Category Archives: Orthodoxy

Was Bible Scholar Nechama Leibowitz A Feminist?

Rabbi Gil Student writes: The main question discussed is Nehama’s relationship with feminism. On the one hand, she was a female Torah teacher long before they became common, as they now are in some communities. And she was such a … Continue reading

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What Is The Scientific Study Of Judaism?

Academic study of Judaism aka critical study aka scientific study all mean something simple — following the facts wherever they lead. The major Ashkenazi denominations of Judaism (Reform, Conservative and Orthodox) developed in Germany in the 19th Century. A founder … Continue reading

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First Black Female Rabbi Ordained

Bob emails: There goes the neighborhood. Khunrum emails: "There’s one shul that might let Luke attend." Fred emails: "I wonder if they’d make him sit in the back of the shul." Bob emails: "Even they would probably question our hapless … Continue reading

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ATID Weed

I was having a gentle morning conversation when suddenly the woman said, "How old is the world?" Wow. "About five billion years," I said. "I think that’s the scientific consensus." "But what about the Torah?" "I don’t take the first … Continue reading

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A New Modern Orthodox Blog

About a year ago, I said to Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, "When are you getting your own blog?" He seemed pretty overwhelmed at the time and I did not expect him to post one any time soon. I got an email … Continue reading

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Lending A Hand On Shabbos

Just a few minutes before Shuvuot, as I was walking to a friend’s home for dinner, I passed two Mexicans in an alley with a beat-up old truck. A middle-aged man and woman were straining and failing to put a … Continue reading

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Training Women To Become Orthodox Spiritual Leaders

From a JTA blog (link): Rabbi Avi Weiss announced last week he was creating Yeshivat Maharat, "an Orthodox Yeshiva of Higher Learning … [to] train women to become Orthodox Spiritual Leaders – full members of the Rabbinic Clergy – in … Continue reading

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The Orthodox Way

I was having lunch with two Gentile friends this past week, and this really goyish goy asked me about the Jewish community harboring criminals from goyisha justice and whether that might fuel anti-semitism. I replied that the rabbis in their … Continue reading

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Winners Don’t Seek Dialogue

Imagine if a leading Reform rabbi declared Orthodox Judaism dead. How would the Orthodox react? They would yawn. Orthodox Jews in general don’t care about what the goyim think of them. That’s the advantage of living an authentic life. You … Continue reading

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Do Rabbis Avi Weiss, Saul Berman Deserve To Be Called ‘Amalek’?

Yehuda posts to Hirhurim: Gil, it’s lovely you’re so tolerant. I’m glad you know what they mean. Despite your tolerance, I think anyone calling you, Rabbis Weiss or Berman, or any other Torah opinions "Amalek" deserves a public rebuke, and … Continue reading

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