WHY 18
FORTY
18Forty is a new media company that helps users find meaning in their lives through the exploration of Jewish thought and ideas. By addressing contemporary issues openly and honestly, 18Forty expands conversation, deepens understanding, and elevates experience. With a commitment to exceptional design and intellectual integrity, 18Forty is rethinking Jewish wisdom and reframing Jewish values for a modern world.
The year 1840 marked the climax of the first industrial revolution. This era saw new labor-saving inventions, scientific advances, academic theories, and the beginning of increased general education levels. These advancements brought massive societal benefits. At the same time, they created substantial societal dislocation and produced new challenges for people to find meaning in this world.
As the industrial revolution progressed, a profound question about religion emerged: Would the rise of industrial, technological, and academic progress render religion obsolete or would these disruptive societal changes make religion crucial to understanding this new reality and provide meaning to peoples’ lives?
One mystical text portended a religious revolution in 1840. Some interpreted this as a reflection on the need for redemption from the ills of modern innovation. Others focused on the more positive message of newfound opportunities for religious enlightenment in an age when human creativity was being redefined.
Today, we are once again faced with the choices and challenges society confronted in 1840 on an even greater level. While many of the benefits brought by these changes are self-evident, these rapidly accelerating changes are causing new societal and individual challenges. The levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns are rising at an alarming rate, especially among Millennials and Generation Z. Traditional familial and communal emotional support networks are being replaced by impersonal online communities. And the exponential rate of technological development makes the future feel unpredictable.
As a society, how will we construct meaning in today’s age of limitless information? Some will see religion as an anachronistic artifact from a simpler and more naïve time. 18Forty hopes to confront some of those challenges and present a new vision for the value of religion in the modern age.
Was the year 1840 the end of religion or the beginning? In this special podcast, David discusses the significance of the year and how it remains relevant today. Follow along with the source sheet and listen below:
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
David Bashevkin is the founder of 18Forty. He is also the director of education for NCSY, the youth movement of the Orthodox Union, and the Clinical Assistant Professor of Jewish Values at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University. He completed rabbinic ordination at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, as well as a master’s degree at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies focusing on the thought of Rabbi Zadok of Lublin under the guidance of Dr. Yaakov Elman. He completed his doctorate in Public Policy and Management at The New School’s Milano School of International Affairs, focusing on crisis management. He has published four books, Sin·a·gogue: Sin and Failure in Jewish Thought, a Hebrew work B’Rogez Rachem Tizkor (trans. In Anger, Remember Mercy), Top 5: Lists of Jewish Character and Character, and Just One: The NCSY Haggadah. David has been rejected from several prestigious fellowships and awards.
OUR TEAM
Sruli Fruchter
Director of Operations
Sruli Fruchter is pursuing semikha at RIETS while working for 18Forty and Dryve Marketing. He studied international and global affairs at Yeshiva University, where he was the 100th editor in chief of The Commentator. When not reading, writing, or tweeting about Rav Kook, Sruli enjoys adding books and articles to his ever-growing reading list. While his work has appeared in outlets like The Commentator and 18Forty, the New York Times is still a holdout.
Denah Emerson
Editor
Denah Emerson received her B.A. in Art and English Communications from Yeshiva University. She subsequently earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Design and Technology from Parsons The New School for Design. Denah works as an artist, graphic designer, and research and marketing specialist. Denah embraces millennial digital nomadism as a wandering writer, performer, dance fitness instructor, financial advisor, life coach, and certified bartender. Denah is clearly a jack of all trades, master of none.
Cody Fitzpatrick
Associate Editor
Cody Fitzpatrick is a writer and editor based in Arizona. In 2021, he was a Tablet Magazine Journalism Fellow. Cody holds a B.A. from Arizona State University in journalism and mass communication. For almost four years, he was a digital writer-reporter for the Tennis Channel, though, especially these days, he is no Rafael Nadal when he takes the court himself.
Rivka Bennun Kay
Shabbos Reads Editor
Rivka Bennun Kay is a recent Olah who is now learning and living in the beautiful hills of Gush Etzion. She attended Stern College for Women, where she earned a BA in English Literature and Judaic Studies, and also served as the (first female!) editor-in-chief of Yeshiva University's student newspaper, The Commentator. An avid New York Times Spelling Bee aficionado, Rivka is currently learning in Migdal Oz's Advanced Kollel and (unsuccessfully) teaching herself how to cook.
Gabriella Jacobs
Social Media Manager
Gabriella Jacobs is currently a student at Tel Aviv University pursuing a BA in Middle Eastern Studies and Philosophy. She enjoys reading (an eclectic array of blogs, newsletters, and novels), traversing Eretz Yisrael, light debate (any topic will do), and learning new things everywhere.
Yehuda Fogel
Editor
Yehuda Fogel is an editor and writer at The Lehrhaus, where he is proud to have worked with diverse writers and ideas. He currently studies clinical psychology, as a doctoral student in LIU Post. He has researched psychedelic use in the New York State Psychiatric Institute, and is an alumnus of Yeshiva University. Yehuda is fond of overthinking his bio and using Google Docs.
Dovid Trencher
Glaubach Intern
Dovid is currently majoring in Finance with a minor in Strategy & Entrepreneurship at Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business, after spending a year and a half learning at Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem. On campus, he’s the founder of Wall Street Bricks, a resident advisor, and has served as the Assistant COO of the annual YU Seforim Sale. In his free time, Dovid enjoys collecting fragrances and reading books about business and psychology.