Personal Reflections

Enter the Baltic Coast in the late 1980's, in George Kuchinsky's reflection on a childhood encounter with anti-semitism.

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.

We will all be much more distant from each other this Rosh Hashanah. That’s why, argues Ranana Dine, it’s time to revive the tradition of sending physical greeting cards.

As the annual infertility awareness Shabbat approaches, Shoshanah Haberman reflects on the biblical stories of our infertile foremothers, connecting them to her own experiences and to the lives of women today.

Eric Suben considers various Jewish and non-Jewish representations of angels and their significance in his life.

Award-winning poet Yehoshua November offers his thoughts on the connection between mystical intimacy and poetry.

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.

Julie Goldstein reflects on her recent Yom Kippur experience and why it matters for Orthodox women everywhere.

In a moving reflection, Mali Moskowitz explores her life as a rebbetzin, lawyer, and wife, and asks: can there be a rebbetzin without a rabbi?

Gilad Goldberg describes the bewildering experience of reporting for emergency reserve duty on October 7.