Itzik Crombie’s Hebrew book, “Israel’s Future with an Ultra-Orthodox Majority” (Yediot) considers that as Haredim become a larger percentage of the population, they will have to become more involved in academic studies, serving in the IDF, and leaving kollel for the company office. In his concluding Alt+SHIFT installment, Yitzchak Blau reviews Crombie’s thesis for why initiatives to advance such trends have not borne much fruit—and who ultimately bears responsivity.

In a new book, Adina Sternberg analyzes the Jewish holidays, analyzing sources from the Bible through Rabbinic literature, and adds reflections on meaning for our day, and also offers an attempt to grapple with women’s exemption from time-bound positive commandments. Yitzchak Blau’s Alt+SHIFT surveys this first offering from Matan’s Kitvuni program created to encourage women authors.