Halacha

Some Jews are willing to risk their lives rather than receive a porcine transplant - study

Researchers saw that Jewish patients were willing to refuse life-saving treatments with porcine organs even when that would likely result in death.

Doctor lifting pig's kidney for transplant
An illustrative image of man and AI touching.

Is there room for God in the age of AI? - opinion

RABBI DAVID GOLINKIN at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. The mural adorning the building, ‘Ot Hi L’Olam,’ created by a group of nine artists in 2019, includes overlapping layers of quotations from Hebrew poetry.

Decades of impact: David Golinkin reflects on his legacy of pluralistic Jewish education

‘SINCE THE war began, the questions have become even harder and more traumatic. I do my best to answer and to provide the questioner, male or female, with halachic guidance through these painful moments,’ says the writer.

Professional advancement in Halacha: Why women should be allowed to take official exams - opinion


Chief rabbis call for public vaccination following four measles deaths

In a public letter, the rabbis argued that "you shall take great care of yourselves" is not just a verse from the Torah, but a halachic and moral obligation. 

A notice warning of a “Measles” is seen on a door in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem, July 31, 2025.

'Shabbat guidebook for parents': The value of recharging - review

A resourceful guidebook for a joyful Shabbat with your children.

HAREDI CHILDREN wear crowns as they celebrate receiving their first prayer books at the Kotel. There is no formal blessing for raising children, the author writes, because it is an ‘all-encompassing, timeless mitzvah.’

'The daughter of kings and queens': A letter to my daughter on her bat mitzvah

'The ya’ara has an aroma I deeply associate with the Land of Israel, and I wanted you to carry that association with you.'

THE WRITER’S daughter Ya’ara Tehila, of whom he is very proud.

Katz Prize 50th anniversary: call for nominations for the year 5785

Applications for the prestigious Katz Prize, awarded for the 50th year, will close in about two weeks, on the 4th of Elul.

President of Israel Isaac "Bougie" Herzog with last year's Katz Prize winners.

Rabbi Neil Danzig, scholar who unlocked mysteries of the Talmud, dies at 74

A longtime resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, he was buried in Israel.

Rabbi Neil Danzig, shown in an undated photo, was an authority on the Babylonian Jewish scholars known as Geonim.

Kosher or cruel? The Jewish ethical dilemma of factory-farmed meat

Growing demand for meat worldwide sparks debate about 'tza’ar ba’alei chaim' – causing needless suffering to living creatures.

 HOW DO factory farms figure in?

Jewish ethical dilemma: What does Halacha say about coercing medical treatment?

In respecting a competent patient’s wishes, rabbis have upheld that choice in such cases reflects not a disregard for life but a sober recognition that the obligation to prolong life has limits.

 An illustrative image of a hospital bed.

Nadav Schwartz: Fighting for LGBTQ+ acceptance among religious Jews

Jerusalemite of the week: A religious Jew who has been out as a gay man for 15 years now, Nadav Schwartz is a passionate activist who fights for the reconciliation of religious and queer identities. 

 Nadav Schwartz

What does halacha say about keeping Shabbat while under possible Iranian attack? - explainer

To help guide the public, the Zomet Institute published a series of up to date guidelines for Israelis who keep Shabbat.

 Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef speaks during a swearing in ceremony for new judges in the Rabbinical Court, held at the President's residence in Jerusalem on June 10, 2025.

Our struggle for Israel is a battle of faith and religious destiny - opinion

When the afterlife becomes the sole focus, like for Islamic terrorists who kill innocents, seeking heavenly rewards, religion loses its moral compass and can justify terrible crimes.

 HAMAS-SUPPORTING boy: Radical Islam has profoundly warped the image of God

How Is Shavuot Connected to Our Challenging Times? Rabbi Yoel Pinto Offers Clarity