Sources
Is There a God in This <em>Halakhah</em>?
4 Apr 2023
The article explores the relationship between halakhah (Jewish law) and the presence of God, challenging the notion that halakhah inherently reflects divine ...
4 Apr 2023
Sources
The <em>Mikveh</em> Rebellion that Wasn’t: Recovering Ritual Space Beyond Jewish Law
4 Apr 2023
This article explores the historical and contemporary tensions between halakhic authority and longstanding women's ritual practices, focusing on Maimonides' ...
4 Apr 2023
Sources
Fear, Fury, and the Struggle for Equal Rights in Israel
4 Apr 2023
The piece reflects on the ongoing demonstrations in Jerusalem against the Israeli government's proposed judicial restructuring, highlighting a disconnect bet...
4 Apr 2023
Sources
How Do You Say <em>Tikkun Olam</em> in Hebrew? Israel and International Development
4 Apr 2023
The article explores Israel's role in international development during the 1950s to the 1970s, under leaders like Ben Gurion and Golda Meir. They viewed Isra...
4 Apr 2023
Sources
Lessons on American Antisemitism from the Grand Union Hotel
4 Apr 2023
The article revisits the infamous Seligman Affair, an incident in 1877 where prominent Jewish banker Joseph Seligman was barred from the Grand Union Hotel in...
4 Apr 2023
Sources
Storytelling at the Seder: <em>Lesaper, Lehaggid,</em> and the Purpose of the Haggadah
30 Mar 2023
The article explores the storytelling role of the Haggadah during the Passover Seder, examining the expectations versus the textual offerings, particularly f...
30 Mar 2023
Sources
Embracing the Jewish Intellectual Tradition
2 Dec 2022
The article highlights Michael Twitty's book *Koshersoul*, which emphasizes his embrace of Judaism's intellectual tradition as a continual process of learnin...
2 Dec 2022
Sources
Liberal Zionism & the Idea of the Idea
2 Dec 2022
This article delves into the concept of "the idea of the idea" within the context of liberal Zionism, which reflects broader themes in Jewish and religious c...
2 Dec 2022
Sources
Reclaiming <em>Mamlakhtiyut:</em> The Road to an Inclusive Israeli Identity
2 Dec 2022
The article discusses the concept of reclaiming "Mamlakhtiyut," or a collective national civic identity in Israel that is inclusive of all its citizens, not ...
2 Dec 2022
Sources
Zionism and Power: The Challenge of Our Time
2 Dec 2022
This article explores the complex interplay between Zionism and the concept of divine power, comparing biblical narratives from Genesis and Deuteronomy with ...
2 Dec 2022
Sources
<em>Ne’emanut:</em> Placing Relationships at the Center
2 Dec 2022
The article discusses the concept of 'neemanut'—a deep-seated commitment or loyalty—regarding the global Jewish community and, specifically, the state of Isr...
2 Dec 2022
Sources
Communal Rebuilding after Sexual Abuse: Beyond the Limits of Teshuvah
2 Dec 2022
The article explores the complex process of rebuilding Jewish communities after instances of sexual abuse and harassment are revealed. It features insights f...
2 Dec 2022
Sources
Variations on the Shema
1 Dec 2022
In his thought-provoking article, "Variations on the Shema," Samuel Fleischacker explores the multifaceted nature and significance of the Shema in Jewish lif...
1 Dec 2022
Sources
Songs of War
1 Dec 2022
The article examines Leonard Cohen's 1973 journey to Israel during the Yom Kippur War, as creatively explored in Matti Friedman's book "Who by Fire: Leonard ...
1 Dec 2022
Sources
Radical Amazement
1 Dec 2022
The book 'Radical Amazement' by Julian E. Zelizer is a biography that chronicles the life and enduring impact of Abraham Joshua Heschel, a major Jewish think...
1 Dec 2022
Sources
Beyond the Two-State Solution
1 Dec 2022
The book "Haifa Republic: A Democratic Future for Israel" by Omri Boehm examines the crisis facing liberal Zionism due to the collapse of the two-state solut...
1 Dec 2022
Sources
Finding Refuge
28 Apr 2022
Israeli poet Vaan Nguyen, daughter of Vietnamese refugees who received Israeli citizenship after being rescued at sea, grapples with themes of displacement a...
28 Apr 2022
Sources
Children of the Heart
28 Apr 2022
In "Children of the Heart," the exploration centers on how the renowned Israeli author, David Grossman, draws from literary predecessors, such as Hayim Nachm...
28 Apr 2022
Sources
A Parable of Pluralism
28 Apr 2022
In "A Parable of Pluralism," the article explores Olga Tokarczuk's novel "The Books of Jacob," which centers on the controversial figure Jacob Frank and his ...
28 Apr 2022
Sources
Contradiction and Its Discontents
28 Apr 2022
Zachary Truboff reviews Yehudah Mirsky's book "Towards the Mystical Experience of Modernity: The Making of Rav Kook, 1865-1904," which delves into the life a...
28 Apr 2022
Sources
The One and the Many
21 Apr 2022
The article explores Raphael Lemkin's pioneering work on genocide, emphasizing his attempt to relate the Holocaust to various other global atrocities. Althou...
21 Apr 2022
Sources
Lamentation
15 Apr 2022
This evocative poem by Ruth Kara-Ivanov Kaniel, titled 'Lamentation,' serves as a heartfelt tribute to Ada Rapoport-Albert, a notable scholar who passed away...
15 Apr 2022
Sources
An Interview with Martha C. Nussbaum
8 Apr 2022
In this interview, philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum discusses her perspectives on Reform Judaism, emphasizing its evolution towards inclusivity, particularly i...
8 Apr 2022
Sources
Portfolio
1 Apr 2022
This article in Sources magazine presents "Circles in the Trees," a series of paintings by artist Valabregue, who interprets the medieval visual tradition of...
1 Apr 2022
Sources
Jewish Values & Social Media
1 Apr 2022
The article explores the ethical implications of social media through the lens of Jewish values, particularly focusing on the Talmudic concept of "geneivat d...
1 Apr 2022
Sources
Our Technology Sickness—and How to Heal It
1 Apr 2022
The article discusses the adverse effects of the digital revolution on our intellectual, social, and emotional lives, proposing crucial shifts in thinking to...
1 Apr 2022
Sources
Why Addressing Antisemitism Requires Fighting for Justice
25 Mar 2022
The article addresses the complex relationship between antisemitism and justice, highlighting how antisemitism is used as a political tool across varying con...
25 Mar 2022
Sources
Why is America Different?
18 Mar 2022
Paul Mendes-Flohr explores the exceptional experience of Jews in the United States, contrasting it with the prolonged struggle for Jewish emancipation in Eur...
18 Mar 2022
Sources
Reading Psalms as the Water Rises
13 Mar 2022
Mara H. Benjamin explores the adaptability of biblical texts, particularly the Psalms, in the face of today's environmental crises, emphasizing how tradition...
13 Mar 2022
Sources
Why Don’t You Write in Hebrew?
20 Oct 2021
The author's note explores the complexities and challenges of deciding which language to write poetry in, torn between the Hebrew of their upbringing and Eng...
20 Oct 2021
Sources
Portfolio
20 Oct 2021
Ester Schneider's paintings are noted for their symbolic richness, vivid colors, and incorporation of bold figures, all emerging from instinctive gestures an...
20 Oct 2021
Sources
The Odd Couple
13 Oct 2021
The article explores the intellectual and personal dynamics between Gershom Scholem and Theodor Adorno, highlighting their correspondence as a site of philos...
13 Oct 2021
Sources
Home and History
13 Oct 2021
Natalia Aleksiun's book, "Conscious History: Polish Jewish Historians Before the Holocaust," sheds light on the pioneering efforts of Polish Jewish historian...
13 Oct 2021
Sources
Humor and Haunting
13 Oct 2021
Joshua Cohen's novel "The Netanyahus" is a fictionalized account of a comical yet thought-provoking encounter between Benzion Netanyahu, the medievalist hist...
13 Oct 2021
Sources
Ozick’s Excavations
13 Oct 2021
Cynthia Ozick's latest novel, "Antiquities," explores themes of memory, reality, and the haunting presence of the past. Through the character of Lloyd Wilkin...
13 Oct 2021
Sources
An Interview with Peter Cole
6 Oct 2021
In this insightful interview, poet Peter Cole discusses how his life and work embody the tension and richness of existing between America and Israel. He expl...
6 Oct 2021
Sources
How to Remember the Shoah
30 Sep 2021
The article explores how the memory of the Holocaust (Shoah) is shaped by cultural and religious narratives. It contrasts Jewish and Christian interpretation...
30 Sep 2021
Sources
Can Synagogues Revitalize American Democracy?
19 Sep 2021
The article explores the potential role of synagogues in revitalizing American democracy by engaging rituals, spiritual intentions, and communal bonds to enc...
19 Sep 2021
Sources
String Theory
19 Sep 2021
This article examines Jewish identity through the lens of both personal and communal experiences, emphasizing the importance of community proximity in foster...
19 Sep 2021
Sources
How a Lover of Wisdom Returns
13 Sep 2021
Yehudah Mirsky explores the work of Menachem Ha-Meiri, a 13th-century Provençal Talmudist, and his notable treatise, Hibur Ha-Teshuvah, which addresses repen...
13 Sep 2021
Sources
Liberal Zionism and the Troubled Committed
4 Sep 2021
The article explores the predicament faced by American Jews who consider themselves liberal Zionists, often labeled as the "troubled committed." These indivi...
4 Sep 2021
Sources
Responding to the Israel-Hamas War
4 Sep 2021
The article explores the complexities of Jewish-Muslim relations, particularly in the context of the Israel-Hamas conflict. It shares stories from both sides...
4 Sep 2021
Sources
Shaming, Disagreement & Purposeful Difference
31 Aug 2021
This article recounts a halakhic dispute between Rabban Gamliel and R. Joshua that evolves into a profound narrative of power, conflict, and eventual reconci...
31 Aug 2021
Sources
Where Stories Come From
2 May 2021
This poem by Ida Maze, translated by Miriam Udel, is a nostalgic ballad that evokes a sense of timeless storytelling tradition. It describes a distant, aband...
2 May 2021
Sources
Daring to Know
2 May 2021
"Daring to Know" reviews Kirsch's book "The Blessing and the Curse," which introduces readers to significant Jewish books of the 20th century to explore Jewi...
2 May 2021
Sources
Home, Endangered
25 Apr 2021
This folktale from a thirteenth-century context explores themes of justice, divine intervention, and structural failures of society through a moralistic narr...
25 Apr 2021
Sources
Open Society, Closed Religion
25 Apr 2021
In assessing the dynamic relationship between religion and contemporary liberal societies, the article explores the notion of closed versus open religion. It...
25 Apr 2021
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Teaching Israel and the Pandemic
11 Apr 2021
The article "Teaching Israel and the Pandemic" by Sivan Zakai explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Israel education among Jewish youth in North Am...
11 Apr 2021
Sources
Our Common Humanity
11 Apr 2021
The article discusses the ethical stance of taking absolute responsibility for the reality of suffering, instead of relying on a hypothetical perfect world. ...
11 Apr 2021
Sources
An Interview with Michael Sandel
17 Mar 2021
In this engaging interview, Michael Sandel discusses his approach to public philosophy and the ongoing tension within his work between notions of meritocracy...
17 Mar 2021