Torah
'Echoes of Rashi': Exploring R. Shlomo Yitzhaki's ideas and their relevance today
Rashi’s comment reminds us that history is shaped not only by people who occupy positions of power, but also by the timing of their arrival.
Parashat Bereishit: The world of water
Beyond the Headlines: The lessons we cannot afford to miss - opinion
Israelis celebrate Simchat Torah near Nova Festival site despite ban by police, KKL-JNF
What is the connection between Zionism and planting trees in Israel?
Trees have repeatedly been destroyed by war, fires, and other causes, but we have always planted again as an expression of Jewish resilience and rebuilding.
Rediscovering an ancient gift: What Nigerian Jews taught me about the meaning of Shabbat - opinion
Where do you begin to explain Shabbat from scratch? I found myself going back to the beginning. Literally. The first Shabbat in the Torah is found in the opening chapter of human existence.
This week in Jewish history: Moses ascends Mount Sinai, a massacre shakes Hebron
A highly abridged monthly version of Dust & Stars.
Parashat Shoftim: Wholehearted – and well
“Wholeheartedness is greater than wisdom, but great wisdom is required of a Jew before he reaches the level of ‘You shall be wholehearted with the Lord your God.’” - Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz.
‘We are not going anywhere’: Danon defends West Bank settlements at UN meeting
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon rejected claims that West Bank settlements are obstacles to peace, telling the Security Council that they would remain and continue to grow.
Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community feels misunderstood. Here’s why - opinion
If haredim see that they are treated with understanding, respect, and sensitivity, they will more readily change and adapt in the service of the greater good
Beyond the Headlines: Have you heard Elkana Levi’s speech? - opinion
Elkana did not gloss over the pain or the difficulty. He spoke about friends who had been killed, and about his darkest moments.
Before the High Holidays, the Jewish people must look inward - opinion
With Yom Kippur fast approaching, now is the time for Jews to look inward and ask how one can do better to support one's own nation and peoplehood.
How a Connecticut Torah scroll traveled 50 years, and thousands of miles, to make aliyah - opinion
A closing Connecticut synagogue, a chance Facebook connection, and a retired rabbi helped a Torah scroll dedicated to a young boy complete its journey to Jerusalem.
Parashat Re'eh: The tyranny of ‘one’ truth
An age of prophecy should have been an age of clarity. If God spoke directly to humanity, the path forward ought to have been unmistakable.
