These Days

A new poem by Hannah Butcher-Stell, for the Days of Awe.

Letters to the Editor: A Response to David Polsky’s “Reading Tragedy in Gittin and...

R.A. Alpert argues that the differences between Hamas and the Zealots outweigh the similarities.

The Meeting

A new poem and introductory essay by Ben Corvo, in memory of his father.

Shavat Suru: The First Kinah, Matter and Form

Yaakov Jaffe examines how the form in the Kinnah "Shavat Suru" gives us insight into its broader meaning.

Titus and the Tripartite Soul: A Lesson on Leadership and Jewish Survival

With a novel reading of Josephus and Gittin, Shana Schwartz proposes that the tragedy of the second hurban and the mystery of subsequent Jewish survival may be understood by reference to the physiological knowledge available in classical antiquity.

Reading Tragedy in Gittin and Gaza

David Polsky explores the similarities and differences between Hamas and the Jewish Zealots at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple.

Ha-Kalir’s Kinot – Poetry and Theological Narrative

Zvi Grumet suggests that when read in sequence, the kinot of R. Elazar Ha-Kalir—often seen as the ones most difficult to understand—offer a powerful theological narrative from despair to hope.

First Fruits: A Selection of Poems on Mishnah Bikkurim 3

In honor of Shavuot 5784, Dalia Wolfson presents five new bilingual poems that explore the themes of the third perek of Mishnah Bikkurim and contemplate their possible inversion.

Giving Shape to Abstraction: Illustrating Redemption in the Book of Ruth

Benjamin Marcus was commissioned to create illustrations for an illuminated manuscript of the Book of Ruth. In this one-of-a-kind article, he shares his challenges, his discoveries, and his art.

“Filling In” and “The Poet of Auschwitz”

Two new poems by Temima Weissmann address national calamities, both past and present.