“Lu Yehi”: Between Fragility and Hope

In this thoughtful essay, Cypess reflects on the melody that is carrying Israel in the wake of October 7th.

The Challenges of the Gaza War and Growing Antisemitism

Yosef Blau, Senior Mashgiah Ruhani at Yeshiva University, wonders about the direction of Religious Zionism after October 7 and considers the role of Modern Orthodoxy outside of Israel.

The Great Reckoning: Is It Time to Rethink Higher Education for Jewish Students?

In this next installment in our Israel symposium, Erica Brown argues that for Jewish students after October 7, choosing secular college is just not the choice it used to be.

Israel At War

Israel is at war, and the suffering is difficult to bear. To better appreciate this transformation and the pressures of this moment, we have assembled a symposium of community leaders and thinkers to address the effect of the crisis on Diaspora Jewry.

Religious Zionism: A View from the United Kingdom

How is the U.K. community dealing with the meteoric rise in antisemitic acts since the outbreak of war? Michael Harris, a community rabbi, professor, and father of an Israeli soldier, shares his unique perspective.

Rack Up Those Mitzvot!

When we boil matters down to their essence, what is the underlying difference between a yeshivish and centrist Orthodox worldview? Tzvi Goldstein argues that it’s not Torah Umada, Zionism, or women’s roles; these are all symptomatic of a deeper debate about this world and the World to Come.

“Certainty Has Never Been Mine”: The Denominational Eclecticism of David Ellenson

Just in advance of the shloshim for David Ellenson, the former president of Hebrew Union College, Jonathan D. Sarna pays tribute to a man whose life, work, and friendships spanned the Jewish denominational divide.

A Year in Review – 2023

  As 2023 comes to a close, the Lehrhaus team is proud to feature some highlights from our contributions this past year. For over seven...

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.

Civilian Casualties in the Light of Halakhah and Ethics: Revisiting Rav Shaul Yisraeli’s Analysis

Aryeh Klapper analyzes Rav Shaul Yisraeli’s classic work on civilian casualties in Halakhah.