| 19/04/2019

Is sin the cause of suffering? Dr. David Frankel, Senior Lecturer in Bible at The Schechter Institutes, discusses how in the ancient era...

The Challenge of “V’ahavta; And You Shall Love.”

| 19/04/2019

Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch, Dean of the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, delves into the relationship between two verses in Parshat Kedoshim: “You shall love your neighbor like...

The Disqualified Kohen

| 19/04/2019

Parashat Emor is dedicated to the rules regarding the personal status and physical condition of Kohanim, the priests who worked in...

Is There an Obligation to Kiss the Tzitzit? Responsa in a Moment: Vol. 13, No. 3

| 05/04/2019

There is a widespread custom to kiss one’s tzitzit three times during the recitation of the Shema and there are renowned rabbis such as the Vilna Gaon and Rabbi Prof. Saul Lieberman who did not kiss their tzitzit at all. What are the sources and approaches regarding these customs?

Back to Reality with Parashat Vayikra

| 19/03/2019

This week we begin the book of Vayikra, Leviticus, that deals with the sacrifices that individuals may bring to the Temple....

Parshat Shemini – Aaron’s Silence

| 19/03/2019

Parashat Shemini: “Vayidom Aharon.” Aaron was silent, says the text. Was it shocked silence? Perhaps. Or, perhaps, it was silence...

Gender Identity and Parashat Tazria

| 19/03/2019

This week’s Torah portion, Tazria, starts with the verse “If a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a male...

Influential Jewish Women in the Middle Ages

| 14/03/2019

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Professor. Renée Levine Melammed shares with us the powerful story of influential...

Jewish Holidays Among the Crypto-Jews

| 13/03/2019

We are blessed to be living in a time where an overwhelming number of Jews are able to celebrate Jewish...

Construction Ahead: Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Priestly Attire

The Torah now begins to detail the designs of the Mishkan, a sanctuary for God’s presence, and the priestly (Cohen’s)...

Seize The Moment in Parashat Tetzaveh

Bar-Bat Mitzvah

Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson, Mashpiah Ruchanit (Spiritual Mentor) and senior lecturer of Rabbinics and Chassidic Thought at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, relates to the...

Tabernacle Giving: Is All Gold Good?

We at Schechter are so excited about the construction of the Tabernacle that we have two videos for Parshat Vayakhel one...

Parashat Vayakhel – Another Donation?

Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson, Mashpiah Ruchanit (Spiritual Mentor) and senior lecturer of Rabbinics and Chassidic Thought at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, imagines...

Parashat Pekudei on the Purpose of Materialism

Gold, silver and copper: the opening passage of Parashat Pekudei accounts for the vast material resources required for building of...

How May One Abbreviate the Loud Repetition of the Amidah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 13, Number 2 (1)

| 05/02/2019

There are several different customs regarding the Hoiche Kedusha (2) or the abbreviated loud repetition of the Amidah. How did the different customs arise and which custom should we follow?

Parashat Bo. Justice or Mercy?

In his book “A Theory of Justice” published in the 1970s, Prof. John Rawls of Harvard University set out an...

Can we look positively on Amalek? Parashat Beshalach

וַיִּבֶן מֹשֶׁה מִזְבֵּחַ וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ ה’ נִסִּי: וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָ-הּ מִלְחָמָה לַה’ בַּעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּר “Then Moses...

Parashat Yitro: gratitude, compassion and a cross-sensual experience at Sinai

Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox, Lecturer in Family and Community Studies at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, discusses two concepts as related in this...

Faith vs. Action in the Jewish Tradition Parashat Mishpatim

This week’s portion, Mishpatim, lists a hodgepodge of topics: dealing with the Hebrew slave, damages, an eye for an eye,...

My Israeli Jewish Identity, Rediscovered

Moriah Karsagi-Aharon

| 14/01/2019

Why I Had to Travel all the Way to New York in Order to Understand More About My Israeli Jewish...

A Hidden Lesson of the Hanukkah Story

A hidden lesson of the Hanukkah story: What is the connection between Joseph’s story in parashat Miketz, and the story of Hanukkah?

Where is God in the story of Joseph?

Feel alienated at services and wondering where God is in all of this? Parashat Vayigash might have the answer for you....

Parashat Shemot Why was Moses Chosen to Lead the People of Israel?

Rabbi Professor David Golinkin, President of The Schechter Institutes, talks about leadership qualities. Moses was not chosen to lead the Jewish people because...

Parashat Va’era

וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-מֹשֶׁה ‘ אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה In Parashat Va’era, God says to Moshe: “I will be what I will be.”...

Is it Permissible to Study Biblical Criticism?

| 05/12/2018

Question from a student at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary: Is it permissible to study and teach biblical criticism, especially regarding the Torah?

Parshat Toldot: Earning the Name By Eitan Cooper

| 19/11/2018

In Parshat Toldot, Jacob was the underdog, the eternal number two, says Eitan Cooper, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The...

Parshat Vayetze: Jacob the Refugee Perspective of a Schechter Rabbinical Seminary Student

| 19/11/2018

Parashat Vayeitze tells the story of Jacob as a refugee. The world is awash with refugees. What does the Torah have...

What can we learn from Jacob and Esau? Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox on Parashat Vayishlach

| 19/11/2018

“The next time Jacob and Esau meet is at the burial of their father, Isaac, in Hebron (Genesis 35:27-29).” Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox, Lecturer in Family and...

When Disaster Strikes By R. Miriam Berkowitz

| 11/11/2018

How do we respond to tragedy? One Saturday night in November 1995, I was making Havdala with JTS rabbinical students...

Judaism and Christianity: Bridging the Gap Dr. Ari Ackerman

As we are restarting the annual Torah reading cycle, Dr. Ari Ackerman, outgoing Dean, and Senior Lecturer in Jewish Thought at...

What Does “Be Fruitful and Multiply” Mean? By Eitan Cooper

A couple of years ago Prof. Alon Tal, a leading Israeli environmentalist, wrote a controversial book called “The Land is Full”...

Free will in Parashat Lech Lecha Reb Mimi Feigelson

Lech Lecha! G‑d commands Abraham to set out on a journey: “Go from your land, from your birthplace and from...

Vayera -The Ethical Message of Halacha Rabbi David Golinkin

Should Halachic rulings take human suffering into account? Rabbi Professor David Golinkin explores the innate ethical message of Halacha, and asks:...

A Taste of Symbolic Foods on Rosh Hashanah Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin

| 19/09/2018

A Rosh Hashanah tradition of eating symbolic foods (simanim) is intended to help us ensure a good new year. The list of simanim varies between the Ashkenazic and...

Yom Kippur as a Moment of Unity Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson

| 19/09/2018

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. This day marks the...

70 Voices Heard in the Heart of Tel Aviv

| 14/09/2018

Tel Aviv, Israel’s self-proclaimed most secular city, is going through spiritual reawakening. Jewish renewal reached Israel’s bustling commercial capital, and...

Dvar Torah on Sukkot Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz

Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz

| 14/09/2018

Every year we wonder why there are so many holidays clustered together in the month of Tishrei rather than spread...

Schechter Rabbinical Seminary Opens a New Torah Lishma Program in Tel Aviv

| 12/09/2018

The program at Neve Schechter will be based on the highly successful program model in Jerusalem, with content adapted to serve the...

Simchat Torah and #Me Too By Eitan Cooper

| 12/09/2018

One of the favorite songs sung on Simchat Torah is the Piyyut “Mi Pi El” in which it is declared:...

Jewish Life Flourishing in Ukraine Camp Ramah Yachad

| 12/09/2018

Camp Ramah Yachad in Ukraine makes history with female counselors and campers reading Torah for the very first time. Israeli...

TALI Partnership with the Ministry of Education in Israel

Since its founding in 1976, TALI Education has been working with schools, parents, and students across Israel. Today, 12% of secular...

How did Mount Herzl Get its Name? Professor Doron Bar on Herzl’s Final Resting Place

Where is Mount Herzl and how else was Herzl honored? In August 1949, Theodore Herzl’s remains were moved from Vienna...

Selihot Already? Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Penitential Prayers

Why do some communities start reciting Selihot, the penitential prayers leading up to the High Holidays, at the beginning of the Jewish...

What happens on the streets of Jerusalem during Selichot? Dr. Einat Ramon

Listen to Dr. Einat Ramon, Senior Lecturer in Jewish Thought and founder of the Marpeh pastoral care program, as she takes us on...

Learn about the Jewish Prayer Modes with Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch

Music and prayer have been combined since the most ancient times. One cannot find musical symbolizations in the Siddur, the...

Why do Jews from Islamic Lands Object
to Sitting with Crossed Legs in a Synagogue?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 12, Number 6, August 2018

| 05/08/2018

Why do Jews from Islamic countries object to sitting with crossed legs in a synagogue? What are the sources? Is their objection justified?

Zealous or Zealot? Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Parshat Pinchas

Can someone be zealous without being a zealot? Rabbi Professor David Golinkin, President of The Schechter Institutes, discusses the incident in the transition from...

Between Destruction and Redemption: Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Tisha B’Av

This Friday begins the Jewish month of Av and the nine days leading up to Tisha BAv, the Ninth of...

Tisha B’Av and the Mourning and Survival Patterns of Jews

As a modern-day researcher of Jewish thought, I especially love the personal descriptions that Jewish philosophers insert parenthetically into their...

The Feminist Message of Parshat Va’etchanan The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments appear in two different sections of the Torah, first, in the Book of Exodus in Parashat Yitro,...

Does Love Keep Us From Being Alone? Rabbi Reb Dr. Mimi Feigelson on Parshat Eikev

How do we overcome aloneness in the world? In Parshat Eikev the word love is used four times as we...

Origin Stories: Dr. Ari Ackerman on How he Became a Scholar of Jewish Thought

What inspires someone to choose an academic’s life devoted to Jewish Philosophy? Dr. Ari Ackerman, Dean of the Schechter Institute of Jewish...

Superwoman: Professor Renee Levine Melammed on a 17th-Century Woman’s Kabbalistic Powers

Can sexuality be taken out of the yeshiva? A few months ago we learned how Asenath Barazani, a woman and...

How Do We Establish Memory? Professor Doron Bar on the Creation of Yad Vashem

Memory or heroism? Victims or heroes? What should a museum commemorate? Professor Doron Bar, President of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies,...

Right from Wrong? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on the Responsibilities of Leadership

Was Moses responsible for the decisions made by the Israelites? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch, Dean of the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, discusses the responsibilities...

Is a Double Ring Ceremony Permissible?
Responsa in a Moment Volume 12, Number 5

Marriage

| 05/06/2018

Is it permissible for the bride to give a ring to the groom as part of the wedding ceremony? Is it permissible for her to say “harei ata mekudash li” [behold you are betrothed unto me] or another verse or statement?

What would Herzl and Jabotinsky think about how we look after 70 Years? Eitan Cooper on Parshat Behar

I’m in South Tel Aviv, a few feet away from our Neve Schechter Center for Jewish Culture. The view behind...

Jerusalem of Skyscrapers? Professor Doron Bar on the City’s Changing Population

Sunday, the 28th of Iyyar, marks the 51st anniversary of Jerusalem’s unification. Professor Doron Bar, President of the Schechter Institute of Jewish...

Just How Jewish Should Israel Be? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Separation of State and Religion

How Jewish should the Jewish State be? As Israel continues celebrating its 70th birthday Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch, Dean of the Schechter Rabbinical...

What Made Moses a Great Leader? Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Parshat Beha’alotcha

What makes a great leader? Rabbi Professor David Golinkin, President of The Schechter Institutes, discusses Parshat Beha’alotcha and the six qualities that made Moses successful...

What’s Wrong Between Israeli and American Jews?

For some years now conventional wisdom has it that Israel’s policies toward liberal streams and Palestinians are to blame for...

The State of Israel and the Jews of
North America: From Problems to Solutions
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 12, Number 4

| 05/05/2018

Translation of a lecture delivered at a conference on "The State of Israel and the Jews of North America: How Can We Bridge the Gaps."

How Do We Respond to Tragedy? Dr. David Frankel on Parshat Shemini

| 23/04/2018

When tragedy strikes what do we say to God? In Parshat Shemini Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, die suddenly. Dr. David...

How Do We Make Sense of the Insensible? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Parshat Tazria-Metzora

| 23/04/2018

Parshat Tazria-Metzora offers a confusing depiction of skin afflictions and potential treatments that, for many people, have little connection to...

How Do We Mark a Miracle? Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin on Israel’s 70th Birthday

| 21/04/2018

Are we aware of the miracles surrounding us? On Israel’s 70th Birthday, Rabbi Professor David Golinkin, President of The Schechter Institutes, shares excerpts of a letter...

How Do You Know When You Are Home? Rabbi Reb Dr. Mimi Feigelson on Hasidism

| 21/04/2018

What is the meaning of finding your home? Sometimes it is knowing your story of origin and sometimes it is...

Women in the House: Professor Renee Levine Melammed on a 17th-Century Woman Rosh Yeshiva

| 21/04/2018

What happens when the head of a Kurdish yeshiva has no sons? He prepares his daughter to be the next...

Israel and the Jewish People in the 21st Century

Neve Schechter’s Gallery in Tel Aviv is currently exhibiting “Sphere”. Several beautiful spherical paintings around the theme of the Omer...

Where do you Encounter God? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Parshat Vayakhel-Pekudei

In Parshat Vayakhel Pekudei the Israelites receive further instructions on constructing the Tabernacle. The instructions specify creating elaborate wall panels....

What Offerings are you Bringing to God? Rabbi Reb Dr. Mimi Feigelson on Parshat Yayikra

As we begin the Book of Leviticus the language of sacrifices becomes more prominent in our Torah reading. Rabbi Dr....

Are you Ready to Leave Egypt? Rabbi Professor David Golinkin Takes the Passover Stage

Lights Camera Action! Drama doesn’t just take place in the movies, on Passover we remember that we too were brought out...

What Time Is It? Professor Dr. Ari Ackerman on Heschel’s Approach to Ritual and Sacrifice

Whether it is the yearly ritual and sacrifice of Passover celebrations or the familiarity of Shabbat rituals each week, Jewish...

Rav or Rabbah: Choosing Titles in the Rabbinate

Midrash Sifre teaches that the Israelites left Egypt with Miriam at their lead: “when you left Egypt–” during the time...

Humility and Truth vs. Orthodoxy’s Quest for Special Status

| 14/03/2018

An article reporting in detail on the recent visit to Israel of a delegation of Orthodox leaders from the US...

Is There More Than One Way to be a Zionist? Professor Yossi Turner and a Zionist Dilemma

| 14/03/2018

What is the Zionist dilemma of living in Israel learn from a Zionists living in the Jewish Diaspora? Dr. Yossi...

How Can One Sell Hametz Which is in a Different Time Zone? Responsa in a Moment: Vol. 12, No. 3, March 2018

| 06/03/2018

How can one properly execute the sale of hametz which is located in a different time zone or country?

The Destructive Effect of the Partition at the Western Wall on Other Jewish Holy Sites in Israel

We once again witnessed the ridiculousness of the separation between men and women at the Western Wall when female journalists...

How Should a Person Repent
for Causing an Accidental Death?
Responsa In a Moment: Volume 12, Number 2 February 2018

| 06/02/2018

If a Jew causes the accidental death of another person, what can he or she do in order to repent for that action?

Are All Women Leaders Feminists? Professor Bat-Sheva Margalit Stern on Women’s Leadership

Are women leaders by definition into feminism? February marks the 49th anniversary of Golda Meir being elected prime minster (she...

God is in the Details Dr. Paul Mandel on Parshat Terumah

Dr. Paul Mandel

This week in Parshat Terumah Moses and the Israelites are given detailed instructions on how to construct the Tabernacle in...

He Said, She Said Professor Renee Levine Melammed on a Maimonidean Dispute

Divorce

He said she said did not originate in the modern era, in fact, in 12th century Cairo, Maimonides hears both...

Hidden or Revealed Dr. Ari Ackerman on Purim Miracles

Who is the true hero of the Purim story? Dr. Ari Ackerman, Dean of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies and Senior Lecturer...

Battle of the Gods? Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox on Parshat Vaera

Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox, Lecturer in Family and Community Studies, offers a play-by-play on the negotiations between Moses and Aaron and...

Was Beatriz Convicted? Professor Renée Levine Melammed and the Case of the Mysterious Midwife

This month marks the 482nd anniversary of the start of the trials of one of the women of the Spanish Inquisition,...

What’s Old is Holy Again? Professor Doron Bar on Israel’s Creative Holy Places

Preparations are underway for Tu Bishvat, the New Year of the Trees, which falls on January 30th and 31st this...

God of History or God of Wisdom? Dr. Ari Ackerman on Parshat Yitro

This week in Parshat Yitro The Ten Commandments are revealed. With the first commandment, “I am the Lord your God...

Is it Permissible for Women to Serve
as Shohatot (Ritual Slaughterers)?
Responsa in a Moment: Vol. 12, No. 1, December 2017

| 06/12/2017

Is it permissible for women to serve as Shohatot (ritual slaughterers)?

When is a Coat More Than Just a Coat? Dr. Tamar Kadari on Parshat Vayeishev

Jacob is blessed with many children but is it too much of a good thing? Using an example of the...

What’s Missing from Hanukkah? Prof. Rabbi David Golinkin Shares Holiday History

On other holidays we read a megillah (scroll), but on Hanukkah why don’t we read a Hanukkah scroll? Rabbi Professor David...

Light in the Darkness? Hanukkah and its Possible Pagan Origins

“Banu Hoshech l’Garesh” – We have come to banish the darkness. This is the beginning of the popular Israeli Hanukah song....

Can We Walk the Walk (as Children of Israel)? Rabbi Reb Dr. Mimi Feigelson on Parshat Vayechi

As we conclude reading the Book of Genesis Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson, Mashpiah Ruhanit (Spiritual Mentor) and senior lecturer of...

What God Don’t You Believe In? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Parshat Shemot

Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch, Dean of Schechter Rabbinical Seminary, invites us to consider the varied roles God plays in our lives. In Parshat...

Choosing Motherhood Dr. Bat-Sheva Margalit Stern on Parshat Chayei Sarah

Do women have the right to choose? Inspired by Parshat Chayei Sara, Dr. Bat-Sheva Margalit Stern, associate professor of Jewish...

Whose (Genetic) Line is it Anyway? Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox on Toldot

Does Esau get a bad rap? Through his unique lens of evolutionary psychology, Rabbi Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox, Lecture in Family...

Dreaming in Color Dr. Shula Laderman on Parshat Vayetze

Art and Literature

Is Jacob caught in a dream or in reality in Parshat Vayetze? Dr. Shula Laderman, lecturer in Judaism and the Arts,...

Who’s Buried in Rachel’s Tomb? Professor Doron Bar on Parshat Vayishlach

Israel’s holy sites have been a destination for pilgrims of many faiths. This week, when we read Parshat Vayishlach, Professor Doron...

Back Again to the Jewish-Israeli Conflict

The Secular Forum is an Israeli organization dedicated to keeping religion out of Israeli secular public schools, and is actively...

The Most Popular Holiday in the Soviet Union? Rabbi Dr. David Frankel on Simchat Torah

Why was Simchat Torah the most publicly celebrated Jewish holiday in the Soviet Union? What was it that Soviet Jewry...

Does God Make Mistakes? Rabbi Avi Novis-Deutsch on Parshat Noach

Does God make mistakes? In Parshat Noah, the flood confronts us with a disturbing story of God destroying the world....

Who Will Put Out the Fire? Dr. Paul Mandel on Parshat Lech Lecha

Dr. Paul Mandel

What made Abraham stand out? In Parshat Lech Lecha God appoints Abraham to be the leader of nations. While on...

Does Love Always Have a Happy Ending? Eitan Cooper on Abraham and Isaac in Parshat Vayera

I’m standing in Jerusalem at the dramatic overlook of the Old City and the Temple Mount – Har Habayit in...

Happy New Year from The Schechter Institutes!

| 05/09/2017

We are pleased to present our pilot video series Shavua Tov @ Schechter. Each week one of Schechter’s talented faculty and...

Yom Kippur: Awareness of Our Human Vulnerability

As Yom Kippur descends upon the Jewish nation in Israel and in the Diaspora, synagogues are filled with people who...

The Month of Av: Mourning, Pride, Love

Eulogies and Words of Tribute

| 14/08/2017

This Thursday I will be marching in the gay pride parade in Jerusalem, after marking Tisha B’av (the Ninth of...

Guarding Souls: Saving Life in the Age of Science and Technology

When God instructs Adam in Eden from which tree he is forbidden to eat, the instruction is fairly clear. Genesis...

A Research Journey: From the Père Lachaise Cemetery to the Waddesdon Manor to Ramat Hanadiv

In my book Ideology and Landscape, which is about reinterring Zionist leaders in the homeland, I devoted a chapter to the...

Ahavat Hinam (Groundless Love) as an
Antidote for Sinat Hinam (Groundless Hatred)
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 11, Number 6

| 06/07/2017

Groundless love as an antidote for groundless hatred: A eulogy for Rabbi Baruch G. Goldstein זצ”ל

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Moses and the Sin at Merivah Parshat Chukat 5777/2017

| 12/06/2017

This week’s Torah portion tells the famous story of Moses’ sin at the “waters of Merivah,” for which he was...

Baseless Hatred: The Kotel and Conversion Bill Controversies

| 11/06/2017

As we approach the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B’av, let us redouble our efforts to get the Kotel agreement approved, to bring one million Jews to the Ezrat Yisrael and to scuttle the proposed conversion law.

Why Do Certain Synagogues Sing Psalm 92 After the Torah Reading
of the Shabbat Minhah Service?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 11, Number 5

| 06/06/2017

What is the origin of the custom to sing Psalm 92 – Mizmor Shir Leyom Hashabbat – after the Torah reading during the Shabbat Minhah service at some synagogues?

The Kotel Controversy: Like Hillel and Shammai, All Voices Must be Heard

| 15/05/2017

The events of the past week have left me speechless. I am reminded of the ascension of Hananya ben Hizkiahu...

From a Sacred City to a Capital City (and back again?)

I was born two years prior to the Six-Day War when Jerusalem was still a divided city, with barbed wire...

More Precious than Rubies is the King’s Daughter – Feminine Imageries of the Torah

The great classical liturgist, R. El’azar Birabbi Killir (Land of Israel, 7th c.), composed a number of piyyutim (Hebrew liturgical poems) in honor...

Step by Step: Independence Day Parades in Jerusalem Before and After the Six Day War

| 15/04/2017

Beginning in 1948, the State of Israel marked Independence Day on the Fifth of Iyar with military processions. Each year,...

Passover for the Soul Bringing spirituality to our seder celebration

| 14/04/2017

Israelis celebrate Passover in one of two ways: either by closely sticking to laws of Pesach related to hametz and...

Righteous Gentiles and the Shoah: Altruism of the Highest Order

| 13/04/2017

Would you be willing to sign an organ donor card? Donate a kidney? A lobe of your healthy liver? Have...

The Drama of the Seder What a Pesah Custom Can Teach Us about Jewish Education Today

| 15/03/2017

Modern Jewish educators frequently use drama as an educational tool in order to bring a Biblical or Talmudic story to...

God and Mother: Motherhood in Zionist Society in Eretz Yisrael

| 14/03/2017

“Just as the big world is in God’s Hands to be built or destroyed…so is the small world of the...

Secular Israelis have Grown Up

Distress signals sent out by secularists in recent months have been picked up loud and clear by the Secular Forum,...

Why did IKEA eliminate all women from their
Israeli catalogue aimed at ultra-Orthodox Jews?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 11, Number 4

| 06/03/2017

Why did IKEA eliminate all women from their newest Israeli catalogue aimed at ultra-Orthodox Jews published in February, 2017?

Why is it customary to place a stone on a grave? (Yoreh Deah 376:4) Volume 11, Number 3

| 06/01/2017

What are the sources of the custom to place a stone on a grave at the end of the burial service or after visiting a grave?

Abraham Joshua Heschel and Spiritual Education

| 12/11/2016

We are in the opening weeks of the 2017 fall semester at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. One of...

Why do Jews Use the Matronymic
in Prayers for the Sick?*
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 11, Number 2

| 10/11/2016

Given the patriarchal nature of Jewish society throughout Jewish history, why do Jews use the matronymic in prayers for the sick?

Maximizing the Day of Judgment: From Repentance to Self-Worth / Rabbi Arie Hasit

Rabbi Ari Hasit

| 13/10/2016

The holiday that falls on the first two days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei has many names. Most famously,...

TALI’s Contribution to the “Jewish-Israel-Culture Program” – What the Ministry of Education Can Learn from Us

Dr. Eitan Chikli

| 12/09/2016

Since the establishment of the State of Israel, there has been ongoing debate over the Ministry of Education’s role in...

Why I Flew One Million Miles
for Jewish Education
Responsa in a Moment: Vol. 11, Issue No. 1, September 2016

| 10/09/2016

Remarks at the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the TALI school system in Israel.

Tisha B’Av’s Place in Contemporary Society

| 13/08/2016

Every year camp counselors confront a dilemma: what content is appropriate for Tisha B’Av when this fast day occurs during...

Israeli Identity 101

The recent Pew Survey on Israel, conducted from fall 2014-Spring 2015 examined the religious identity of Israelis. The survey was...

Is it Permissible to Renovate or Build
a New Building During the Nine Days
Which Begin on Rosh Hodesh Av?
Responsa in a Moment: Vol. 10, Issue No. 8, July 2016

Tisha B’av

| 10/07/2016

Is it permissible to renovate or build a new building during “the nine days” which begin on Rosh Hodesh Av? Does is matter if the building is a Jewish school, a Bet Midrash or a synagogue?

Two Women Who Clung to the Shechinah

Within ancient Hebrew manuscripts, scattered among libraries throughout the world, one can find some surprising treasures, like previously unknown and...

Why do Jews Eat Milk and Dairy Products on Shavuot? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 10, Issue No. 7, June 2016

| 10/06/2016

When did Jews start eating milk and dairy products on Shavuot and why?

Why Do We Spill 16 Drops of Wine While
Reciting the Ten Plagues During the Seder?
Responsa in a Moment: Vol. 10, Issue No. 6, April 2016

| 10/06/2016

What are the sources and reasons for sprinkling or spilling wine during the recitation of the Ten Plagues at the Pesah Seder.

David Raziel: A Pre-State Hero’s Story of Final Rest

This article is dedicated to the memory of the IDF’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror on the eve of Israel’s...

The Book of Chronicles and the Ephraimites that Never Went to Egypt

Did the story of the exodus really happen? Did the entire Israelite people suffer slavery in Egypt before arriving in...

The Complexities of Purim

Purim is a holiday whose meaning is shrouded in mystery. The only clear element is what we are commanded to...

Adding Adar Bet: Striking a Balance

Rosh Chodesh (New Month)

| 13/02/2016

This Hebrew year consists of thirteen months rather than twelve. Jews throughout the world will add (“intercalate”) a second month...

Is it Permissible to Institutionalize Parents with Alzheimer’s Disease? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 10, Issue No. 5, February 2016

| 10/02/2016

How does the commandment to “Honor your father and your mother” influence decisions to institutionalize a parent suffering from dementia?

Visual Midrash on the Parting of the Red Sea: Parashah Beshalach

| 12/01/2016

Moses said to the people: Fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which He will show...

What is the Proper Way to Refer to the Parents of a Convert? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 10, Issue No. 4, January 2016

Marriage

| 10/01/2016

Much has been written throughout the generations about how to refer to a convert. What is the proper way to refer to the parents of a convert?

The Menorah: Spanning the Entire Zionist Spectrum from Herzl to HaRav Kook

On Chanukah in the year 1897, shortly after the First Zionist Congress was held, Theodore Herzl wrote an article called...

Uncovering Women’s Lives in the Cairo Geniza

| 13/11/2015

In his monumental work, A Mediterranean Society, S.D. Goitein devoted an entire chapter of Volume III to “The World of...

The Middle Way in Israel Today
Responsa in a Moment: Vol. 10, Issue No. 3, November 2015

| 10/11/2015

What is “the middle way” in the Jewish tradition and what should be the agenda of “the middle way” in Israel today?

Why Do Children March with Flags on Simhat Torah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 10, Issue No. 2, October 2015

| 13/10/2015

There is a widespread custom for children to march with flags on Simhat Torah. What are the origins and reasons for this custom?

Rosh Hashana: Judgement Day or Day of Creation?

Jewish sources posit different dates and meaning to the Jewish New Year. The verses of the Rosh Hashanah Torah reading...

Yom Kippur and Procrastination

| 13/09/2015

Erev Yom Kippur, minutes before the storm. A point of time in the regular weekday that is nonetheless all holiness....

Sukkot: Celebrating Jerusalem as the Center of the Earth

| 12/09/2015

One of the most curious phenomena associated with the rituals of the Second Temple Judaism is the water libation offered...

Why do we Wear a Kittel and use White Torah Mantles, Table Covers and Ark Curtains in the Synagogue on the High Holy Days? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 10, Issue No. 1, September 2015

| 11/09/2015

What are the sources for the customs of wearing a kittel and using white Torah mantles, table covers and ark curtains on the High Holy Days?

Are Jews Smarter?

| 13/07/2015

The following article, written by Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox, is a synopsis of a lecture he delivered in June, one of a six-part...

As a Driven Leaf by Rabbi Milton Steinberg – Notes and Sources
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 9, Issue No. 7, July 2015

Art and Literature

| 10/07/2015

A comprehensive listing of Jewish sources quoted or hinted at in the classic novel As A Driven Leaf by Rabbi Milton Steinberg.

Learning the Language of Profound Tolerance

Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Lau

| 14/06/2015

I wish to first of all thank the Schechter Institute and the Award Committee who chose to award me, along...

The Seventeenth of Tammuz: Canceling the Fast

Dr. Yoel Rappel

| 13/06/2015

According to Jewish tradition, five events took place on the 17th of Tammuz: Moses smashed the tablets of the Law,...

Is Judaism Really in Favor of Pluralism and Tolerance? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 9, Issue No. 6, June 2015

| 10/06/2015

Thousands of years of Jewish sources contradict the notion that Judaism opposes pluralism. Judaism is in favor of unity but opposed to uniformity.

Counting the Weeks: A Farmer’s Almanac

According to the Rabbis, Shavuot, like the other festivals of the Jewish year, has a specific date on the calendar;...

Why Do We Decorate Synagogues and Homes with Trees and Flowers in Honor of Shavuot? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 9, Issue No. 5, May 2015

| 10/05/2015

There is a widespread custom to decorate synagogues and homes with trees and flowers in honor of Shavout. What are the sources and reasons for this custom?

The Circle of the Seder Plate; The Cycle of Our Fortunes

When recalling my Jewish childhood, the first memory that comes to mind is from Seder night – the immaculate house,...

Rice, Beans and Kitniyot on Pesah: Are they Really Forbidden? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 9, Issue No. 4, March 2015

| 15/03/2015

Why do Ashkanazic Jews refrain from eating rice, beans and kitniyot on Pesah? Is there any way of doing away with this custom?

Does Justice Have a Gender?

| 13/03/2015

With our return to sovereignty our eyes look towards the legislating body, the Knesset. We demand to find a legal...

Drinking on Purim: A Return to the One

| 13/02/2015

On Purim we are bidden to get so thoroughly drunk on wine or other intoxicants that we are unable to...

What is the Halakhic Status of an Uncircumcised Jew? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 9, Issue No. 3, February 2015

| 10/02/2015

May an uncircumcised Jew have an aliyah, serve as a sheliah tzibbur, have a Bar Mitzvah, a Jewish wedding or burial? What is the halakhic status of an uncircumcised Jew?

Holocaust Survivors in Israel – Living Symbols of Poverty

Dr. Galia Glasner Heled

| 13/01/2015

We have a special obligation to see to the welfare of Holocaust survivors. The government has provided additional resources to...

Why Do We Give Hanukkah Gelt and Hanukkah Presents? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 9, Issue No. 2, December 2014

| 10/12/2014

What are the sources in Jewish law and history for the tradition of giving gifts of gelt and presents on Hanukkah?

The War of Cultures: An Evolutionary Analysis

At the Schechter MA graduation ceremony in Jerusalem a few months ago, the master of ceremonies, Jacky Levy, a well-known...

When Should One Correct the Torah Reader?

| 10/11/2014

In some synagogues the Gabbai corrects the Torah reader for every error, while in others, only when the error changes the meaning of the text. Which practice is more correct?

The Four Species in Ancient Jewish Art

Dr. Noa Yuval-Hacham

| 13/10/2014

While some believe that ancient Jewish culture was primarily textual, based on written and oral traditions, studies of Jewish art...

Thoughts for the New Year: “Man Was Created on Rosh Hashanah” and “Of Uman, Community and 21st Century ‘I’”

Dr. Tomer Persico

| 13/09/2014

With the high holidays approaching, the Schechter Institutes wish you and your loved ones a most festive and meaningful holiday...

Woman and Ritual: Bat-Mitzvah in Israel Curricula

How should a young Jewish Israeli girl celebrate her bat mitzvah? The answer to this question is clear to members...

A Funeral that Teaches the Art of Living

From the story of a life on its last journey, from words of family members gathered around the grave, rises...

What Does Jewish Law Say About the Murder of Muhammed Abu Khdeir and Other Attacks Against Innocent Arabs? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 8, Issue No. 9, July 2014

| 10/07/2014

What does Jewish law say about the murder of Muhammed Abu Khdeir and other attacks against innocent Arabs?

The Giving of the Law at Sinai

| 12/06/2014

VISUAL MIDRASH is a most special place. We invite you to discover the beauty and wealth of information found within this...

Jewish Unity and the Spring Holidays
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 8, Issue No. 8, June 2014

Lag B'Omer

| 10/06/2014

Unlike the fall holidays, which are primarily interested in relations between man and God, the spring holidays are connected by the common theme of the unity of the Jewish people.

Ruminations on Memory and its Transmission to the Next Generation

Every year, the days between Passover and Independence Day are a period of rumination for me regarding the purpose of...

A Dialogue about Judaism in Israel Today in Honor of Israel’s 66th Independence Day Responsa in a Moment: Volume 8, Issue No. 7, May 2014

| 12/05/2014

In memory of 23,169 soldiers who fell defending the State of Israel. May their memory be for a blessing. In December 2013,...

How to Foil a Revolution

A well-known theory about the Exodus posits that a slave revolt lay behind the biblical account (See the discussion in...

Why Do We Put a Shank Bone (zeroa) and Egg (beitzah) on the Seder Plate? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 8, Issue No. 6, April 2014

| 10/04/2014

Must one use a shank bone and egg on the seder plate? What is the origin of this custom? Must the shank bone and egg be roasted? May they be eaten after the seder? May a vegetarian use two other foods?

Rabbis in Spiritual Crisis*

| 13/03/2014

Belief in God is an intuitive belief given our neurobiological makeup. Intuitive reasoning tends to change over a lifetime to...

Why do Ashkenazic Jews Eat Hamentashen on Purim? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 8, Issue No. 5, March 2014

| 10/03/2014

What is the origin of the tradition of Ashkenazic Jews eating hamentashen and other special foods on Purim?

A Proposal for a Systemic Solution to the Problem of Agunot Honoring International Women’s Day 2014

It is inexcusable that many women who want to get divorced are faced with their spouses’ recalcitrance and must sometimes...

Bouena Sarfatty of Salonika: A Partisan-Poet Holocaust Survivor

| 13/01/2014

While investigating an eminent Sephardi family named de Botton from the Ottoman Empirein 1989, I wrote to all the Sephardi...

The Crisis in Jewish Law Today
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 8, Issue No. 4, January 2014

| 10/01/2014

Neither the Conservative nor the Orthodox movement has succeeded in creating the proper balance between tradition and change which are crucial for the future of Judaism.

Zion Gate-The Battle over Early Zionist Symbols: Between Zion and Zionism, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv-Jaffa

“I am the gate for whom your holy city is named: Zion” (Yitzchak Navon, The Six Days and the Seven...

Torah Study vs. Acts of Loving Kindness: Which is More Important? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 8, Issue No. 3, December 2013

| 10/12/2013

The mitzvot of Torah study and gemilut hassadim [acts of loving kindness] are very important Jewish values and we all need to find a way to devote time every week to both.

A Lesson We Can Learn from the Rabin Assassination

Rabbi Shlomo Tucker

| 14/11/2013

Delivered at the Schechter Institute Memorial Service for Israel’s Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin z”l, on the Hebrew yahrzeit of his...

Why the State of Israel Should Abolish the Chief Rabbinate

Rabbis and Rabbinical Seminaries

| 10/11/2013

After closely observing this corrupt institution for forty years, I believe that the State of Israel should abolish the Chief Rabbinate as quickly as possible.

The Binding of Isaac in Art: Piety and Protest

| 12/10/2013

The article The Binding of Isaac: Piety and Protest explores this week’s Torah Portion “Vayera” in a totally new light:...

Is it Permissible to Practice Reading
the Torah From a Torah Scroll?

Bar-Bat Mitzvah

| 10/10/2013

Is it permissible for a child to practice reading the Torah from a Sefer Torah in preparation for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony?

Yom Kippur: A Day for Moral and Cosmic Self-Examination

| 13/09/2013

The Days of Awe, or High Holidays, including Yom Kippur, constitute one of two beginnings in the Hebrew calendar. The second...

Joy and Gladness on the Ninth of Av and Yom Ha’atzma’ut

As a Zionist and a religious Jew especially on Ninth of Av, I see God’s hand in the rebirth of...

The Status of Women in Jewish Law: a
Dialogue With Shmuel Rosner in the LA Jewish Journal Responsa in a Moment: Volume 7, Issue No. 9, July 2013

| 10/07/2013

Questions and answers on the status of women following the publication of The Status of Women in Jewish Law: Responsa.

Does Jewish Law Permit Internet Surveillance? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 7, Issue No. 8, June 2013

| 10/06/2013

There is no simple solution to the ethical dilemma of protecting privacy and saving lives What can Jewish law and tradition teach us about the ethical dilemma of internet surveillance versus saving lives and rights to privacy?

From Sinai to Ruth: Why We Read Megillat Ruth on Shavuot Israel Standing Before God

I would like to thank all who heard, responded, and helped me formulate this article: the Tehuda Seminary: Sara Leibovitz...

Why do Many Jews Stay up all Night Studying Torah on Shavuot? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 7, Issue No. 7, May 2013

| 10/05/2013

It is customary to study Torah all night at a Tikkun Leil Shavuot. What are the sources and the customs related to this practice?

From the Heart of Europe to the Far East: German Jewish Refugees in Shanghai

Prof. Guy Miron

| 13/04/2013

(This article is based on a longer article published under this title appearing in the journal B’shvil Hazikaron, Vol. 13...

From the Plague of Fish (דג) to the Plague of Blood (דם)

Everyone knows that the first of the ten plagues sent to afflict the Egyptians was the plague of blood. The...

“A Heritage of the Entire Jewish People from the Six Days of Creation” Responsa in a Moment: Volume 7, Issue No. 6, March 2013

| 10/03/2013

The mission of the Schechter non-profits for the past 28 years is to teach Torah throughout the State of Israel to every Jewish man and woman, boy and girl, in an open and pluralistic fashion.

Halakhic Engagement with Modern Challenges: New Publication of Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn, Malki Bakodesh, Part II

| 14/02/2013

Marking the publication of the book Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn, Malki Bakodesh, Part II, edited by David Zohar, and co-published by...

Just How Drunk Should a Jew Get on Purim? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 7, Issue No. 5, February 2013

| 10/02/2013

Drinking on Purim is required for Jews celebrating the holiday. What is the origin of this custom? Are Jews really required to get drunk on Purim?

How Long Should a Child Recite the Mourner’s Kaddish for a Parent? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 7, Issue No. 4, January 2013

| 10/01/2013

It is common practice today for a child to recite Kaddish in memory of a parent for 11 months, even though the normal period of mourning is 12 months. How long should a child recite Kaddish for a parent and why?

Festival of Lights – A Holiday for All: Marpeh and Spiritual Care at Schechter

| 12/12/2012

Chanukah, the Festival of Lights – when those colorful little candles illuminate the great darkness imposed by nature, when the...

What does Jewish Law Have to Say about Surrogacy? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 7, Issue No. 3, December 2012

| 10/12/2012

What does Jewish law have to say about conceiving children through surrogacy?

The Yetser Hatov in Rabbinic Thought

The rabbinic notion of two inclinations – good and evil – vying for domination in each human heart is first...

The Sweetness of “Bitter-Heshvan”

Rabbi Elisha Wolfin

| 12/10/2012

The month of October, or Mar Heshvan (“bitter-Heshvan”as it is playfully called,) denotes the period of time immediately following the...

Zionism: A Unifying Movement Within Judaism

| 13/09/2012

These days, as the topic of the rift within the Jewish People pervades the media (less so the street), it...

Jewish Women in Mediterranean Society

| 12/07/2012

The Genizah collection has provided an entrée into what is aptly described by S. D. Goitein in the third volume...

Remembering the Destruction of the Temple – Good or Bad?* Responsa in a Moment: Volume 6, Issue No. 8, July 2012

Tisha B’av

| 10/07/2012

Historical memory is crucial to a people. Since the redemption is not yet complete, we must continue to fast on Tisha B’av and remember the destruction of Jerusalem.

An Evolutionary Look at Jewish Religious Practice

| 13/06/2012

Last November SIJS hosted a one-of-a-kind conference in conjunction with the Binah Yitzrit Foundation of Austin Texas. The theme of...

Why is Keriah Performed on the Left Side for Parents but on the Right Side for Other Relatives? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 6, Issue No. 7, June 2012

| 10/06/2012

What are the sources for the differences in how mourners perform keriah (rending a garment) for a parent and for other relatives?

Seeing the Voices: Some Thoughts on the Nature of Revelation

“And all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the blare of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when...

Is it Permissible to Eat and Drink in a
Synagogue Sanctuary or Bet Midrash? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 6, Issue No. 6, May 2012

| 10/05/2012

It is customary to hold communal meals in a synagogue sanctuary or Bet Midrash on holidays, Shabbat and weekdays. Does this contradict Jewish laws that forbid eating in a synagogue or Bet Midrash?

The Song of Songs and the Story of the Exodus from Egypt

It is customary to read the Song of Songs on Pesach. Some read it at night after completing the Haggadah;...

Romaine Lettuce or Horseradish:
Will the Real Maror Please Stand Up?

| 10/04/2012

Most Jews in the Diaspora use horseradish for maror at the Seder, while most Israeli Jews use romaine lettuce. Which custom is more correct?

On Purim and Yom Ha-Kippurim

Our Sages said: “All festivals will be annulled, except for the days of Purim, as it is written: ‘And these...

May Women Read the Megillah in Public?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 6, Issue No. 4, March 2012

| 10/03/2012

Since women are required to read the Megillah, is it permissible for women to read Megillat Esther in public on Purim?

Between Land and State – ‘Greater Land of Israel’ according to Tabenkin and the United Kibbutz Movement

A few months ago I submitted my doctoral thesis to Haifa University. The dissertation examines the theoretical sources of the...

Handmade Midrash

| 12/01/2012

The seed that became The Handmade Midrash workshop of the last twenty-five years germinated from a momentary flash of insight...

“He Who has a Heart Thirsting for the Light… Come Join Us:” Chanukah and the Zionists

| 14/12/2011

We carry torches, on dark nights, The paths glow beneath our feet, And he who has a heart thirsting for...

“Kol B’ishah Ervah” – Is it Really Forbidden for Jewish Men to Listen to Women Singing? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 6, Issue No. 2, November 2011

| 10/11/2011

Is it forbidden for Jewish men to listen to women singing? Was there any halakhic justification for a group of soldiers to walk out of a ceremony in which a female singer sang a solo?

Isru Hag: Binding the Festival with Eating and Drinking

| 13/10/2011

Scholars have long been puzzled by a difficult verse in the book of Psalms, recited towards the end of the...

Blessing and Atonement: Blessings, Honoring Parents, Atonement and Closeness

| 11/09/2011

If we stop a moment to think back and ask ourselves how our Jewish identity has been formed by our...

The Confession of Sins on Yom Kippur
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 6, Issue No. 1, September 2011

| 10/09/2011

What are the sources for the viduy or confession of sins on Yom Kippur? Must we recite the very long confession which is found in the Mahzor?

The Blood is Still Seething : A Message for Tish’a B’Av 5771

Rabbi Moshe M. Silberschein

| 13/07/2011

Then he killed women as well as babes at the breast, And the blood rose among them like a sea,...

Dona Gracia Nasi (1510-1569): A Conversa of Import

| 13/06/2011

Last year marked the 500th anniversary of the birth of one of the most well-known women in Jewish history: Dona...

Shavuot: Whatever Happened to The Ten Commandments? Responsa in a Moment: June 2011

| 10/06/2011

Why did our ancestors require the reading of the Ten Commandments in public only three times a year, but encourage their recitation in private all year long?

The Labor of Sovereignty: Remembrance Day and Independence Day

Rabbi Tamar Elad Applebaum

| 15/05/2011

In memory of my beloved brother, Nadav Elad z”l Who fell on duty on the 18th of Av 5761 With...

The Goal versus the Way: On Pluralism and the Exodus from Egypt

Dr. Galia Glasner Heled

| 12/04/2011

Ruth Duek, a political activist and a member of Besod Siach (an “Organization for the Promotion of Dialogue Between Conflict...

The Student Struggle Against the Holocaust
Responsa in a Moment: April 2011

| 10/04/2011

Summary of the efforts by three young rabbinical students at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York to raise awareness and save lives during the Holocaust.

Seriously Laughing to Death: Couples’ Games and Masks in the Book of Esther

Dr. Michal Govrin

| 14/03/2011

One way to read the Book of Esther is as a comedy laden with twists of fate evolving in fast...

Blotting Out Haman on Purim
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 5, Issue No. 5, March 2011

| 10/03/2011

What are the sources for the widespread custom to make noise every time Haman’s name is mentioned in the Megillat Esther? Is there a halakhic problem of not being able to hear the Megillah?

Attitudes Towards the Non-Jew in 20th Century Jewish Thought

| 14/02/2011

The issue of the Jewish stance towards the non-Jew recently came to the fore as a result of a rabbinic...

When a Person Passed Away in Adar,
When is the Yahrzeit Observed in a Leap Year? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 5, Issue No. 4, February 2011

| 10/02/2011

Since the custom of yahrzeit and mourner’s Kaddish arose hundreds of year after the Talmud, there is no clear consensus as to whether an Adar yahrzeit should be observed in Adar I or Adar II.

Behind the Scenes of NASHIM: The Trials and Tribulations of an Academic Editor

| 12/01/2011

Recently I was asked as of when have I been serving as the academic editor of NASHIM, and to be...

Is it Permissible to Change the Wording About the Sacrifices in the Middle Blessing of the Musaf Service? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 5, Issue No. 3, January 2011

| 10/01/2011

Many modern Jews do not feel comfortable asking God to restore the sacrificial service in the Temple. Is it permissible to change the wording of the middle blessing of the Musaf service which asks God to restore the sacrificial system?

Ascribing New Meaning to Hanukkah after the Destruction of the Temple

The regulations for lighting the Hanukkah lamp are found in neither the Mishnah nor the Tosefta, the corpora reflecting halakhic...

Is it Permissible to Sell or Rent an Apartment to a non-Jew in the Land of Israel? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 5, Issue No. 2, December 2010

Interfaith

| 10/12/2010

According to Jewish law, it is perfectly permissible to sell or rent houses to non-Jews in the Land of Israel.

“One Law You Shall Have for the Foreigner and the Native Alike:” Social Justice in the Teachings of the Tannaim

Dr. Moti Arad

| 13/11/2010

The Sages of the 2nd century in the Land of Israel The challenge placed before the Jew who truthfully and...

Why Don’t We Read a Scroll on Hanukkah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 5, Issue No. 1, November 2010

| 10/11/2010

The holiday of Hanukkah has many beautiful customs but why don’t we read a scroll to publicize the miracles which God wrought for our ancestors in the days of Matityahu and his sons?

The Rabbis and Rain – The Religious and the Secular Approaches

“The rains come due to the merit of one person, one blade of grass, one field” (Talmud Yerushalmi, Tractate Ta’anit...

Rosh Hashanah: Creation of the World and Creation of Mankind

Rabbi Prof. Alexander Even Chen

| 12/09/2010

Of the midrashim that describe the creation of the world, one stands out that is short and puzzling. Breishit Raba...

The Song of Songs and Tu B’Av Love Festivities

Tu B’Av – Festival of Love Of the festivals and special days that we mark during the year, the 15th of...

Is There a Jewish Perspective on Modern Biblical Criticism? In Memoriam: Professor Moshe Greenberg and Professor Jacob Milgrom

Can the critical study of the Bible in the academic world be seen to have a clear Jewish aspect which...

Should we Continue to Fast on Tisha B’av and other Fasts which Commemorate the Temple’s Destruction? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 4, Issue No. 7, June 2010

Tisha B’av

| 10/06/2010

In light of the rebirth of the State of Israel and the reunification of Jerusalem, should we continue to fast on Tisha B’av and the other three fasts which commemorate the destruction of the Temple?

Measuring the “Holiness” of the Land of Israel: The Western Wall

The Western Wall After 1967 Ever since 1967 Israeli society has been preoccupied with the question of the quintessential meaning...

Is There an Alternative to Reciting Akdamut on Shavuot? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 4, Issue No. 6, May 2010

| 10/05/2010

Akdamut is in danger of disappearing in our day. Is there an alternative to reciting this Aramaic poem prior to the reading of the Torah on Shavuot?

From Breslau to Jerusalem: Rabbinical Seminaries as a Reflection of Jewish Renewal

| 13/04/2010

As the Jews entered the modern period in Europe, the question of the role and the future of the Rabbinate...

Why do Some Jews Recite a Special Verse at the End of the Amidah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 4, Issue No. 5, April 2010

| 10/04/2010

There is a custom to recite a special verse at the end of the Amidah based on the letters in one's name. Where can one find a list of these verses and what is the origin of this custom?

Four Cups of Wine: A Path to Freedom

Many people have the impression that the Jewish tradition discourages drinking. There is little evidence of this in the sources....

Are Jews Required to Give a Maaser [Tithe] of their Income to Tzedakah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 4, Issue No. 4, March 2010

Tzedakah

| 10/03/2010

What are the sources for giving Maasar Kesafim [a tithe] to tzedakah? Must all Maaser money be given to the poor or may it be used to support Jewish education, to buy ritual objects for a synagogue or for other mitzvot?

‘She’s Got A Man’s Head On Her Shoulders’ Ada Fishman (Maimon) as a Test Case For Women’s Political Activity

| 13/02/2010

The emergent Zionist society in Eretz Israel witnessed the rise of staunch women leaders. One of these women was Ada...

Is the Entire Kotel Plaza Really a Synagogue? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 4, Issue No. 3, February 2010

| 10/02/2010

What is the halakhic status, as opposed to the legal status, of the Kotel Plaza? Is it really a synagogue?

The Agunah Problem and Israel’s Law of the Land

Divorce

Reprinted with permission from Sh’ma: A Journal of Jewish Responsibility, shma.com, December 2009. Israel is both a Jewish State and...

The Stones Cast by the Oppressors Became the Keystone: Emil Fackenheim, the 614th Commandment and Kristallnacht

Ari Bursztein

| 13/11/2009

Kristallnacht is lodged in Jewish memory as a turning point in the active anti-Semitism that led to the Final Solution....

What are the Attributes of a Good Cantor? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 4, Issue No. 2, November 2009

| 10/11/2009

When choosing a good cantor, whether a professional or simply a member of the congregation, what are the most important attributes which one should look for?

Men and Women: Beyond Perfunctory Equality to a Spiritual Covenant

| 12/10/2009

The Rabbis taught: “Sins between man and God are atoned for by Yom Kippur; those between man and his fellow,...

Why do we Recite Psalm 27 from Rosh Hodesh Elul until Hoshanah Rabbah? Responsa for Today: Volume 4, Issue No. 1, October 2009

| 10/10/2009

What is the origin of the custom of Ashkenazic Jews to recite Psalm 27, The Penitential Psalm, every morning and every evening from Rosh Hodesh Elul until Hoshanah Rabbah?

Worshipping the Creator Prof. Moshe Benovitz

| 15/09/2009

There is one thing I’ve always found quite puzzling about the world-view of the Torah and the Bible as a...

TALI Schools: Fostering “Unconditional Love”

During the second week in July, we note the seventeenth day of Tammuz, the day on which the walls of...

Which Books May be Studied in Order to Hold a Siyyum? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 10, July 2009

| 10/07/2009

It is customary to hold a siyyum – a celebration – upon completion of a Talmud tractate. Is it possible to hold a siyyum upon completion of other Jewish books ?

Eliezer Schweid on the Relation between Halakhah and Secularism

| 14/06/2009

One of the most significant cultural trends in Israeli society is the resurgence of interest in Jewish texts among circles...

May Women Serve as Mohalot?
Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 9, June 2009

| 10/06/2009

Circumcision is one of the first mitzvot mentioned in the Torah. There is no question that it is perfectly permissible for Jewish women to perform brit milah.

The Sad Story of Ariella

Megillat [the scroll of] Ruth, traditionally read on Shavu’ot, tells the story of Naomi, her husband Elimelekh and their two...

Is it Permissible for a Jew to Attend the
“Body Worlds” Exhibit? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 8, May 2009

| 10/05/2009

Is it permissible for a Jew to attend the “Body Worlds” exhibit in which there are 200 displays of real human specimens, including whole bodies, organs, organ configurations and transparent body slices?

Retribution is Not Enough

| 13/04/2009

(based on articles from “In Our Community” published by JTS in October 2008 and “Unsung Heroes,” Ha’aretz, March 2009) In...

What is the Purpose of the Mnemonic Dzakh Adash B’ahav in the Haggadah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 7, April 2009

| 10/04/2009

In the Haggadah, Rabbi Judah gives the ten plagues a siman, a mnemonic: Dzakh Adash B’ahav. Why did he need to give a siman for ten words which could easily be learned by heart and what new ideas does this teach us?

Adar and Purim in Salonika (as Reflected in the Poetry of Bouena Sarfatty)

| 13/03/2009

This article is part of a forthcoming book, An Ode to Salonika: The Coplas of Bouena Sarfatty. Bouena Sarfatty Garfinkle was...

A Tribute to Bill Davidson z”l (1922-2009) Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 6, March 2009

Eulogies and Words of Tribute

| 10/03/2009

A tribute to Mr. William Davidson, z"l, one of the leading Jewish philanthropists of our generation, who passed away in Detroit on March 13, 2009 at the age of 86.

Study of the Ancient Seder and Modern Observance

After 10 years of studying the rabbinic texts that went into composing the seder, after reading numerous studies on the...

Kristallnacht: A Turning Point in German Jewish History

Prof. Guy Miron

| 13/01/2009

During the night between Nov 9-10, 1938, a pogrom took place in the streets of Germany and Austria in which...

What Can We Learn From Our Sources About the War in Gaza? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 5, January 2009

| 11/01/2009

Much has been written about the war against Hamas in Gaza. What can we learn from our sources about the current conflict?

Does Jewish Law Permit Taking a Census? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 4, December 2008

| 11/12/2008

Israel’s sixth population census took place between December 28, 2008 and February 28, 2009. Given the Jewish aversion to counting heads, is such a census permissible according to Jewish law?

(Post) Modern Alienation and Hope: Zionism as a Longing for Meaning

Jews throughout the world who became ardent Zionists during the 19th and 20th centuries relate the same personal testimony heard...

How Often Should Mezuzot and Tefillin be Checked by a Sofer? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 3, November 2008

| 11/11/2008

What are the various opinions for how often one is required to check mezuzot and tefillin by a sofer for damage?

Yom Kippur: Day of No Justice

| 15/10/2008

Many people erroneously think of Yom Kippur as Yom Hadin, Judgment Day – a day on which we celebrate God’s...

A Responsum Regarding the Environment and Air Pollution – Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 2, October 2008

| 11/10/2008

Digging a huge phosphate quarry near three towns inhabited by 40,000 people is absolutely forbidden by Jewish law before the fact and can also be stopped after the fact.

Why do we Eat Special Foods on Rosh Hashanah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 3, Issue No. 1, September 2008

| 11/09/2008

There is a custom to eat special foods on Rosh Hashanah. What are the sources of this custom? Why do Ashkenazim and Sefaradim eat different foods on Rosh Hashanah?

The Temple Destruction and its Visual Expression in Sephardic Bibles

The catastrophe of the Temple’s destruction in the year 70 stimulated a treasury of Jewish symbols that expressed visually the...

A Responsum Regarding the Annulment of Conversions Responsa in a Moment: Volume 2, Issue No. 9, June 2008

| 11/06/2008

Why would a rabbinic court in Israel which belongs to the Chief Rabbinate retroactively annul thousands of conversions performed by another rabbinic court which also belongs to the Chief Rabbinate?

Why I Made Aliyah Responsa in a Moment: Volume 2, Issue No. 8, May 2008

| 11/05/2008

In honor of Israel ‘s 60th birthday, I would like to explain some of the reasons why I decided to live in Israel.

Israel in Egypt: Slaves or Sojourners?

Did the Israelites really come up out of Egypt ? Is there any historical actuality beneath the Exodus story? And...

Queen Vashti’s Costume Party

The article is part of the entry “Vashti”, written by the author for the Encyclopedia, Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical...

Reciting Verses Aloud in Honor of Esther During the Megillah Reading Responsa in a Moment: Volume 2, Issue No. 6, March 2008 Orah Hayyim 690:17

| 11/03/2008

What are the sources for the custom of reciting aloud four verses of redemption (2:5, 8:15, 8:16, 10:3), which are then repeated by the reader, during the public reading of Megillat Esther? May we add four additional verses of redemption related to Esther?

The Father (Herzl) and the Holy (Zionist) Spirit

| 14/02/2008

In this article, I will shed light on a lesser-known Herzl, as expressed in his literary work of the 1890s...

Is There a Problem with Plaques? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 2, Issue No. 5, February 2008

Tzedakah

| 11/02/2008

It is a common Jewish practice to publicize the names of donors and to put up donors' plaques in their honor. Is this practice permissible or is it better to give in secret (mattan baseter)?

Aharon David Gordon on Ecology and Love of Eretz Yisrael

Jews around the world will celebrate Tu B’shvat – “The New Year of the Trees” – on January 22. In...

Should We Stand or Sit for the Kaddish?

| 11/01/2008

In some congregations people stand for the Kaddish, in others they sit, and in others some stand and some sit. What is the correct custom?

Does Jewish Law Permit Cremation? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 2, Issue No. 3, December 2007

| 11/12/2007

The accepted practice among traditional Jews is that cremation is forbidden. Does Jewish law permit cremation?

Hanukkah: Holiday of Hearth and Home

In Memory of Munir Murdoch z”l, who transformed the Schechter Institute into a Home. Traditionally, Hanukkah celebrates two distinct events:...

A Responsum Concerning a Landlord-Tenant Dispute – Responsa in a Moment: Volume 2, Issue No. 2, November 2007

| 11/11/2007

Are there circumstances in which a Jewish educational institution would be permitted to not renew leases of long-term tenants in order to provide housing for its students? Are there any special obligations which fall upon a landlord taking such an action?

Biblical Covenant and the Liberal State: A Reflection on the Rabin Assassination

The word “Covenant” (Brit) appears in over 200 places in the Tanach. It is used to describe a relationship between...

How Should Shemitah (The Sabbatical Year) be Observed in the State of Israel?

| 11/10/2007

According to biblical law, the Land of Israel must lie fallow during the Shemitah (sabbatical) year. How should Shemitah be observed in the State of Israel?

The Prophet Jonah: Leadership and Taking Responsibility

These days are a time of crisis: a crisis of leadership and of faith in leaders. They direct us to...

Nature-Nurture & Free Will

| 13/07/2007

The age-old adage – “does the person make the job or the job make the person?” is being framed quite...

Three Early Modern Jewish Women Leaders (16th to 19th centuries)

| 13/06/2007

Every society is concerned with the nature of its leadership; a glance at any newspaper on any given day reveals...

Is it Permissible to Recite a Mee Sheberakh (Prayer for the Sick) for a Non-Jew?

| 11/06/2007

Is it permissible to pray for a non-Jew and if so, can a non-Jew be included in the standard Mee Sheberakh prayer together with Jews?

The Zionist Movement and East Jerusalem: A Continuing Saga

My research into the romance that flourished between the Zionist Movement and Jerusalem began years ago. When I began my...

Is it Permissible for Jews to Enter the Temple Mount in Our Day? In Honor of Jerusalem on the 40th Anniversary of Reunification.

| 11/05/2007

Many Jews, especially Orthodox Jews, have not entered the Temple Mount for the past forty years. Does Jewish law really forbid Jews from entering the Temple Mount, our holiest site?

Why is it Customary to Mourn Between Pesach and Shavuot? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 1, Issue No. 8, April 2007

| 11/04/2007

Why is mourning customary during the period of Sefirat Ha’omer (the counting of the omer)? Is there any point in maintaining these mourning customs today?

Must Cosmetics Be Kosher for Pesah? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 1, Issue No. 7, March 2007

| 11/03/2007

Do cosmetic products such as make-up, perfume and shampoo require a Kosher for Pesah certification?

A Responsum Concerning the Addition of the Imahot (Matriarchs) to the Amidah (Silent Devotion) (1). Responsa in a Moment Volume 1, Number 6, February 2007

| 01/02/2007

There is a custom today to add the Imahot to the first blessing of the Amidah. Is it permissible to do so according to Jewish law?

How Can Apostates Such as the Falash Mura Return to Judaism? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 1, Issue No. 5, January 2007

| 11/01/2007

In our day, there are many Jews who have converted to Christianity or Islam – among them thousands of Ethiopian Falash Mura – who wish to return to the Jewish fold. How can such apostates and their children return to Judaism?

The Burning Issues Confronting World Jewry and the Jews of Israel

This article is based on a speech delivered by Amb. Halevy at the opening dinner of the Schechter Institute Groundbreaking...

A Responsum Regarding the Right to Privacy Responsa in a Moment: Volume 1, Issue No. 4, December 2006

| 11/12/2006

What is the halakhic attitude towards the practice of companies selling data on their clients or of organizations – including rabbinic and philanthropic organizations – selling or giving their email and mailing address lists to other organizations?

The Window Across From My Window

“The Window Across from My Window” is taken from Israel as a Pluralist State: Achievements and Goals, a collection of...

What is the Jewish Attitude Towards Medicine? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 1, Issue No. 3, November 2006

| 11/11/2006

It says in the Torah “for I the Lord am your healer” (Exodus 15:26). If so, why do Jews practice medicine and consult doctors?

When I Get to Heaven

Hershel of Ostropol, died as he lived, with a joke on his lips. As the end neared, the people of...

Why and When Do We Read The Book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) In Public? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 1, Issue No. 2, October 2006 Orah Hayyim 663:2 (1)

| 11/10/2006

There is a widespread custom to read the book of Kohelet on Sukkot or Shmini Atzeret or Simhat Torah. Why do we read Kohelet at this time of year? When exactly is Kohelet read? Is this a custom or an obligation?

When Should Selihot Be Recited? Responsa in a Moment: Volume 1, Issue No. 1, September 2006

Rosh Chodesh (New Month)

| 11/09/2006

When is the proper time to begin reciting Selihot before Rosh Hashanah? Why do Ashkenazic Jews start on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, while Sefardic Jews start on Rosh Hodesh Elul?

Back to the Sources:
Some Reflections on the War in the Galilee

| 11/08/2006

“The Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.” (Psalms 121:4): Sources of study to understand the war in the Galilee.

On Torah, TALI and Tolerance

| 30/06/2006

Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin’s remarks at a ceremony to dedicate a new Sefer Torah for the TALI school in Jerusalem's Bayit Vegan neighborhood.

The Contribution of Responsa Literature to the Study of Halakha, Jewish Culture and History

Prof. Shmuel Glick

| 13/06/2006

Responsa literature has its roots in the Geonic period (8th century), and it continues to be written to this very...

Prayers for the Government and the State of Israel – Yom Haatzmaut 5766

| 13/05/2006

As we celebrate Israel’s 58th birthday, we hope and pray to God: “Bless the State of Israel, protect her under the wings of Your grace and spread over her a Sukkah of peace.”

The “House of Jacob” at Sinai and in Our Day

“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel (Exodus 19:3).” This verse...

From Silenced Slavery to Bare Freedom: Women’s Voices at the Passover Seder

In 1975 a group of leaders of the feminist movement in the U.S., Jewish by birth but not necessarily by...

Introducing Megillat Hashoah: The Shoah Scroll Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) 2002

| 13/04/2006

We hope that this scroll will be accepted by Klal Yisrael (the collective Jewish people) as a meaningful religious way to commemorate the memory of the Holocaust for generations.

The Origins of the Seder

| 11/04/2006

The Seder, which is celebrated on the first night of Pesah or on the first two nights in the Diaspora – is the central ritual of the holiday of Passover. But what is the origin of the Seder and the Haggadah?

Esther’s Megillah

(First published in Yediot Aharonot – Literary Supplement, Fri. March 10, 2006) The Scroll of Esther appears to have been...

The Holiday of Purim: From Salvation to Vengeance

Toward the very end of the scroll of Esther, in Ix, 24-26, the essence of the story of Purim is...

Yitro vs. Amalek: Purim 5766

| 12/03/2006

A few weeks ago we read the Torah portion of Yitro (Exodus 18), which tells the story of Moshe’s father-in-law...

Human Responses to Suffering in Rabbinic Teaching

Aharon M. Singer

| 13/02/2006

This essay approaches the problem of suffering through the study of human response rather than through a theological speculation. Better...

A Tale of Two TALI Schools

| 12/02/2006

Observations of two schools which participate in the TALI Education Fund initiative which brings Jewish studies curriculum to secular Israeli schools.

Za’akat Dalot: Halakhic Solutions for the Agunot of Our Time

Divorce

| 12/01/2006

The Center for Women in Jewish Law examines solutions to free women bound in marriage by husbands who refuse to grant a Jewish divorce.

Judaism, History and Eternity According to Franz Rosenzweig

| 11/01/2006

Throughout the ages Jews and Judaism have lived as a part of host civilizations. They have been in the past...

Eliezer Schweid on the Religious-Secular Rift