Featured Stories

The Opening of the Shema Prayer Explained
Holidays and Religious Traditions
Professor Reuven Kimelman offers a line-by-line analysis of Judaism's most central prayer.

Was the Gangster Meyer Lansky a Mensch?
Support of Israel. Patriotism. Love for his grandfather. In his graphic novel, Jonathan Lang '98 looks at the good side of the notorious Jewish gambling kingpin.

When Prayer Gets Political
Rabbi Joseph Rosen '14 works to uphold his Mississippi synagogue's historic commitment to civil rights without alienating congregants who want him to steer clear of controversial issues.

Happy 100th Birthday to the Bat Mitzvah!
Holidays and Religious Traditions
"The introduction of bat mitzvah was a steppingstone to expanding roles for women in every part of the Jewish world," scholar Lisa Fishbayn Joffe argues.