Eli Rubin's “Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity” (Stanford University Press) presents a groundbreaking study of Chabad Hasidism. Through close readings of primary texts, historical analysis, and engagement with modern philosophy, Rubin, a scholar and Chabad insider, traces the historical evolution of the movement’s theology. Todd Berman shows that the result is an indispensable work for anyone wanting to better understand Chabad's intellectual and historical trajectory.

Outside the Orthodox Jewish world, discussion of the high cost of living focuses on housing costs, rather than on tuition. Yoni Appelbaum’s “Stuck” (Random House) discusses how the American housing shortage came to be, and its negative social consequences. Nathan Kasimer considers its applicability and impact on the economics of Orthodox Jewish communities.