Pluralism From the Bible to Israel
Jul 31, 2015 By Alex Sinclair | Commentary | Va'et-hannan
“Shamor vezakhor bedibur ehad” (“keep” and “remember” in one utterance), we sing in Lekhah Dodi (a phrase originally found in the Talmud, BT Shevuot 20b), because The Ten Commandments were given twice, once telling us to “remember” shabbat, and once, in this week’s parashah, telling us to “keep” it.
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The Land of Sojourning
Nov 19, 2013 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Vayeshev
After the relative insecurity and turbulence of Jacob’s life (masquerading as his brother Esau, taking flight to Laban’s home, becoming the victim of deception vis-à-vis a wife and his wages, and the wrestling match of last week), Parashat Vayeshev opens with the hope of the patriarch transitioning into a calmer stage of life.
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Mastery = Harmony
Sep 22, 2013 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Bereishit
This coming Shabbat, we return to the beginning of Torah with Parashat Bereishit.
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Gratitude for the Land
Jul 24, 2013 By Matthew Berkowitz | Commentary | Eikev
Parashat Eikev is centered on the Land of Israel.
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Entering the Promised Land
Oct 1, 2011 By Ofra Arieli Backenroth | Commentary | Ha'azinu
What does it mean to be a leader who, for 40 long years, led the people of Israel in the desert, providing for all their needs, and, in the end, was forbidden to enter the Promised Land?
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The Universal and Particular Nature of Creation
Oct 22, 2011 By Andrew Shugerman | Commentary | Bereishit
Shortly after Rosh Hashanah this year, Jewish extremists torched a mosque in an Arab-Israeli village in the Galilee, damaging the building and destroying its holy books. Two days later, a rabbinic statement condemning this desecration of a house of worship on Israeli soil garnered the signatures of more than a thousand rabbis of all denominations within 36 hours of the document’s publication. One of my former JTS classmates, however, explained with great disappointment why he did not add his name to this effort.
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Warfare in the 21st Century: 5 Questions with General Norton A. Schwartz
Feb 4, 2013
Has the fundamental nature of war changed? Should Jewish values play in how and when we engage in conflict? General Norton A. Schwartz discusses this regarding warfare in the 21st century.
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Waters of Uncertainty
Aug 15, 2014 By Alisa Braun | Commentary | Eikev
“If it doesn’t rain, we don’t know what’s going to happen,” commented a NASA water-cycle scientist recently on the drought that has been devastating California.
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