Posts Tagged: jeremy rosen judaism
Intersectionality: The New False God
When young people arrive at college today, they are likely to be confronted by a new, dogmatic orthodoxy. It has nothing to do with religion, but...
Embarrassed to Be Israeli or Jewish?
This week, I met someone who had just returned from a trip to the Greek islands. He told me that he kept meeting Israelis who confided that...
Fasting on the Ninth of Av
The fast of the Ninth of Av falls this coming Monday and Tuesday. All other so-called “minor fasts” in Judaism run from dawn to dusk -- like Ramadan, which...
Remembering My Friend, Jack Lunzer
Jack Lunzer, who died this past December, was famous for his collection of Jewish books, texts and incunabula. It was the largest collection of Judaica...
Praying for Our Country
It is amusing and disturbing to see the demonstrations against an elected president, not so much for what he has done, but for who he...
Being Poor in Jerusalem: Pre-1967 Memories
After I graduated from Cambridge University, I went to study at Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem. The yeshiva was located in a small industrial quarter, sandwiched between Meah...
Reflections on Hanukkah and Miracles
Why do miracles happen sometimes and not others? Is it because we deserve them? Many rabbis like to claim that when bad things happen, it is...
The Unyielding Orthodoxy of Anglo-Jewry
I want to tell you a story of Chelm (the mythical community of Jewish fools) that is, in fact, true. True of Anglo-Jewish establishment Orthodoxy. I...
Jews, Moderation and Wine
When Noah comes out of the ark, the first thing he does (after thanking God) is plant a vineyard, and then make wine. But then...
Rigid Orthodoxy Is Destroying Religion
I've always thought it was important to read opinions that conflict with mine, either to confirm my position or perhaps force me to reconsider it. A...
Rain and Sukkot
Between the two World Wars in Eastern Europe, yeshiva students used to entertain each other at weddings and other happy occasions with Gramen -- Yiddish rhymes that...
Resurrection: The Magic of Yom Kippur
Western forms of entertainment are massively preoccupied with dead bodies coming back to life. Popular horror films and TV series regurgitate this very weird fixation. And then...
Petty Orthodoxy
Thetorah.com is a website that analyzes the weekly reading of the Torah for people who do not take every word in the Torah literally. In addition to valuing...
Mourning the Temple
The Temple has been the most significant building in Jewish history. The Fast of Av commemorates two occasions when it, Jerusalem and the Jewish state...
