"Kafka at Bedtime" discusses two recent works based on the writings of Franz Kafka.

In a symposium on Jewish belief, Commentary Magazine highlighted the influence of Franz Rosenzweig, a German Jew whose essay "The Builders" provided a meaningful non-Orthodox perspective on Jewish law, emphasizing the transformation of law into personal commandment through practice.

Ludwig Wittgenstein's "Philosophical Investigations," published in 1953, challenges traditional views of language and truth by asserting that words do not simply name objects, but derive meaning from their usage within a language.

"Man Is Not Alone" by Abraham Joshua Heschel, published in 1951, presents faith as a profound connection akin to the intimacy between lovers, where one replaces oneself with God to reveal inner truths.

Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv, a student of Rabbi Israel Lipkin Salanter, founded the Talmud Torah of Kelm, a unique yeshiva blending tradition with elements of the Haskalah movement in Lithuania.

Solomon Maimon, a controversial Jewish philosopher in the late 18th century, narrated his life in an autobiography where he critiqued the brutality and irrationality of traditional Jewish education.

Jonathan Sperber's biography of Karl Marx portrays him as a figure of the 19th century, highlighting his bourgeois origins, lifestyle, and approach to revolution.

Dignity, a central concept in human rights and moral discourse, is explored through various lenses in Jewish and Western thought.

In "If God is Good, Why is the World So Bad?" by Rabbi Blech, the author addresses the age-old question of how to reconcile belief in a benevolent deity with the existence of suffering in the world.

In this series of letters from the Spring 2013 issue of a publication, several important discussions are summarized.

Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher known for deconstruction, was not easily categorized as a Jewish thinker despite his Algerian Jewish heritage.

In a response to Jon D. Levenson's critical review of his book "The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture," the author defends his thesis that the Hebrew Bible can be viewed as a coherent work of reason, focusing on a conflict between shepherds and farmers as a central theme spanning from Genesis to Kings.

Yoram Hazony's book criticizes modern academia for trivializing the Hebrew Bible, particularly due to the influence of German research methods that viewed biblical texts as corrupted and fragmented.

Arie Dubnov's book delves into the complex life of Isaiah Berlin, from his Jewish heritage in Riga to his esteemed status as a British intellectual figure.

This text describes a series of underground philosophy seminars held with a group of Hasidic Jewish participants, including Satmar and Lubavitcher members, exploring philosophical texts ranging from Plato to Nietzsche.

Leora Batnitzky's book "How Judaism Became a Religion" offers a fresh perspective on the evolution of modern Jewish thought, focusing on the shift towards defining Judaism as a religion as a response to the challenges of European modernity.

"Melisande! What Are Dreams?" by Hillel Halkin tells the story of a love triangle involving the narrator, Hoo, his wife Mellie, and their friend Ricky.

In "Where Wisdom Begins," the discussion centers on the role of religion in modern society by challenging the idea that secularism alone can solve societal challenges.

In "The Peace and Violence of Judaism," Robert Eisen reflects on the impact of religious conflicts, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the role Judaism has played in exacerbating or mitigating violence.

Baruch (Benedictus) Spinoza's treatise, "Theological-Political Treatise," sparked controversy for its radical theological and political ideas.

Following the 9/11 attacks, Graydon Carter's statement about the "end of the age of irony" prompted reflection on the clash between fanaticism and intellectual defense.

The text discusses Jewish identity and the challenges surrounding it, focusing on how individuals grapple with their Jewishness in a modern context.

Harry Austryn Wolfson, a prominent Jewish scholar, delivered a sermon at Harvard in 1955 challenging prevailing theological notions and criticizing contemporary theologians for offering meaningless phrases in place of true belief in God.

Irving Kristol was a prominent figure in neoconservatism, having transitioned through various ideological phases before settling on a neo-Orthodox Jewish perspective.

Jacqueline Rose's "The Question of Zion" explores the idea of a binational Arab-Jewish state advocated by thinkers like Martin Buber and Hannah Arendt, criticizing political Zionism for not adopting this model.