Torah
From Saul's failure to David's reckoning, 'Human Kingship' examines the dangers of power - review
Rabbi David Silber's Human Kingship rereads the Book of Samuel to ask what restrains a ruler when no tribunal can remove him, and whether justice can survive unchecked power.
‘You are standing today’: A Jewish lesson for America, 25 years after 9/11
Israel after Oct. 7: What Moses teaches us about survival and responsibility
Parashat Nitzavim: Why we are all responsible for one another
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.
Parashat Re'eh: The choice to choose
Even those who observe Jewish tradition have areas of choice that they have already conquered, while their struggles lie elsewhere, each person according to their own level and circumstances.
Beyond the Headlines: What did you take home from Israel? - opinion
A weekly glimpse into the Israel you won’t read about in the news.
