Judaism

'To Be Holy but Human': A look into the life ‘hesder yeshiva’ creator Rabbi Yehuda Amital - review

One of a kind: Rav Amital was that unique and unparalleled leader who lived at a time when he was needed the most.

Israelis carry the body of Rabbi Yehuda Amital during his funeral in Jerusalem, on July 09, 2010

From exclusion to examination: Women gain access to rabbinic path

ITIM FOUNDER Rabbi Seth Farber stands outside the Supreme Court after the 2022 hearing, with Rabbanit Shlomit Piamenta (3rd L), Rabbanit Sarah Segal-Katz (4th L), and ITIM staff members.

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Parshat Matot-Masei: Our stops along the way

 Exodus - the splitting of the Red Sea.

Parashat Matot-Masei: The gravitas of gratitude

Moses, the father of the nation, paved a path for generations to come: Nothing justifies an act of ingratitude. Ingratitude is never warranted in any situation.

 An illustrative image of a note saying 'Today I Am Grateful.'

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?

Art and Torah: How can we dance out the darkness in our lives?

We danced out of Egypt toward revelation at Mount Sinai, out of Haman’s decree toward the rebuilding of the Second Temple, out of gas chambers to the State of Israel.

 YORAM RAANAN, ‘Dance Out Darkness,’ organic and acrylic paint, iridescent gold and glass beads on canvas, 20 x 90 cm., 2025.

Parashat Pinchas: Every Jew is torn between hope and history

Moses does not stand alone on Nevo – we stand with him. Together, we gaze toward a future we build but may never fully enter. Together with him, many Jews look toward a land they may never cross.

 An illustrative image of a man in a robe on a mountaintop with the sun shining.

Parashat Pinchas: Zealotry: The impetus to do the right thing

The story of Pinchas reminds us that even someone who once acted boldly in zeal can also become a leader of peace and understanding.

 Phinehas slaying Zimri and Kozbi, Jeremias van Winghe (1578–1645).

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Gil Troy's award-winning essay confronts ‘Silent Boycott’ against Jewish voices in publishing

This win for Troy followed his 2017 Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary win for “Excellence in Single Commentary.”

 Gil Troy

Over 100 US Sheriffs join ZAKA training course on Jewish burial customs

Event in Florida strengthens cultural sensitivity in law enforcement amid ongoing support for Jewish communities

 Over 100 sheriffs joined the seminar hosted by ZAKA Search and Rescue last week in Florida aimed at educating law enforcement on Jewish customs related to honoring the dead.

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