Torah
Mermaids and a talking donkey: A treasure trove of ‘midrashic’ interpretations - review
Zev T. Gershon's '100 Wonders in the World of Torah' includes entries of little-known stories and oddities.
Yom Kippur War: How the Book of Isaiah spurred world Jewry to back Israel, refusniks in 1973
In fond memory of Rabbi David Ebner: My sharp, sensitive, story-telling rebbe - opinion
Haftarat Ha’azinu: A song for our time
Parashat Ha’azinu: Between heaven and Earth
Between heaven and Earth lies a sheltering presence, a glimpse of eternity, and the promise of unity beneath the wings of the divine.
This week's Torah portion contains lessons to learn amid the Yom Kippur Manchester attack - opinion
Ha’azinu calls us to remember history and understand generational change - for Jews, to strengthen our mesorah; for nations, to confront the consequences of their actions before it is too late.
How radical kindness can renew the Jewish community this Yom Kippur - opinion
In the aftermath of October 7, the Jewish community was at its most united. We were in the so-called “surge”: a renewed desire for community and joining together against our perceived adversaries.
Yom Kippur: The end or the beginning?
The Talmud identifies Yom Kippur as one of the two happiest days in the year (along with the 15th of Av).
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks's new Torah commentary is making waves in Israel five years after his death
Sacks, the chief rabbi of Great Britain, is the author of a posthumous volume that is challenging Israel’s top-selling Koren Tanakh.
Parashat Nitzavim: Isaiah on 'hasbara'
If Israel raises its voice with confidence and persistence, its light will break through, its righteousness will be seen by the nations, and its glory acknowledged even by kings.
'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.'
Rosh Hashanah: One union
God wants us to be in unity: that we honor one another, and that we respect each other’s wishes and aspirations.
'Ascending the Ladder': Career tips from the Bible - review
A skilled Jewish day school, supplementary school, or adult education teacher could structure an entire course based on this book, or more specifically, the chapter titled “Workplace Ethics.”
Ki Tavo haftarah: Hamas no more
The clash with Hamas is not merely a contemporary conflict – it is part of a divine drama stretching across millennia.
Parashat Ki Tavo: The basket of first fruits
The world is so beautiful when we look upon it with a good eye; when we bless its creator and are filled with gratitude.