Commentary

The debate about Torah u-Madda and pop culture continues. Noah Marlowe argues that Chaim Potok's literature offers a useful conceptual framework for, and embodiment of, a profound confrontation between Judaism and elite elements of general culture.

Matt Williams wants to know what exactly a "non-observant Orthodox Jew" is before deciding whether or not it's vanishing.

In this response to last week’s article by Ezra Schwartz, Nathaniel Helfgot wonders whether the new pandemic-fueled trend toward centralized halakhic decision-making overburdens the most learned rabbis and takes too much autonomy from the others.

Shira Hecht-Koller and Aaron Koller explore the worship of the Kohen Gadol through the voice of Ishay Ribo.

There has been an outpouring of appreciation for Rabbi Sacks' mentorship and role modeling for the younger generation of British Jewish thinkers and rising leaders. One such mentee, Sam Lebens, shares personal and theological perspectives on the passing of the rebbe for whom he tore keria just a few days ago.

Jordan D. Soffer offers an impassioned response to Hillel David Rapp on day school tuition.

Yaakov Jaffe explores a common synagogue practice, and why it doesn't seem so halakhic. minyan,

There’s a miniature kaf at the beginning of the parashah. As Gabriel Slamovits explains, what the diminished letter says about how Abraham mourned for Sarah fits well with a prominent teaching of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, zt”l.

In part 1, Gil Perl argued that Modern Orthodox is in need of a Hedgehog Concept and put forward Or (la-)Goyim as a candidate for that role. In part 2, he details what this might look like in practice and why it would appeal to our youth in a post-modern world.

Fix the Israeli Rabbinate, says Elli Fischer, but first identify the problem.