May 22, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 22, 2025
In our sequel to the Manhattan eruvin controversy, Moshe Kurtz explores the battle for Brooklyn eruvin, with a particular focus on the fraught exchange between Rabbis Moshe Feinstein and Menashe Klein. He also explores to what degree poskim were willing to incorporate societal factors into their otherwise technical halakhic debate.
May 19, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 19, 2025
Responding to TRADITION’s recent COVID+5 symposium, Yaakov Blau questions assumptions about the impact of the pandemic on schooling, and asks if we haven’t been using the events of 5 years ago as a distraction from more systemic and underlying problems facing Jewish education.
May 15, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 15, 2025
Will Lag B’Omer be different after terrible fires destroyed forests near Jerusalem this month? Chaim Strauchler questions the basis for Lag B’Omer’s ritualized bonfires and the lessons contained within their embers.
May 13, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 13, 2025
In this response to some recent columns in our “Unpacking the Iggerot” series Benjamin Folkinshteyn questions the use of certain statistical data in determining halakhic realities as presented in R. Moshe Feinstein’s Iggerot Moshe.
May 11, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 11, 2025
TRADITION’s seasonal roundup of noteworthy new titles in Jewish studies and learning, with offerings on Radak’s Genesis commentary, new books on Zionism, science and Torah, Jewish women heroes profiled, a Buddhist monkey (that’s not a typo) in search of the One true God, and more…
May 8, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 8, 2025
The opposition to a Manhattan Eruv stands as one of R. Moshe Feinstein’s most prominent halakhic rulings, both for his idiosyncratic analysis as well as its wide ramifications for the many immigrant Orthodox Jews concentrated on the island, regardless of whether they belonged to the Hassidic, Yeshiva or Modern Orthodox world. Moshe Kurtz takes us through the highlights as well as the history of how R. Feinstein’s thinking on the issue developed over time.
May 6, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 6, 2025
In Israel this week tens of thousands of reserve soldiers have been called for yet another round of duty. The mounting costs and sacrifices of the war, alongside the ongoing strife related to questions of the Haredi draft exemption, present another occasion to re-read “The Ideology of Hesder” by R. Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l. R. Mayer Lichtenstein suggests the message derived from his father’s unique ability to live with complexity, and chart a course for committed halakhic and ethical living, requires adjustments in both the Hesder and Haredi worlds.
May 4, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 4, 2025
TRADITION’s subscribers have already received our recent issue containing content commemorating R. Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, timed with his 10th yahrzeit marked this month. Five years ago we were pleased to publish Tonya Mittelman’s essay, “Women in the Torah World in the Thought of Rabbi Lichtenstein.” Toni, a distinguished educator and daughter of R. Lichtenstein, joins Mali Brofsky to discuss the article in our podcast.
May 1, 2025
Published by Tradition Online at May 1, 2025
Special for Yom HaAtzmaut: Chaim Strauchler questions an ironically “new” name for the Jewish people – The People of Forever. In tracking the origins of the term, he asks what the phrase communicates about the connection between Zionism and Jews of the Diaspora – past and future.