Apocalypse Now?
August 3, 2023
Now that the Knesset has shut down for the summer, there is a new anxiety in the air, an apprehension about what will happen next. Will the prophets of doom triumph over the prophets of optimism?
Matthew Schultz
Matthew Schultz is the author of the essay collection “What Came Before” (2020). He is a rabbinical student at Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts.
Could a Movie Like “Joy Ride” Be Made About Israel?
July 20, 2023
The movie is hilarious, surprising and heartfelt. However, amidst all the fun, I couldn’t help but ask—was it too one-sided?
New People
July 13, 2023
For a new era in human history, new people are required, which means that the old ones must — at some point — step aside.
Chasing the Biblical Spies Through Jewish History
July 6, 2023
The tale of the spies reveals itself to be a kind of Jewish archetype — one which echoes throughout Jewish history in ever new iterations with subtly evolving significance.
Good Riddance to Corporate Pride
June 14, 2023
The work of Pride is the work of building community and striving for equality. It is the pursuit of the dream of a more just society. It needs believers, not sponsors.
When the Torah’s Narratives Subvert Its Laws
June 1, 2023
The relationship between law and narrative is complex — but it is not a relationship of dominance — one does not bend to the other.
Shabbat in the Age of AI
May 25, 2023
Engaging with AI will soon come to dominate our work weeks, and so it stands to reason that not engaging with it will come to characterize our Shabbats.
Why Synagogues Need Mood Lighting
May 18, 2023
In overly bright places, we become insensate to the spiritual.
Why We Should All Celebrate Pesach Sheni
May 3, 2023
Regarding the Passover sacrifice, God institutes the holiday of Pesach Sheni (“Second Passover”) to be observed on the fourteenth of Iyar by those who were unable to participate in the first Passover due to impurity or because they were traveling far from Jerusalem at the time.
Jerusalem and Tel Aviv
April 19, 2023
One city is holy and the other profane. One city is gold and the other is silver.
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