There is now a wide variety of Religious Zionist methodologies of Tanach study—some emphasize medieval commentaries; others focus on Israeli geography or botany; still others address the psychology of the Biblical characters; and much more.
Author: JA Mag
Mining Tanach
Letters – Winter 2018
Not Enough Time or Energy I very much enjoyed reading the summer 2018 edition, especially Allen Fagin’s essay entitled “Do We Have the Time and Energy to Lead a Torah Life?” Certainly, as he points out, there is no simple solution. At the same time, however, I believe that...
The Forgotten Jewish Community of Ecuador
Jewish Action spoke with Rabbi Nir Koren, rabbi of the main Jewish community in Ecuador, and Rabbi Shoshan Ghoori, OU director of international relations, Latin America, to find out why a little-known Jewish community is experiencing a religious renaissance.
Gifts My Mother Gave Me: A Tribute to the Jewish Mother
In the essays that follow, we pay tribute to the powerful and enduring influence of our mothers.
Letters – Fall 2018
High Cost of Burial As a rabbi, I truly appreciated Rabbi Akiva Males’ article entitled “What’s In Your Anti-Cremation Toolkit?” (summer 2018). However, I believe there is one main issue that was not addressed in the article. Often relatives point out that a cremation costs about $1,000 while a...
JA Wins Rockower Award for 8th Year Running!
At the American Jewish Press Association Conference, held last week, Jewish Action won a Simon Rockower Award for a feature story entitled “The Contemporary Rebbetzin.” The article, which won First Place for Excellence in Writing about Women, explored the ever-changing, ever-demanding role of the contemporary rebbetzin. Written by Avigayil Perry, the...
Paving the Way for Women’s Leadership: The OU Women’s Branch
When American Orthodoxy was in its infancy, well before the day school movement, the idealistic, energetic women of the OU Women’s Branch persevered to build and strengthen religious life amidst significant challenges.
The How-To Issue
Even amid routine practices, on occasion we find ourselves acting by rote, lacking a freshness in our spiritual lives.
How to Prepare a Devar Torah
The best way to identify a good topic is to select something you would want to hear about. Simply ask yourself, “What topic would I like to hear discussed and how would I want to hear it presented?”
How to Complete Tanach—and Know It
The main thing is just to start and not be worried about understanding and retaining everything the first time around. The more you learn the more you’ll understand and remember later on.