The Founder of Jewish Studies
In 1818, a 23-year-old university student named Leopold Zunz published a 30-page essay with the modest title “On Rabbinic Literature.” He could scarcely have imagined his impact.
To Spy Out the Land
A palm tree over one grave and a fence around another—two new books explore the history and legacy of the Nili spy ring.
You Shall Appoint for Yourself Judges
Was the once-head of Israel's Supreme Court a robust defender of human rights or a runaway judge who imposed his political preferences on a nation? Tom Ginsburg explores the legacy of Aharon Barak.
Michael Chabon’s Sacred and Profane Cliché Machine
What's wrong with "knocking down walls"? Well, several things...
Equine Ambles into a Watering Hole: An Interview with Jessica Cohen
An interview with Jessica Cohen—winner of the 2017 Man-Booker International prize for her translation of David Grossman’s Horse Walks Into a Bar—on translating Hebrew literature and jokes.
Tattooing God’s Name, a Jewish Adventure Out West, and Ultra-Orthodox Voting Patterns
A round-up of three new and notable articles in Jewish studies.
Roth’s Roth-Centricity Was Just Fine
His Jewish women may have been flat, but he’s still worth reading.
New Indian Jewish Art
The artwork of Siona Benjamin, who says she belongs everywhere and nowhere, recombines traditional and contemporary elements in surprising ways.
Remembering Philip Roth
Michael Kimmage's review of Philip Roth's final novel, Nemesis.
Standing at Sinai in Medieval Germany
An unusual illustration of revelation from the fourteenth century Tripartite Mahzor.