Periphery and Center: reading Natalie Zemon Davis at Stern College for Women
Natalie Zemon Davis, a Jewish historian known for shining a light on the lives of marginalized people in the early modern period, passed away in October. Ronnie Perelis commemorates Dr. Zemon Davis by reflecting on the experience of teaching her revolutionary work to his students at Stern College for Women.
With Pain and With Might: Reserve Duty on the Northern Front
Gilad Goldberg describes the bewildering experience of reporting for emergency reserve duty on October 7.
My War Diary
This war diary, presented by Susan Weingarten, relates her experience in a kibbutz on the Gazan border on October 7th and the days following her return to Jerusalem after the Hamas massacre.
Wicked
In this poetic tale from Marina Zilbergerts's recent poetry book You Were Adam (Wipf and Stock), a learned and passionate woman struggles with her yetser hara, nicknamed "Wicked." The yetser is imagined as a fantastic character who accompanies her through Jewish Toronto's banal suburbia. "Wicked '' is a sympathetic and tragic apikores who knows how to get her where it hurts, but he also speaks the truth. He is a careful social observer present with her at all times. From going on weekly shopping trips, being in shul, to more intimate moments, this demonic character becomes her unlikely friend. In an ironic twist, the lessons taught to her by her yetser help her embark on the path of repentance.
The Yom Kippur War and Yeshivat Har Etzion: Letters from a Talmid
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, published here are excerpts from letters of an American student studying in Israel in 1973. These letters, written during and immediately after the war, shed light on Yeshivat Har Etzion in its formative years and the lasting impact of the Yom Kippur War.
Aggadic Poetry
In this pair of poems, Dovid Campbell imagines the unspoken words that arise from scenes in Aggada
Before, After, and During: Yehuda Amichai’s “Beterem”
In this timely article, Wendy Zierler examines how Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai's "Beterem" can provide readers with the inspiration they need leading up to the Days of Awe
The Mashiach Card
Would you be happy for the Messiah to arrive? In this short story, R.A. Alpert imagines the conflicts that arise when a Jewish businessman attempts to capitalize on the coming of the Messiah
Second Chances
In her latest for the Lehrhaus, Mali Moskowitz reflects on dating after divorce, Jewish marriage, and the ongoing journey for self-discovery.
Kiddush Levanah on the Moon
What would Jewish life in outer space look like? In this short story, Joseph Helmreich imagines the Jewish community transplanted into a new life among the stars