Whatever Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, it was certainly neither a Fuji nor Granny Smith.

While the role of providence in these politicians’ journeys will no doubt continue to be debated by pundits, it is worth revisiting the model of Moses, whose farewell address in the book of Deuteronomy we’ve been reading in synagogue these past weeks. 

Isaiah’s iteration of the monarchical meme offers three lessons that today’s political observers would be wise to consider.

It’s Judaism’s most famous verse — yet it’s rarely, if ever, properly understood.

Rereading the Talmud’s description of the Roman destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem this year for Tisha B’Av amidst the still-simmering ashes of Hamas’ October 7th devastation, one is struck by the slaughters’ similarities.

As analyzed by Gila Fine in her recently published “The Madwoman in the Rabbi’s Attic: Rereading the Women of the Talmud,” Marta’s ancient story offers a surprising sliver of hope amidst despair.