Why Can’t Selihot Be More Like Kinot?
Yosef Lindell argues that the explanatory Kinot model, where fewer prayers are said but they are delved into in more depth, should be adopted for reciting Selihot.
Teshuvah, From the (Dis)comfort of Your Own Home
After six months suspended between quarantine, isolation, and uncertainty, it’s natural to want to run away from home, especially as Yom Kippur looms and we realize it’s time for a change. But, as Matthew Nitzanim explains, this understandable reaction would miss the point of Teshuvah: everything we need to work on is right here, wherever it is we find ourselves.
When God Appeases Man: Yom Kippur in a Time of Exile
Yom Kippur marks the end of an 11 week period when thematic haftarot about the destruction of the Temple, consolation following its loss, and repentance replace haftarot connected to the weekly Torah reading. What can this grouping teach us about the nature of forgiveness and reconciliation? Hannah Abrams explains.
Jewish Responses to the Forgiveness Paradox
Is true forgiveness possible? Michael Kurin explores the doubts raised by prominent twentieth century philosophers and considers how Jewish tradition offers a radically different conception of repentance and forgiveness, one that enables people to alter their reality vis-à-vis God and one another.
Guilt and Shame Cultures in the Thought of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
Marc Eichenbaum explores the idea of guilt and shame cultures in the thought of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z"tl, which provides a novel interpretation of Torah and a powerful lesson for contemporary society.
Do Children Belong in Shul?
Moshe Kurtz explores halakhic and hashkafic considerations surrounding bringing young children to shul.
Can a Court Really Ban Kapparot and Why it Matters for the American Jewish...
Michael (Avi) Helfand on a recent court case with implications for American Jews as members of both a religious and a minority community.
“Like a Fleeting Dream”: U-netaneh Tokef, Dreams, and the Meaning of the High Holy...
Man’s actions—even those that seem fleeting and insignificant—can have an impact, positive or negative. Oren Oppenheim explores themes of u-Netaneh Tokef
A Life Worth Living
As Yom Kippur approaches, Bruce Black's poem touches on the simple power of a humble and earnest request for forgiveness.
Why Wasn’t Jonah Punished? Reading Jonah during COVID
This year, instead of thinking about the reasons for Jonah’s flight from Nineveh in particular, we can gain a new appreciation for his need to break free altogether. Ahead of Yom Kippur, Erica Brown considers the unique resonance of the book of Jonah in an era marked by isolation and quarantine.