Halacha

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

Upon his retirement as president of The Schechter Institutes, longtime ‘oleh’ David Golinkin talks about his Israel impact – via pluralistic Jewish education that goes to the people.

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.
‘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

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

Chief rabbis call for public vaccination following four measles deaths

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.’

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


'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


Say Cheese: Halachic clarity for Shavuot dairy delights


A Jewish outlook on life can help Israel win war against Hamas - opinion

Judaism is an answer to man’s ultimate questions. But nothing is more irrelevant than an answer to a question nobody asks.

 An Israeli soldier with a prayer shawl seen during a morning prayer near his tank near the border with Lebanon, northern Israel, October 25, 2023