Timely Thoughts

Channa Lockshin Bob Editor’s Note: We are running a number of pieces for the sheloshim of Professor David Weiss Halivni z"l. For Elli Fischer’s introduction...

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.

What theological language can we use to describe our current pandemic moment? In an excerpt from his forthcoming book, Jeremy Brown takes scope of the ancient and modern notions of plague theodicy and reviews some ideas from the 2021 National Jewish Book Award Winner Torah in a Time of Plague.

  Zach Truboff In 1933, as the month of Elul approached, the Jewish people faced a frightening array of dangers. That year, Hitler consolidated power as...

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

May one opt to participate in a potentially dangerous vaccine trial? This theoretical halakhic question has suddenly become all-too-urgent. Sharon Galper Grossman and Shamai Grossman explore.

Yom Kippur as a mother, explored by The Lehrhaus's Leslie Ginsparg Klein

Dan Margulies explores various opinions on where to light a Hanukah Lamp in dorms and apartments.

For Eve Grubin, Bilam's hidden messages is a lesson for the Torah and for life.

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.