Halacha

Katz Prize honorees recognized at President’s residence

President Isaac Herzog hailed the laureates’ efforts to integrate Halacha, the Bible, and the modern State of Israel

President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal, Katz Prize laureates, and members of the prize committee
Doctor lifting pig's kidney for transplant

Some Jews are willing to risk their lives rather than receive a porcine transplant - study

An illustrative image of man and AI touching.

Is there room for God in the age of AI? - opinion

RABBI DAVID GOLINKIN at the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. The mural adorning the building, ‘Ot Hi L’Olam,’ created by a group of nine artists in 2019, includes overlapping layers of quotations from Hebrew poetry.

Decades of impact: David Golinkin reflects on his legacy of pluralistic Jewish education


Over 15 IDF soldiers pronounced dead in Gaza without bodies

Pronouncing a person’s death is one of the most sensitive, religiously complex issues faced by the Military Rabbinate.

 An IDF soldier salutes the grave of a fallen soldier at the Har Herzl military cemetery ahead of Israel's Remembrance Day, April 23, 2023.

Should Israeli hospitals treat Hamas terrorists? Jewish law explains

It ultimately remains difficult to justify prioritizing national resources for an enemy like Hamas when an Israeli citizen needs it at that moment.

 HAMAS MONSTER Yahya Sinwar, instrumental in the Oct. 7 attacks, was the recipient of lifesaving brain surgery at Israel's Shamir Medical Center in 2004.

Israel-Hamas war: The moral maze of hostage deals

NATIONAL AFFAIRS: Jewish teachings, Benny Gantz made clear, informed his decision to support the Israel-Hamas deal to save hostages held in Gaza.

 Thousands gather as families of hostages vow to not return home until their loved ones are freed.

This is why Israel plans to bury hundreds of cars, with ashes and blood stains

To preserve the sanctity of those murdered by Hamas, for the first time since the establishment of the state, they decided to bury the vehicles.

 Rabbi Yaakov Rose of ZAKA Tel Aviv examining the cars with remains in southern Israel

Denying Israelis Jewish burials: ‘What would God say?’ - opinion

As if it wasn’t bad enough for her grieving family that Alina was mercilessly killed, the Chevra Kadisha decided that Alina Plahti must be buried “outside the fence,” away from the Jewish graves.

 TOTALLY AVOIDABLE hurt, upset, and unnecessary additional trauma were caused to the family of Alina Plahti, says the writer.

Israeli rabbis are issuing guidance about how to adjust Jewish law during wartime

The opinions are almost all rooted in the core Jewish idea that pikuach nefesh, or the preservation of life, overrides nearly every other religious law.

 Head Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef seen with Chief Rabbi of Tzfat Shmuel Eliyahu at an inauguration ceremony for a new women's mikve, in the Northern Israeli town of Tzfat.

Rabbinate releases instructions for keeping Shabbat during wartime

Some laws can be altered or followed differently due to the principle of "pikuach nefesh," asving a person's life.

 ASHKENAZI CHIEF Rabbi David Lau (left) and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef: The silence of our two chief rabbis is thunderously indicative of the abject state of these once meaningful and relevant positions, the writer argues.

American Jewish author Dara Horn trains her robot to shake a lulav

The fun little video made the rounds on X (formerly Twitter), and it points to what will only get more relevant as a question for religious authorities to resolve.

 Yada Labs Artificial Intelligence called Desdemona, with a robotic body, stands on a stage and answers questions of visitors during the opening day of the international consumer technology fair IFA in Berlin, Germany September 1, 2023.

Do people with dementia have to follow Jewish law?

We see how Halacha seeks to keep people with dementia in the world of mitzvot for as long as possible, while always doing everything to protect their physical well-being.

 ONE SHOULD not hand a little child a cheeseburger.

Ukraine-Russia War: A halachic perspective on conflict and peace - opinion

As Jewish individuals, we have a responsibility to advocate for non-violence and support to those affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

 A BUILDING damaged in Donetsk region, Ukraine.