JTS Torah Commentary

Art, Artists, and Activism

Apr 16, 2018 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody in conversation with Ruth W. Messinger: What are the most responsible and effective ways for actors, singers, directors, and other artists to use the power of their public platforms on behalf of social causes?

Supreme Court Cases and Jewish Values

Apr 10, 2018 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

Seth P. Waxman, former Solicitor General of the United States and leading Supreme Court advocate, discusses three high-profile, momentous cases are currently before the US Supreme Court.

Anatomy of a Genocide: The Life and Death of a Town Called Buczacz

Jan 29, 2018 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

Poles, Ukrainians, and Jews coexisted in Buczacz for 400 years. Then, during WWII, the town descended into intergroup violence and ethnic cleansing. Why? Anatomy of a Genocide profoundly changes our understanding of the social dynamics of mass killing and the nature of the Holocaust. It is also a warning of how it could happen again, in our own towns and cities—much more easily than we might think.

Breaking the Bank: The High Cost of Low-Income Living

Dec 6, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

Why does it cost so much to be poor? NYC is an expensive place to live—and it’s the most expensive for New Yorkers living from paycheck to paycheck.

A discussion about how low-income New Yorkers manage their financial lives and the challenges they face, exploring how diverse resources, from loan funds to check cashers to fintech startups, are responding to the financial needs of struggling New Yorkers

Listening, Love, and Citizenship: Healing the Fractures in American Society

Nov 8, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

A panel discussion exploring what it means to be a citizen of the United States in today’s fractured society. What are the basic skills of citizenship that have eroded in our country? How can we learn to listen to and love one another to become responsible citizens?

Einstein and the Rabbi: Searching for the Soul

Oct 31, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

Rabbi Naomi Levy (JTS ’89) takes us on a journey into the world of our souls, inspired by correspondence between Albert Einstein and a grieving rabbi. We often get so distracted by life’s surface demands and pressures that we rarely take the time to see what’s planted deep inside us. By listening to our souls we can uncover our true goodness, our calling, our yearnings, our gifts, yes, and even our greatness. Once we begin listening to our own souls we begin seeing the souls of others, seeing beyond our differences, to the truth that unites us and unites all things.

The Voice of the Prophet

Oct 10, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Podcast or Radio Program

Reclaim the message of the prophets for today with the weekly Haftarah portion narrated in English by renowned actor Ronald Guttman.

Remembering Alan Mintz (z”l)

Jun 7, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

A celebration of the life and work of JTS’s Chana Kekst Professor of Jewish Literature Alan Mintz z”l, with remarks from colleagues and dramatic readings from S. Y. Agnon’s Buczacz stories.

The Criminal Justice System: Honoring Tradition, Championing Reform

Apr 4, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

Flaws in the criminal justice system threaten the social fabric of our country. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. shares new approaches to criminal justice reform, including initiatives to promote alternatives to incarceration, address implicit bias, and enhance relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve. He also addresses contemporary public safety issues like human trafficking and cybercrime.

Wondering Jews: Abigail Pogrebin and Joseph Telushkin in Conversation

Mar 27, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

The Pew Research Center study “A Portrait of Jewish Americans” revealed that most US Jews locate their Jewishness in their ancestry and culture—not in religion. Abigail Pogrebin wondered if perhaps that’s because we haven’t all looked at religious ritual closely enough. Her new book, My Jewish Year, is the result of a deep spiritual and scholarly exploration of every festival and fast, coming at an ancient tradition with fresh eyes.

Global Refugee Crisis: Time for New Thinking

Mar 16, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

David Milliband, president of the International Rescue Committee and former UK Foreign Secretary, discusses ways to address one of the most pressing political and moral issues of our time. 

The US Health Care System: What Does the Future Hold?

Feb 14, 2017 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 took a giant step toward universal health insurance coverage in the United States. Although it has been quite successful in accomplishing that goal, it has remained highly controversial. The new Administration is intent on repealing the law and replacing it with an alternative model.  

Why is health care reform so challenging? Why does “Obamacare” look as it does? Could alternative plans under consideration achieve the same gains? And what are the political prospects of those alternatives? Prominent health policy expert Dr. Sherry Glied describes the past, present, and possible future of health reform efforts in the US.

At the Threshold

Jul 1, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Commentary | Shelah Lekha

In this week’s parashah, the Israelites stand at the boundary of the Land of Israel—with all its potential for religious and national destiny and for physical danger—considering whether or not to enter. During the spring 2016 semester, JTS’s own entrance was the location of an art installation by Silvio Wolf, who uses moving images, still projections, light, and sound to engage the history and symbolism of specific venues.

Weekday Shaharit (Lower Voice)

Jun 20, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings

Recordings by Rabbi and Hazzan Seth Adelson
Project coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich

Weekday Shaharit (Higher Voice)

Jun 19, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings

Recordings by Cantor Arianne BrownProject coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich

Weekday Minhah and Ma’ariv (Lower Voice)

Jun 18, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings

Recordings by Rabbi and Hazzan Seth Adelson.
Project coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich

Weekday Minhah and Ma’ariv (Higher Voice)

Jun 17, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings

Recordings by Cantor Arianne BrownProject coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich

Shabbat Evening (Lower Voice)

Jun 16, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings

Recordings by Rabbi and Hazzan Seth Adelson
Project coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich

Shabbat Evening (Higher Voice)

Jun 15, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings

Recordings by Cantor Arianne BrownProject coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich

Shabbat Pesukei Dezimra and Shaharit (Lower Voice)

Jun 14, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings

Recordings by Rabbi and Hazzan Seth Adelson
Project coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich