JL;DR

Daily Podcasts Video Research

for Monday, August 11, 2025

Ethics ›

0 Ethics Communities

Let’s not trip and fall in our pursuit of social justice

eJewishPhilanthropy

Jewish tradition emphasizes a balance of Torah, prayer, and acts of loving-kindness.

0 Ethics History

An Unbreakable Covenant

Sapir

Pope Benedict XVI, in his 2018 article post-retirement, addressed the theological relationship between Christianity and Judaism, reaffirming the Catholic Church’s recognition of the unbroken covenant with the Jewish people.

Literature ›

0 Literature Culture

Jewish Masterpiece: The Chosen

Sapir

Chaim Potok's "The Chosen" is a seminal Jewish novel that explores the complexities of friendship across religious divides, set in 1940s Williamsburg.

History ›

0 History Philosophy

The Rebirth of Chosenness

Sapir

The article explores England's remarkable historical shift from one of the most antisemitic nations to a leading philosemitic society by the 17th century.

0 History Philosophy

Moses at the Bush

Sapir

Archaeological discoveries in the Sinai Peninsula suggest that the belief in YHWH might have predated the Israelites and was adopted from nomadic tribes such as the Midianites.

0 History Politics

The Origins of Chosenness

Sapir

The article explores the concept of divine chosenness, an idea integral to both Jewish and regional ancient Near Eastern cultures.

Culture ›

0 Culture Philosophy

Sapir

In a 2025 reflection on Jewish identity, the concept of 'chosenness' presents both challenges and opportunities for American Jews.

0 Culture Jewish Law

Nine Books You Should Read to Think About Love, Relationships, and Commitment

Rivka Bennun Kay in 18forty

In celebration of Tu B'Av, the Jewish holiday of love, Rivka Bennun Kay shares a curated list of nine books that delve into the complexities of love, relationships, and commitment.

Israel ›

0 Israel Philosophy

A Chosen State?

Sapir

The concept of Israel as the 'chosen state' is examined through biblical references, historical evolution, and modern political and cultural dynamics.

Jewish Law ›

0 Jewish Law Communities

The Paradoxes of Conversion

Sapir

Conversion to Judaism introduces complex identities and narratives, both for the converts and the Jewish community.

0 Jewish Law Philosophy

Divine Election and Its Contradictions

Sapir

The article explores the complex and often contradictory concept of Jewish chosenness within traditional texts, highlighting tensions between unconditional divine election and the conditional nature of this relationship as depicted in the Bible.

Philosophy ›

0 Philosophy History

A 2,500-Year-Old Problem

Sapir

Jewish theology has wrestled with the concept of chosenness for over two millennia, as exemplified by interpretations that shift the focus from God choosing the people of Israel to their choosing God.

0 Philosophy Politics

Reading Isaiah in Tehran

Sapir

The essay reflects on the dual nature of the concept of chosenness in Jewish philosophy, particularly within the context of the author's personal experience as an Iranian political prisoner.

0 Philosophy History

Judaism is Not About Antisemitism

Sapir

Leon Pinsker, a 19th-century Zionist thinker, diagnosed antisemitism as a chronic condition stemming from fear of the stateless Jew.

0 Philosophy Torah

Faith Is Not Surrender

Jeremy England in Tablet

Reflecting on the Torah command to place a railing on a roof, especially during missile attacks in Israel, this article explores the theological tension between divine providence and human responsibility.

Politics ›

0 Politics Ethics

The Unremitting Responsibility

Sapir

The article explores the moral and psychological dynamics central to the 2011 prisoner swap between Israel and the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, where Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was exchanged for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners.

0 Politics Israel

Hamas Is Winning the Culture War

Liel Leibovitz in Tablet

Liel Leibovitz argues that while Hamas may be losing militarily, it is triumphing in the realm of international public opinion.

0 Politics Israel

JB Pritzker: Blocking arms sales sends Israel ‘the right kind of message’

Jacob Kornbluh in Forward

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has publicly endorsed a Senate initiative to block U.S. arms sales to Israel, a move aimed at pressuring Israel's government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

0 Politics Israel

When Bias Outweighs Truth...

Emes Ve-Emunah

The article discusses Representative Josh Gottheimer's recent fact-finding mission to Israel, emphasizing his commitment to truth over biases prevalent in mainstream media narratives.

0 Politics Antisemitism

Israel is the world's favorite double standard.

Nachum Kaplan in Future of Jewish

Nachum Kaplan's essay critiques the prevalent double standards Israel faces on the global stage, likening this treatment to modern antisemitism's "three Ds": double standards, delegitimization, and dehumanization.

Education ›

0 Education Culture

Jews Were Chosen to Think

Sapir

The obituaries of three influential Jewish thinkers, Philip Sunshine, Peter Lax, and Richard Garwin, highlight a broader cultural phenomenon of Jewish intellectual achievement.

Antisemitism ›

0 Antisemitism Politics

History’s most lethal conspiracy theory is trending again.

Lucy Tabrizi in Future of Jewish

The article by Lucy Tabrizi examines the resurgence of the pernicious blood libel conspiracy theory, which historically accused Jews of ritualistic child murder.