American Judaism
Raider of the Lost KnishWednesday, January 30, 2013 by Laura Silver | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
More than Hebrew School, a Torah scroll or the eternal light in the synagogue, the knish provided sanctuary. It encapsulated my identity: ethnic, funny, and grounded in the past.
A Voice Saying Something RightTuesday, January 29, 2013 by David Curzon | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Poet Harvey Shapiro, who passed away this month at age 88, captured in plain words the mystery of everyday life, the trauma of war, and the grandeur of Jewish tradition.
Why America Has No Chief RabbiWednesday, January 23, 2013 by Jonathan D. Sarna | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Just as America introduced free-market capitalism into the economy, so it created a free market in religion.
Gun Control, Halakhah, and History: Further ThoughtsTuesday, January 22, 2013 by Shlomo M. Brody | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
While the use of weaponry is at times morally necessary, the glorification of weaponry is foreign to Jewish thought.
Which Land Is Our Land?Wednesday, January 16, 2013 by The Editors | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
After David Ben-Gurion urged young American Jews to make aliyah, the American Jewish Committee responded by resolving to "forcefully discourage Israeli propaganda for immigration from America."
If I Forget Thee?Tuesday, January 15, 2013 by Allan Arkush | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
As a recent seminar at New York's Mechon Hadar testified, throughout Jewish tradition, everyone—even the anti-Zionists—recognizes that the Land of Israel has more sanctity than any other place. But what follows from that?
Spielberg’s Lincoln and the Jews: An Untold StoryMonday, January 14, 2013 by Lance J. Sussman | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Lincoln represents a missed opportunity to show that Jews didn’t just turn up in America in the wake of Russian pogroms.
Buczacz by Way of Newark: On Literary Lives at the EndThursday, January 10, 2013 by Jeffrey Saks | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Philip Roth has bowed out gracefully from the literary world. But for the great Hebrew writer S. Y. Agnon, retirement was never an option.
Gun Control and the Limits of HalakhahWednesday, January 9, 2013 by Shlomo M. Brody | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Rabbinic disputes on the proper regulation of dangerous dogs illustrate that reasonable people, who share Jewish values regarding violence and self-defense, can disagree about gun control.
Dr. Orlinsky and Mr. GreenFriday, January 4, 2013 by Michael Carasik | Jewish Ideas Daily » Daily Features
Harry Orlinsky is best known today as “Mr. Green,” the scholar who authenticated the four Dead Sea Scrolls offered for sale in a Wall Street Journal want ad. But his legacy as a Bible scholar is enormous.
Editors' Picks
Taking the Jewish Vote for Granted Jonathan Sarna, Tablet. After General Grant expelled Jews from the territory under his command during the American Civil War, Jews were expected to unite against his presidential candidacy in 1868. But did they?
The Mehitzah Heresy Harry Maryles, Emes-Ve-Emunah. Today, it goes without saying that an Orthodox synagogue must have a mehitzah separating men and women in worship. But one great "decider" of the 20th century thought otherwise.
The Next Generation Dana Evan Kaplan, H-Net. Jack Wertheimer's new study of young American Jewish leaders claims that, contrary to popular belief, not all of them are working to bring down the establishment.
Keeping the Campfires Burning Gil Shefler, JTA. Remember the joys of Jewish summer camp? Foundations think that Jewish camping is critical to Jewish identity, and they’re increasing subsidies to keep it affordable.
21st Century Lox Ron Rosenbaum, New Republic. As smoked salmon has evolved from deli staple to the pride of artisanal markets and upscale restaurants, has it lost its Jewish soul?
School's Out Forever Seth Berkman, Forward. A new survey reveals that the number of Schechter schools in America has fallen by over 35% since 1998. Is there a future for non-Orthodox Jewish day schools?
Community, Covenant, and Commitment George E. Johnson, Jewish Ideas and Ideals. While Joseph B. Soloveitchik ruled out religious collaboration with non-Orthodox Jews, he advocated political unity. But since his death, American Jewry has fractured.
From Nebekh to Nebbish Philologos, Forward. Both nebekh and nebbish denote an unfortunate fellow; but the Americanized version dispenses with any hint of sympathy.
When Community Is Not Enough Peter Berger, American Interest. "Religion offers something much more central than community in the abstract: It offers a community gathered around the message that... nothingness is not the final destiny of the universe."
Havah Nagilah: From Niggun To Cliché Chavie Lieber, JTA. Today, it is the clichéd stuff of American weddings. But it began in Europe as a Hasidic niggun, and picked up its words in 20th-century Palestine.