American Orthodoxy

The back-and-forth about Shadal and Modern Orthodox kiruv continues. Here are letters to the editor by Daniel Klein and Simon Levy.

Just in advance of the shloshim for David Ellenson, the former president of Hebrew Union College, Jonathan D. Sarna pays tribute to a man whose life, work, and friendships spanned the Jewish denominational divide.

In this personal reflection, Phil Lieberman addresses the unique pain that accompanies the loss of an abusive parent and considers the uneasy coherence of this pain with Jewish traditions of mourning.

Why do Orthodox Jews vote the way they do? Zev Eleff builds a case, using some unconventional data. 

Leah Sarna contributes to the Lehrhaus Symposium on the recent OU statement regarding female clergy.

Chaim Saiman suggests that, in the midst of a political transition, we may be on the brink of a "Modern Orthodox Moment."

Steven Bayme reviews Joseph Kaplan’s diverse collection of essays on the history and future directions of Modern Orthodoxy in America.

Tzvi Sinensky reimagines the utilitarian case for Torah u-Madda. Far from seeing the study of Madda as a concession to the need to earn a livelihood, the new utilitarianism uses cutting-edge scholarship to solve some of the most pressing problems in our schools and communities.

Zev Eleff and Ari Lamm cap off the Lehrhaus Symposium on the OU statement.

Responding to Moshe Kurtz, Olivia Friedman argues that forging deep connections between Torah and popular culture can be an uplifting and sanctified experience.