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5 Perspectives on Finding God in the Chaos
17 Dec 2025
Exploring Parshat Miketz, 18Forty presents five insightful perspectives on finding God amid chaos. The narrative of Yosef, who rises from prison to power in ...
17 Dec 2025
18forty
What the 18Forty Team is Reading This Month
14 Dec 2025
The 18Forty team's latest reading list includes an array of books reflecting diverse themes, perfect for finding inspiration during the Chanukah season. From...
14 Dec 2025
18forty
The Bonds and Betrayals of Brotherhood: From Yosef to the Hasmoneans
11 Dec 2025
Malka Simkovich's article draws parallels between the biblical story of Yosef and the Hasmonean era, emphasizing the themes of brotherhood, betrayal, and for...
11 Dec 2025
18forty
How Did Chanukah Become a Jewish Holiday?
11 Dec 2025
Chanukah, commemorating the Judean Jews' victory over the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE, intriguingly became a universally celebrated Jewish holiday despite its i...
11 Dec 2025
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5 Things Yosef’s Brothers Teach Us About Jealousy in the Age of Comparison
10 Dec 2025
The exploration of Parshat Vayeshev in this piece highlights the dangerous progression of jealousy within familial relationships, as illustrated by Yosef and...
10 Dec 2025
18forty
The Book That’s Also a Rebbe
7 Dec 2025
Yud-Tes Kislev, celebrated on 19 Kislev, marks a pivotal moment for Chassidism and its followers, particularly those affiliated with Chabad. Known as the Ros...
7 Dec 2025
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What Does It Mean to Limp Toward the Promised Land?
4 Dec 2025
Moshe Koppel's analysis of the biblical story of Yaakov wrestling with a mysterious figure in Parshat Vayishlach is positioned as a metaphor for the Jewish j...
4 Dec 2025
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5 Things Vayishlach Teaches About Faith After the Holocaust
3 Dec 2025
Parshat Vayishlach's narrative of Yaakov wrestling with a mysterious figure takes on profound significance when reflected upon in the context of post-Holocau...
3 Dec 2025
18forty
How My Favorite Book Brought Me Closer to My Family This Thanksgiving
1 Dec 2025
Cody Fitzpatrick shares how Stephen Dubner's memoir "Choosing My Religion" has been instrumental in rekindling a connection with his Jewish heritage and fami...
1 Dec 2025
18forty
Of Maariv and Menorahs
27 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the intriguing evolution of the Chanukah menorah and the Maariv prayer, both of which have transitioned from initially voluntary pr...
27 Nov 2025
18forty
How To Navigate Your Family This Thanksgiving
27 Nov 2025
As Thanksgiving approaches, Rivka Bennun Kay reflects on the often passionate and ideological debates at her family's dinner table, touching on topics like p...
27 Nov 2025
18forty
5 Things Vayetzei Teaches About God Meeting Us When We’re Broken
26 Nov 2025
The content delves into the weekly parsha Vayetzei, where Yaakov's journey amidst psychological distress illustrates divine encounter through crisis. Struggl...
26 Nov 2025
18forty
The Best Book to Understand Empathy
24 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's article explores the concept of empathy through the lens of Leslie Jamison's book "The Empathy Exams." Kay contrasts Brene Brown's popular...
24 Nov 2025
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In an Age of Deepfakes, the Torah Reminds Us How Truth is Verified
21 Nov 2025
In the face of emerging technologies like AI-generated deepfakes, Rivka Bennun Kay explores how the Torah's ancient skepticism towards visual evidence offers...
21 Nov 2025
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Yaakov, Esav, and the Paradox of Money and Wealth
20 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the complex relationship between selfhood, wealth, and spiritual growth using insights from Rebbe Nachman of Breslov and the charac...
20 Nov 2025
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5 Things Toldot Teaches About Repeating—and Repairing—Family Cycles
19 Nov 2025
Parshat Toldot offers a compelling exploration of recurring family dynamics, highlighting how patterns of behavior, such as deception and favoritism, perpetu...
19 Nov 2025
18forty
5 Ways You Can Use AI in Jewish Life
18 Nov 2025
AI is emerging as a transformative tool in Jewish life, offering novel applications while posing potential challenges to tradition. Key uses include translat...
18 Nov 2025
18forty
What to Read If You’re Thinking About AI, the Soul, and the Future
17 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's recommendations in "What to Read If You're Thinking About AI, the Soul, and the Future" offer a multidimensional exploration of consciousn...
17 Nov 2025
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AI Knows You Better Than You Think. That’s a Problem
13 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's article discusses how the Forer Effect, originally identified in psychology experiments, is mirrored in the way people interact with AI te...
13 Nov 2025
18forty
5 Things Chayei Sarah Teaches About Love That Lasts
12 Nov 2025
Parshat Chayei Sarah reveals timeless insights into lasting love, contrasting today's romantic pursuits with intentional, value-driven matchmaking. The parsh...
12 Nov 2025
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What Religious Zionists Taught Me About Reading Tanach as a Living Story
11 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay reflects on the unique educational messages within Israel's Religious Zionist community, particularly their engagement with Tanach as a livi...
11 Nov 2025
18forty
Five Years Since Passing, Rabbi Sacks Still Speaks to Our Fractured World
10 Nov 2025
Five years after his passing, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks continues to provide profound guidance for a fractured world, particularly in Israel. Known for his i...
10 Nov 2025
18forty
Why I Keep Reading Amos Oz
9 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay reflects on her enduring engagement with Israeli author Amos Oz's works, detailing her personal journey and evolving understanding through h...
9 Nov 2025
18forty
5 Things Vayera Teaches Us About Moral Courage
5 Nov 2025
Parshat Vayera presents profound lessons on moral courage, exploring themes of advocacy, resilience, and ethical challenge. Rivka Bennun Kay discusses Avraha...
5 Nov 2025
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13 Books You Should Read This Fall
2 Nov 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's curation from "I Read This Over Shabbos" offers an eclectic list of 13 books to dive into this autumn. Reflecting the diverse interests of...
2 Nov 2025
18forty
What Star Trek and Genesis Teach Us About Consciousness
30 Oct 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the intersection of consciousness, AI, and spirituality, contemplating what defines human uniqueness in an age of advanced artifici...
30 Oct 2025
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5 Things Lech Lecha Teaches About Spiritual Seeking
29 Oct 2025
Lech Lecha is a foundational Torah portion that offers profound insights into spiritual seeking, centering on Avraham's journey from Haran to the unknown. Th...
29 Oct 2025
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What the 18Forty Team is Reading After the Holidays
26 Oct 2025
After Sukkot in Israel, known as acharei hachagim, life resumes its routine, shedding the festive chaos for the calming consistency of daily patterns. To eas...
26 Oct 2025
18forty
5 Things Noach Teaches About the Psychology of Starting Over
23 Oct 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's article examines the biblical narrative of Noach (Noah) as a study in the psychology of starting over, particularly after trauma. After th...
23 Oct 2025
18forty
The Case for Reading the Parsha Twice Each Week
19 Oct 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's article explores the practice of Shnayim Mikra, the tradition of reading the weekly Torah portion twice along with the translation once, h...
19 Oct 2025
18forty
The Mind of God and the Order of the Cosmos
17 Oct 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's article engages with the intersection of science and Torah by exploring the opening chapter of the Torah in light of contemporary scientif...
17 Oct 2025
18forty
After October 7, Motherhood Taught Me Radical Hope
6 Oct 2025
Following the tragic events of October 7, Rivka Bennun Kay reflects on her experience of becoming a mother again, framing it as an act of radical hope in a w...
6 Oct 2025
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What I’m Reading in the Sukkah This Year
6 Oct 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay shares her reading list for Sukkot, emphasizing how this festival provides an opportunity for reflection and recharging. Her picks include "...
6 Oct 2025
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AI Has No Soul—So Why Did I Bare Mine?
5 Oct 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay recounts her experiment with ChatGPT, exploring the dynamic of interacting with a soulless AI that helps mirror and refine her thoughts and ...
5 Oct 2025
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Three Jewish Ways To Fight (Your) Demons
1 Oct 2025
The article by Rivka Bennun Kay explores Jewish historical and textual approaches to confronting personal and communal challenges, metaphorically framed as "...
1 Oct 2025
18forty
Me and My Homeless Prayers
29 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay reflects on her experience of navigating different prayer traditions as a Sephardic Jew in predominantly Ashkenazi settings. Growing accusto...
29 Sep 2025
18forty
Between the Piaseczna Rebbe and Rav Kook: The Case for Expressing Religious Emotions
26 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay's article delves into the debate on expressing religious emotions within Judaism, drawing comparisons between the philosophies of Rabbi Klon...
26 Sep 2025
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On the Honest Work of Becoming
25 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the Jewish tradition of wishing one to live until 120 years, drawing from both the Torah's mention of human mortality and the life ...
25 Sep 2025
18forty
What the 18Forty Team is Reading to Think About Teshuva
22 Sep 2025
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, the 18Forty team shares their diverse reading list aimed at fostering introspection and personal growth during the season of tes...
22 Sep 2025
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Memory, Integrity, and the Call of the Shofar
17 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay reflects on her final Rosh Hashanah in the UK, where she served as Senior Rabbi for the Sephardi Community, exploring themes of memory and p...
17 Sep 2025
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A Fanatical Future Awaits Us. Do We Care?
14 Sep 2025
In "The Third Temple," Yishai Sarid presents a dystopian vision where Israel, under a quasi-Messianic monarchy, is governed by Torah law while surrounded by ...
14 Sep 2025
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What the Ancient First Fruits Teach Us About Jewish Joy
11 Sep 2025
The bikkurim ceremony, depicted in the Beth Alpha synagogue mosaics, highlights the Jewish value of performing mitzvot with joy. This ancient ritual involved...
11 Sep 2025
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When the Torah of God Meets the Torah of Man
7 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the harmonious blend of Written and Oral Torah through her reflections on reading Rav Kook's "Orot HaTorah" during a vacation. She ...
7 Sep 2025
18forty
Why Americans Should Trade Self-Help for Mussar
7 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay argues that while the self-help movement focuses on individual happiness and self-empowerment, it often leads to feelings of brokenness and ...
7 Sep 2025
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Rabbi Soloveitchik’s Case for Keeping Religious Emotions Private
4 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay delves into Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik's advocacy for keeping religious emotions private, highlighting how this reflects broader Jewish va...
4 Sep 2025
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Faith, Evil, and the Act of Remembering
3 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the theme of remembrance in Jewish tradition, focusing on the biblical commandment to remember Amalek's attack on Israel. She delve...
3 Sep 2025
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‘Purify Our Hearts to Serve You in Truth’: Rav Amital’s Guide to Elul
1 Sep 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the teachings of Rabbi Yehuda Amital on spiritual introspection during the month of Elul, drawing from his book "When God is Near."...
1 Sep 2025
18forty
What Kafka Teaches Jews About Exile and Faith
29 Aug 2025
Franz Kafka's works resonate deeply with Jewish readers by reflecting the perpetual challenges and uncertainties of Jewish identity, exile, and faith. Kafka'...
29 Aug 2025
18forty
“Nothing as Whole as a Broken Heart”: What Makes Faith Authentic?
27 Aug 2025
Rivka Bennun Kay explores the concept of faith and authenticity (temimut) in Jewish tradition, drawing on various interpretations from Jewish scholars and ps...
27 Aug 2025
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What the 18Forty Team is Reading This Month
17 Aug 2025
This month's reading list from the 18Forty team showcases a diverse array of literary works across different genres and themes, reflecting the varied interes...
17 Aug 2025