JL;DR

Daily Podcasts Video Research

for Monday, April 7, 2025

Welcome, visitor! Here's a digest of what's been published in Jewish media over the last day. JL;DR members have access to summaries of everything plus our full archive. Donate & start reading »

Leadership ›

0 Leadership Torah

A Timely Lesson In Leadership From The Weekly Torah Portion

Gary Rosenblatt in Between The Lines

The article draws a parallel between the current political climate and a lesson from the Torah, as illuminated in Rabbi Shai Held's commentaries.

0 Leadership Jewish Law

This is my last column as editor of the Forward

Jodi Rudoren in Forward

Jodi Rudoren, outgoing Editor-in-Chief of the Forward, reflects on her tenure at the publication, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and learning from diverse perspectives in journalism, as echoed by Ben Zoma's wisdom from Pirkei Avot.

Literature ›

0 Literature History

Delmore’s Gift

Neil Arditi in Jewish Review of Books

Delmore Schwartz, a literary prodigy immortalized as Von Humboldt Fleisher in Saul Bellow's "Humboldt's Gift," is remembered more for his tragic life and potential unfulfilled than for his substantial contributions to modernist poetry.

0 Literature Philosophy

Strange Air Above the Ladder

Jake Marmer in Jewish Review of Books

Yehoshua November's latest poetry collection, "The Concealment of Endless Light," straddles the boundaries between the kabbalistic and the everyday.

0 Literature History

Manea’s Shadows

Benjamin Balint in Jewish Review of Books

Norman Manea, a prominent Romanian author from the historic Jewish community of Bukovina, navigates themes of memory, identity, and survival in his literary works.

0 Literature Communities

The Shopkeeper on East Broadway

Yenta Serdatsky in Jewish Review of Books

Yenta Serdatsky's short story "The Shopkeeper on East Broadway" explores the Jewish immigrant experience in New York City through the lens of an idealistic shopkeeper, whose gesture of decorating his store with American and Zionist flags reflects the dual identity faced by Jewish immigrants.

0 Literature Holidays

Jeremy Dauber in Jewish Review of Books

Jeremy Dauber explores "One Little Goat," a graphic novel by Dara Horn and Theo Ellsworth, that offers a unique twist on the Passover Seder.

Jewish Law ›

0 Jewish Law History

Bewitched and Between

Shai Secunda in Jewish Review of Books

In "Seder Maziqin: Law and Magic in Late Antique Jewish Society," Avigail Manekin-Bamberger explores the interplay between magic and rabbinic law in Babylonian Jewish culture, focusing on the use of incantation bowls to combat demons like Lilith.

0 Jewish Law Communities

The Future Is Old

Mira Balberg in Jewish Review of Books

Mira Balberg explores the complex dynamics between adult children and their aging parents through a personal lens, juxtaposing a self-help book she found with Talmudic narratives that elevate filial piety to challenging extremes.

Philosophy ›

0 Philosophy Culture

Chariot and Saucer

Daniel Socher in Jewish Review of Books

David J. Halperin's book, "Intimate Alien: The Hidden Story of the UFO," investigates the enduring American fascination with UFOs through the lenses of religious studies and psychology, drawing parallels between UFO sightings and ancient Jewish visionary experiences like Ezekiel's Merkavah vision.

0 Philosophy Jewish Law

Resurrection: The Triumph of Life in Judaism

Irving Greenberg in Jewish Review of Books

Irving Greenberg explores the often-overlooked Jewish doctrine of resurrection of the dead, contrasting it with more commonly discussed concepts like the world to come.

History ›

0 History Ethics

American Pharaohs

Allan Arkush in Jewish Review of Books

Allan Arkush reviews Richard Kreitner's book "Fear No Pharaoh," which examines the complex and often uncomfortable role American Jews had in the institution of slavery.

0 History Holocaust

Letters, Spring 2025

Jewish Review of Books

A two-part letter section on Polish-Jewish historical relations and American Revolutionary history illustrates complex themes.

0 History Politics

Marci Shore in Jewish Review of Books

"In Dissent," authored by Benjamin Nathans, delves into the history and significance of the Soviet dissident movement, highlighting key figures and events.

Holidays ›

0 Holidays Culture

Kidnapped Choruses?

Yosef Lindell in Jewish Review of Books

Exploring the origins of the beloved Passover Seder songs "Echad Mi Yodea" and "Chad Gadya," Yosef Lindell delves into their historical roots, which potentially trace back to non-Jewish folk traditions.

Television/Film ›

0 Television/Film Culture

Form Without Function

Edward Rothstein in Jewish Review of Books

"The Brutalist," a film by Brady Corbet, dives into the immigrant experience in post-World War II America through the lens of Hungarian Jewish architect László Tóth, played by Adrien Brody.

Holocaust ›

0 Holocaust History

My Father’s Resistance: A Memoir

Shulamit Reinharz in Jewish Review of Books

Shulamit Reinharz's memoir, "My Father's Resistance," uncovers the hidden life and untold acts of resistance by her father, Rabbi Max Rothschild, primarily during the Nazi regime.

Education ›

0 Education Jewish Law

Israeli parents have more confident kids.

Joshua Hoffman in Future of Jewish

The article discusses the disparity in resilience and confidence between Jewish children raised in Israel compared to those in the diaspora.

Israel ›

0 Israel Ethics

Something To Celebrate

Natan Slifkin in Rationalist Judaism

Natan Slifkin reflects on the mixed emotions of hosting a party for his son's upcoming enlistment in the IDF.

Politics ›

0 Politics Science

Breakthrough Prize winner Dennis Gaitsgory is planning to attend a protest in Israel

Ben Sales in JTA

Dennis Gaitsgory, a recent recipient of the prestigious Breakthrough Prize for his work on the geometric Langlands conjecture, plans to engage in Israeli protests.

0 Politics Culture

The Trump Derangement Syndrome Works Both Ways

Emes Ve-Emunah

The article addresses the polarized reactions within the Orthodox Jewish community towards Donald Trump's policies, particularly his foreign policies regarding Israel, which are seen as overwhelmingly positive by supporters.

0 Politics Antisemitism

He called a Nazi sympathizer 'extraordinary.' Now he’s a nominee for U.S. attorney.

Jacob Kornbluh in Forward

Ed Martin, nominated by Trump for U.S. Attorney for D.C., is under scrutiny for praising Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a Nazi sympathizer, as extraordinary.

0 Politics History

A Terrible Price

Matti Friedman in Jewish Review of Books

Asaf Hazani's book, developed from his field notes as an IDF reserve colonel during the Gaza conflict following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, provides a unique, introspective account of the war.

Communities ›

0 Communities Ethics

Many Jews in America are losing the plot.

Ben Lerner in Future of Jewish

In a heartfelt narrative, Brooklyn-based musician Ben Lerner reflects on a performance he gave for Israeli boys who lost their fathers in the Gaza conflict.