Personal Reflections

In honor of Hanukkah, Admiel Kosman considers literary and aggadic traditions that depict holy people as burning flames or sources of light. He proposes that these traditions be read in light of Martin Buber’s insight regarding the dialogical personality.

Ariel Goldstein expands on the hardship of being a Jewish woman and attempting to live up to impossible standards.

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

In this essay, Alter Yisrael Shimon Feuerman reflects on his family history and Hasidic pedigree.

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.

Nechama Sternberg contemplates her relationship to her grandfather, and remarks on the person he was in life.

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

Thomas Freeman reflects on the meaning the shofar has taken on throughout his life.

David Berger's eulogy for Revel's late Prof. Arthur Hyman, a leading scholar of Medieval Jewish philosophy.

Shlomo Riskin remembers how Yeshiva University's late Professor Louis Feldman helped him make the greatest decision of his life.