Thoughts on a Death

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.

Letters to the Editor: Responses to Emmanuel Bloch and Laurie Novick on Reclaiming Dignity

Our recent article by Emmanuel Bloch on the book Reclaiming Dignity generated much discussion. Now, two readers respond.

Letters to the Editor: More on Shadal and Modern Orthodox Outreach

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

A Philosophical Reflection on the Halakhification of Warfare

Alex Ozar explores wartime law in the Rambam.

“Certainty Has Never Been Mine”: The Denominational Eclecticism of David Ellenson

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.

That Which Is Beyond Your Gates

In this imaginative short story from David Zvi Kalman, as synagogue attendance shrinks, the buildings themselves begin to grow.

Did the Prophet Amos Predict the Women’s Siyum Daf Yomi?

Yaakov Jaffe explains how Biblical grammar and parables come together in Amos to teach us about women's Talmud Torah.

Book Review: Haroset: A Taste of Jewish History by Susan Weingarten

Yakov Ellenbogen reviews Susan Weingarten's Haroset: A Taste of Jewish History.

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.

Letters to the Editor: Responses to Michael Broyde on Time-bound Commandments

Two readers respond to Michael Broyde's recent article on time-bound commandments. Leah Sarna critiques Broyde's omission of female scholarship, and Avi Siegal argues that Broyde's unifying theory skews the data.