Torah
No to the war against the haredim, yes to Israel’s security - opinion
Israel’s reservists are carrying an enormous burden, while sanctions have failed to deliver a breakthrough in haredi enlistment. A three-year legislative framework could replace confrontation.
The misconception of a conscription law - opinion
'My First Tanakh Stories': Bible stories for young kids and their grandparents - review
Dvar Haftarah: When a father’s silence becomes his son’s downfall
Parashat Ki Tetze: Set adrift on the island of Elul
Parashat Ki Tetze abruptly shifts from collective responsibilities to personal ones. It is the densest legal section of the Torah, containing more commandments than any other parasha.
Parashat Ki Tetze: Creating a deep bond and the secret of marriage
The relationship between a man and a woman is also, in a sense, a reflection of the relationship between a person and his Creator.
What is the connection between Zionism and planting trees in Israel?
Trees have repeatedly been destroyed by war, fires, and other causes, but we have always planted again as an expression of Jewish resilience and rebuilding.
Rediscovering an ancient gift: What Nigerian Jews taught me about the meaning of Shabbat - opinion
Where do you begin to explain Shabbat from scratch? I found myself going back to the beginning. Literally. The first Shabbat in the Torah is found in the opening chapter of human existence.
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.