![Sight: Revelation at the Yiddish Theater](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/stefanie_square-300x300.jpg)
Sight: Revelation at the Yiddish Theater
Jun 6, 2016 By Stefanie Halpern | Short Video | Shavuot
From the 5776 Receiving Torah with All Our Senses series.
Read More![Festival Ma’ariv (Higher Voice)](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Festival Ma’ariv (Higher Voice)
Jun 5, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings | Pesah | Shavuot | Shemini Atzeret | Simhat Torah | Sukkot
Recordings by Cantor Arianne BrownProject coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich
Read More![Behukkotai’s Challenge to Us](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Matt_Berkowitz_updated_headshot-300x300.jpg)
Behukkotai’s Challenge to Us
Jun 4, 2016 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Behukkotai
Blessing comes to fruition through journey. The journey may be as simple as lighting Shabbat candles or it may be as complicated as leaving the comfort of one’s home to discover new worlds. Either way, that which is familiar is left behind, and a new reality challenges one to grow and thus to earn God’s blessing. Such is the challenge of this week’s parashah.
Read More![Festival Shaharit (Lower Voice)](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Festival Shaharit (Lower Voice)
Jun 4, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings | Pesah | Shavuot | Shemini Atzeret | Simhat Torah | Sukkot
Recordings by Rabbi and Hazzan Seth Adelson
Project coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich
![Making Space for New Grain](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ofra_backenroth-300x300.jpg)
Making Space for New Grain
Jun 4, 2016 By Ofra Arieli Backenroth | Commentary | Behukkotai
Naomi Shemer, one of the most famous songwriters and performers in Israel, is known for her thoughtful songs that touch upon universal themes. In this song, she speaks about the need for rejuvenation. Every morning is an opportunity for a new experience. As successful as our days might be, there is always a need to go back to the beginning and start again.
Read More![Festival Shaharit (Higher Voice)](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Festival Shaharit (Higher Voice)
Jun 3, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings | Pesah | Shavuot | Shemini Atzeret | Simhat Torah | Sukkot
Recordings by Cantor Arianne Brown and Cantor Jennifer Kanarek CahnProject coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich
Read More![Festival Musaf (Lower Voice)](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Festival Musaf (Lower Voice)
Jun 2, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings | Pesah | Shavuot | Shemini Atzeret | Simhat Torah | Sukkot
Recordings by Rabbi and Hazzan Seth Adelson
Project coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich
![Festival Musaf (Higher Voice)](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Festival Musaf (Higher Voice)
Jun 1, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Prayer Recordings | Pesah | Shavuot | Shemini Atzeret | Simhat Torah | Sukkot
Recordings by Cantor Arianne Brown and Cantor Jennifer Kanarek CahnProject coordinator: Rabbi David Freidenreich
Read More![How Many Harvests](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/joel_alter.jpg)
How Many Harvests
May 27, 2016 By Joel Alter | Commentary | Behar
In its radical reframing of our right to claim ownership of anything and anyone, Parashat Behar sets our mortality against God’s eternality, and our contingent lease to the Land against God’s permanent deed: “The Land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the Land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with Me” (Lev. 25:23).
Read More![Facing Our Past and Looking Toward the Future](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/raucher_new.png)
Facing Our Past and Looking Toward the Future
May 27, 2016 By Michal Raucher | Commentary | Behar
Recently, the US Treasury Department announced that Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson, seventh president of the United States, on the $20 bill. Tubman was born as a slave around 1820, ran away in 1849, and returned south repeatedly to usher more than 300 slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Her selection for the $20 bill is exciting news, because Tubman will be the first African American and the first woman to appear on federal paper currency. Women and civil rights leaders will be added to the $5 and $10 bills in the coming years, as well. While these changes are long overdue, the question is whether this change is merely symbolic or a further step toward acknowledging our nation’s ugly history of slavery.
Read More![Sage Voices](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Sage Voices
May 26, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Short Video
A diverse group of rabbis and religious leaders speak about end-of-life issues and how they integrate Jewish tradition into their own teaching and care for others. Created by the Center for Pastoral Education at JTS as part of What Matters: Caring Conversations About End of Life, a joint project of the Center for Pastoral Education, JCC Manhattan and The New Jewish Home, with generous funding from Plaza Jewish Community Chapel.
Read More![Thinking and Killing Philosophical Discourse in the Shadow of the Third Reich](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-1-300x300.jpg)
Thinking and Killing Philosophical Discourse in the Shadow of the Third Reich
May 25, 2016 By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event audio
In this Library Book Talk, Professor Alon Segev discusses his book, Thinking and Killing—Philosophical Discourse in the Shadow of the Third Reich, which deals with the contribution of eight German thinkers to the discussion about the Holocaust and the Final Solution.
Read More![Open Book Open Heart: Siddur Lev Shalem and the Future of Prayer](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Open Book Open Heart: Siddur Lev Shalem and the Future of Prayer
May 24, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video
Lev Shalem editors Rabbis Edward Feld and Jan Uhrbach discuss with Chancellor Arnold M. Eisen the unique spiritual needs and challenges of this generation and how this new prayer book responds.
Read More![The Blasphemer’s Twin](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Tim-Bernard-sq-300x300.png)
The Blasphemer’s Twin
May 20, 2016 By Tim Daniel Bernard | Commentary | Emor
This week’s parashah ends with a sin:
וַיִּקֹּב בֶּן-הָאִשָּׁה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית אֶת-הַשֵּׁם וַיְקַלֵּל.
The son of the Israelite woman pronounced the name [of God] and cursed. (Lev. 24:11)
Maybe we don’t need to overthink why a law code seen as given by God would determine that cursing God is problematic, but how severe a crime is this? Evidently, Moses was uncertain: the culprit was detained while Moses checked in with God (Lev. 24:12). Perhaps the negative consequence of this act seems unclear. After all, what harm can possibly come to God through human words?
Read More![An Illustration of <em>Kiddush Levanah</em>](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-1-300x300.jpg)
An Illustration of Kiddush Levanah
May 20, 2016 By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary | Commentary | Emor
The middle of this week’s parashah (Lev. 23) details the cycle of the Jewish holidays. Each holiday is listed according to its month and its day. The months of the Hebrew calendar are strictly lunar, from new moon to new moon. Kiddush Levanah, a selection of prayers in honor of the new moon, is traditionally recited at the end of the first or second shabbat of each month.
Read More![Remarks by Dr. Michael Fishbane](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/themes/jts/dist/img/logo_red_bush.jpeg)
![“You Shall Fear Your God”: Theological, Moral, and Psychological Implications](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/walter_herzberg_900_sq-300x300.jpg)
“You Shall Fear Your God”: Theological, Moral, and Psychological Implications
May 13, 2016 By Walter Herzberg | Commentary | Kedoshim
There are many exhortations in Leviticus 19, but only two of them conclude with “you shall fear your God, I am the Lord.” We will focus on Leviticus 19:14—
You shall not curse the deaf, and before the blind you shall not place a stumbling block; rather you shall fear your God, I am the Lord
—and five traditional Jewish interpretations, to examine how the phrase “you shall fear your God” informs our understanding of the injunctions not to curse the deaf and not to place a stumbling block before the blind.
Read More![<em>Kedushah</em> in the Choir](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Nancy-Abramson-300x300.jpg)
Kedushah in the Choir
May 13, 2016 By Nancy Abramson | Commentary | Kedoshim
This week’s parashah opens with a statement on holiness: “You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2). In the original Hebrew, the word “you” in this verse is in the plural form, implying that anyone can attain holiness the capacity for holiness is not only for those who are spiritually gifted. The plural “you” might also suggest that holiness is best achieved in the context of a community, rather than as a solo effort.
Read More![Religion and Diplomacy](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jtslogo_pms173___high_res_square-300x300.jpg)
Religion and Diplomacy
May 9, 2016 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video
Religion is personal, yet it looms large in international diplomacy, much as it factors into interpersonal relations. This year’s lecture is a high level conversation between two veteran diplomats, Archbishop Bernardito Auza and Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer, whose religions are essential to who they are and how they conduct their diplomatic work.
Read More![Answering the Call to Holiness Together](https://www.jtsa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/arnie_eisen-300x300.jpg)
Answering the Call to Holiness Together
May 8, 2016 By Arnold M. Eisen | Public Event video
A guest sermon at the Riverside Church of New York.
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