Leviticus, Leonard Cohen, and the Paradox of Rest
Sarah Rindner asks what the Book of Leviticus, Leonard Cohen and the Liberty Bell all have in common.
Subjective Experience in Halakhah: Music During Sefirah as a Case Study
Judah Kerbel explores how differing approaches to listening to music during Sefirat ha-Omer balance the appropriate role for subjectivity in halakhic decision-making.
Jeremiah Lockwood’s New Cantorial Blues Album, Kol Nidre, is a Yom Kippur Dream
Hillel Broder reviews the latest release from Jeremiah Lockwood.
Ivri Anochi: A Tribute to the Paradox of Jewish Pride
Shlomo Zuckier takes a closer look at the cultural and theological underpinnings of this hit new Orthodox music video.
Wrestling With God: Leonard Cohen’s You Want it Darker
Malka Simkovich with a careful reading of the work of the late Leonard Cohen.
“Do Not Summarize Me on Wikipedia.” The Thought of Hanan Ben Ari
Natan Oliff analyzes the deep philosophical messages in the music of Israeli singer Hanan Ben Ari.
Notes of Defiance: Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, Diana Blumenfeld, and the Question of Cultural Genocide
Alia Saphier examines the concept of cultural genocide, how it relates to the Holocaust, and how both Anita Lasker-Wallfisch and Diana Blumenfeld fought for the longevity of Jewish music.
Reclaiming the Musical Past: Leon Modena and Salamone Rossi in Context
Rebecca Cypess considers the life and work of the Italian Jewish Renaissance composer Salamone Rossi, his rabbinic supporter Leon Modena, and the controversies over 17th century polyphonic music in the synagogue.
“Lu Yehi”: Between Fragility and Hope
In this thoughtful essay, Cypess reflects on the melody that is carrying Israel in the wake of October 7th.
The Development of Neo-Hasidism: Echoes and Repercussions Part III: Shlomo Carlebach and Zalman Schachter-Shalomi
Ariel Evan Mayse considers the neo-Hasidic approaches of Shlomo Carlebach and Zalman Schachter-Shalomi.