Inventing American Judaism
Unlike the Jews of Venice, whose charter was anxiously renegotiated every decade or so, American Jews participated in civic life, confidently building themselves a future.
Jerusalem Reconstructed
The Mendelsohns' converted flour mill on the outskirts of Rehavia became a cultural salon, with concerts and poetry readings.
Jewish Pugs
A successful Jewish jock, demonstrating strength and physical courage, nicely rounds out Jews’ sense of completeness as human beings.
Letters, Fall 2016
Frozen DNA, Brandeis's Puritan Sabbaths, Free the Rapoport Mermaids
Marmorshers!
I left the conversation with the entirely erroneous, in fact libelous, impression that “Marmorsher” was Yiddish slang for horse thief.
Necessary Power: A Rejoinder to Jonathan Sacks
When Rabbi Sacks writes, “It is not our task” (and it was not Abraham’s task) “to conquer or convert the world or to enforce uniformity of belief. It is our task to be a blessing to the world. The use of religion for political ends is not righteousness but idolatry,” it seems to me that he oversimplifies matters.
Psychology at Nuremberg
Both Kelley and Gilbert believed they could make a broad psychosocial argument despite the limited sample size, inconclusive tests, infighting, and lack of clear standards and definitions.
Religion and Politics: A Response to Shlomo Riskin
Judaism never advocated powerlessness, but it did protest attributing religious significance to power.
Religion, Power, and Politics: An Exchange
Rabbi Riskin's review of Rabbi Sack's latest book ignited a discussion on the role of power in Judaism.
The Angel and the Covenant
Hurwitz’s ideal Jew is the rabbinic scholar who is also knowledgeable about, and open to, modern science.