God

Art and Torah: A molten menorah and the power of light from darkness

From Joseph’s darkest moments to Hanukkah’s rising flames, exploring how light is born from depth.

‘Molten Menorah,’ by Yoram Raanan, 100x80 cm., acrylic on canvas, 2025.
People move people; ideas alone rarely do.

Parashat Vayeshev: Leadership does not equal influence

 A Jewish man wears a blue Kippah with a Star of David on it in Sao Paulo, Brazi

Israel-Hamas War made Israelis more religious, JPPI special report reveals

Dr. Tomer Persico

Tomer Persico: The evolution of individualism and collective identity in Judaism


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

Can – or perhaps should – any individual Jew who is looking to fulfill God’s word direct his or her halachic question to AI, and then be obligated to follow its ruling?

An illustrative image of man and AI touching.

Parashat Vayera: Faith is stronger than reality

Can faith prevail over reason and reality? Scripture’s answer is clear. What seems impossible to man is never beyond the power of God.

Elisha Raising the Son of the Shunamite, by Frederic Leighton, 1881, oil on canvas - Leighton House Museum - London, England.

Parashat Vayera: Abraham vs Social Darwinism 

Abraham believed in the power of his connection to God and in its ability to bring about true transformation – far more powerfully than any punishment, no matter how justified.

One of the purposes of creation is that we establish a channel of relationship with the infinite divine, even when it defies rational understanding

The art of starting over: Judaism and meeting the challenges of a hostile world - opinion

We have to gather our resolve and “come back” to the spirit that enabled the miracle of our independence and led to our victory in a dozen previous wars.

An artistic illustration of a T. rex dinosaur emerging from the mist.

Darwin, AGI, the Tree of Knowledge: Will artificial intelligence bring us closer to God? - opinion

As we pour our ingenuity into machines and endow them with nearly every human trait, we are reminded of the one gift we can never bestow – our immortal soul.

Artificial intelligence and humanity.

Oct. 7 and Simchat Torah: Listening to the symphony of life - opinion

As we move away from Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, mostly what I am feeling now is… fascination. I am mesmerized by the ability we humans have of juggling.

A person is seen standing before an Israeli flag.

Finding strength in the sukkah - opinion

For the joy of Sukkot is not a sign of naivete; it is a declaration that Israel’s story will end not in fear but ultimately in redemption.

WE ARE commanded to rejoice.

Sukkot: Finding peace in a fragile sukkah

The structures may be temporary, but creating them with attention to these minute details allows God’s presence to dwell among us.

BUILDING A sukkah in Malkia, a kibbutz close to the border with Lebanon, before the holiday.

Sukkot after Oct. 7: A sign of our humility and trust in God

The sukkah reminds us that we are not so powerful. We must be humble and remember that everything we eat, everything we own, and our military successes all depend on God.

 ‘CLOUD’S JOURNEY,’ 120 x 160 cm., by Yoram Raanan. The sukkah also represents the clouds of glory that accompanied the Israelites through the desert during the day,  as well as the pillar of fire that led them by night.

Sukkot: Walking with strength

We remember on Sukkot that despite our considerable human ingenuity and skill, we remain dependent on God – not only for the technology itself but for help when our knowledge and tools fall short.

GIFTED TOOLS to shield our skies: Smoke trail of David’s Sling anti-missile system.

Top of the morning: An existentialist guide to Jewish prayer

Prayer may be an essential part of Jewish practice, but it is precisely because of its regularity that its inner essence is often passed over.

THE THIRD stage of morning prayers climaxes in the ‘Shema,’ which seals the covenant between God and Israel.