A Response to Moshe Krakowski on YAFFED and Haredi Jewish Education

In a widely-circulated article published in City Journal, Moshe Krakowski objected to the work of YAFFED, an organization that works with government officials to require higher standards of secular education in Hasidic schools. Here, Hannah Lebovits and Yoel Finkelman respond passionately to a number of Dr. Krakowski's contentions.

A New Coffee-Table Humash is a Gateway to Academic Biblical Scholarship

As we begin to read Sefer Shemot, Yosef Lindell explores Koren Publishers' new series, The Tanakh of the Land of Israel, the first volume to use Rabbi Sacks’ Humash translation.

The Synagogue after Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity

COVID-19 will unquestionably have long-term impacts on synagogue life well beyond the duration of the pandemic. But what will change, and how can shul leadership best anticipate those shifts so as to position our synagogues for success in the future? Judah Kerbel, rabbi of the Queens Jewish Center and Ramaz peers through the looking glass.

Re-reading Bereishit: A Review of David Fohrman’s New Book

Tammy Jacobowitz reviews David Forman's latest book, a companion to Sefer Bereishit, and finds engaging, instructive literary analysis that pulls new insights from familiar stories.

Hesped for Ha-Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin, Ztz”l

Rav Da'vid Sperling, Rosh Beit Midrash at Nishmat and long-time student of Rav Yehuda Herzl Henkin Ztz"l, shares his eulogy from the funeral of his Rav.

Should the Davening of the Tenth of Tevet Take Sides in a Talmudic Debate?

Several reasons are given in our tradition about the reason for the fast on the Tenth of Tevet. The liturgy for the day takes a stand on what the true reasons are, but Yaakov Jaffe questions whether this stand is the right one.

The Torah of the Kishkes

In honor of the recent release of Moshe Koppel's new Koren/Maggid book, Judaism Straight Up: Why Real Religion Endures, Elli Fischer traces the decades-long trajectory of Koppel's "Torah of the Kishkes" philosophy of Judaism.

Privilege and Power in the Torah

In this thought-provoking piece, Aharon Frazer traces the approach to power and privilege in the Torah from Genesis through Deuteronomy, and offers a framework for the ethical use of power in our own times.

A Eulogy for Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz zt”l

Over the course of decades, Rabbi Lenny Matanky of Congregation KINS and Ida Crown in suburban Chicago worked very closely with Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz on countless sensitive communal matters. Rabbi Matanky shares the eulogy he delivered this past Thursday for his great mentor.

From London To Manhattan – Remembering Rabbi Sacks

What changed when Rabbi Sacks retired from the Chief Rabbinate and came to America? In advance of Rabbi Sacks’ sheloshim, British native Joe Wolfson, JLIC rabbi at NYU, recalls a more relaxed and accessible Rabbi Sacks in his post-Chief Rabbinate years.