Begin exploring
today’s
biggest Jewish
questions…
×
Five Years Since Passing, Rabbi Sacks Still Speaks to Our Fractured World
In today’s world, Rabbi Sacks’ message feels more urgent than ever: that God continues to believe in humanity.
NEWSLETTER
I Read This Over Shabbos
NEWSLETTER
Reading Jewish History in the Parsha
Friends of 18Forty Teach the Parsha with Jewish History
Discover
Latest
Popular
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.
Latest
Active filters:
Change and Self-Acceptance: Rav Shagar’s Paradox of Teshuva
Is teshuva about changing ourselves, or is it about accepting who we are? For this paradox, Rav Shagar says, it’s both.
Loving God and Studying Torah: The Telos of Teshuva
Torah study requires mind, heart, and soul, Rabbi Dr. Michael Rosensweig writes. How, though, does it relate to teshuva?
How Did Modernity Change Jewish Prayer?
Modernity brought sweeping changes to the Jewish community—and prayer was not immune, not in Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, or even Orthodox communities.
The Siddur Has a Lot of Prayers. Where Did They Come From?
Between early prayer books, kabbalistic additions, and the printing press, the siddur we have today is filled with prayers from across history.
Did All Jews Pray the Same in Ancient Times?
Jews from the Land of Israel prayed differently than we do today—with marked difference. What happened to their traditions?
Who Wrote the Siddur?
I’ve searched high and low for an accessible English book or essay addressing the development of the siddur, but my findings are few. This series of essays is my attempt to fill the gap.
Where Marvel’s New Gods and Judaism Meet: ‘God, Man and History’
Despite their connections to ancient mythology, Marvel’s Eternals can teach us much about our God.
A Call to Read More Fiction
Why, on a hot, New York City summer afternoon, was I in visible tears on the subway? It’s simple: the power of a novel.
On Shabbos, I Get To Be a Child Again
What Shabbos has done for me—one of the many, many things—is help recapture that younger self who could completely lose herself in a book.
Why I Read on Shabbos: A Manifesto
I read on Shabbos because I know that reading on Shabbos is about more than just reading on Shabbos.
‘So, Come—Let’s Dance!’: How Rav Dov Singer Led Me into Life
Six years ago, I danced with Rav Dov as a lost college sophomore. His life and lessons continue to change me.
The White Fire Burns: A Talk on Education that Begins from Within
To change our education system, we must begin to change inside ourselves.