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The Words They Left Behind
If You’re Reading These Words is a book in which all the heroes have died, yet it overflows with life.
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Reading Jewish History in the Parsha
Friends of 18Forty Teach the Parsha with Jewish History
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18 Questions, 40 Mystics
A new podcast and video series bringing you to the leading voices of Jewish mysticism.
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A Brief History of Rationality, from the Biblical Age to Now
In today’s world, we sometimes see the rational as the enemy of the religious, but history shows a far more complex picture.
A Brief History of Shabbos, From the Biblical Age to Now
The Sabbath was a concept even before it was given as an official commandment, and it has been a pillar of the Jewish People for all time.
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Avoiding Bad Advice and Unhealthy Change
Just because we change—or want to change—does not mean that the change is good. We can develop bad habits, harmful beliefs, or destructive behaviors under the guise of “growth.”
How to Change Ourselves and Our Lives
University of Chicago Professor Agnes Callard breaks down the nature of change and how to become who we want to be.
Teshuva Is Messy and Beautiful. That’s What Makes It Real.
Rav Judah Mischel and singer Alex Clare shed light on the beauty and complexity of teshuva, namely in their own lives.
How to Navigate Changing Faith and Religiosity
In one of 18Forty’s Must Reads, Arthur Brooks explains how we can overcome the obstacles preventing us from following our spiritual stirrings.
Yom Kippur: The Jewish Time Traveler’s Manual
In one of 18Forty’s Must Reads, Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin writes that, at its core, Yom Kippur is a day of time travel.
Teshuva Is Endless
Teshuva is beyond any words, ideas, or concepts because it is not something we do but something we are.
Jonah: The Dynamics of Compassion
We read the book of Jonah on Yom Kippur before the afternoon prayer. How does this curious text bring us to stand in the presence of God?
Letting Go of the Scary God
Changing how God appeared in my life began with changing how God appeared in my mind. I needed to let go of the scary God and choose a different one.
A Letter to Those Going Through Divorce—and Everyone Else
I’ve seen firsthand the fallout and collateral damage of the worst divorce cases–and that’s why I’m sharing methods for how we can change the status quo.
Why Judaism?
In one of 18Forty’s Must Reads, Antonio García Martínez writes about the question of optionality and the answer of religion
Judgment on Rosh Hashanah: Analysis of Content and Process in a Talmudic Aggadah
What does it mean for all of mankind to pass before God like sheep?
It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Emotional Illiteracy and the Culture of Blame
Blaming someone for their pain—whether that’s grief or some kind of interpersonal violence—is our go-to mechanism. How quick are we to demonize rather than empathize. How quick we are to move into debate, rather than hang out in the actual pain of the situation.