Professor Joshua Berman (Bar-Ilan University) recently published a very important book on the interface between critical biblical scholarship and traditional Jewish faith. I reviewed his book in Tradition (Spring 2020), the journal of the Rabbinical Council of America. Enjoy the review, and I recommend the book!
Rabbi Hayyim Angel
National Scholar
The Jewish Press newspaper has a bi-weekly feature in which questions are posed to a group of rabbis. Rabbi Marc Angel is one of the respondents. Here are his answers to several recent questions.
We record with great sadness the passing of Rabbi Dr. Lord Jonathan Sacks, one of the most articulate Jewish thinkers of our time. We are re-posting this article, reflecting on the teachings of Rabbi Sacks. The memory of this righteous rabbi will be an ongoing blessing to his family, community and society at large.
Sephardic Book Talks with Rabbi Marc Angel
Mondays beginning Oct. 19th
7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT
Religion stripped to its most essential elements asks both very little and a great deal of us: to return to a state of simplicity, broken and small in God’s presence, able, in a state of vulnerability, to make those invisible visible, to create a society where we walk beside others because God is willing to walk beside us.
Rabbi Haim Jachter presents the opinions of important Sephardic and Yemenite sages on a variety of topics. The article reflects the need and the value of a comprehensive view of Judaism/halakha, that includes the voices and opinions of a wide range of scholars.
Despite the COVID-19 era, we are grateful to continue to provide meaningful content via Zoom, publications, and other venues.
Rabbi Hayyim Angel is coming out with a new book, Cornerstones: The Bible and Jewish Ideology. The book is reviewed by Steven Gotlib, a rabbinical student at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary who has served as a Campus Fellow for our Institute. Rabbi Angel's book can be pre-ordered on this link: https://www.jewishideas.org/corner-stones-bible-and-jewish-ideology-rabbi-hayyim-angel
The "Holiday Reader" of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals was prepared by Rabbis Marc and Hayyim Angel. Part One includes a collection of short essays by Rabbi Marc Angel relating to Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Succoth. Part Two includes articles by Rabbi Hayyim Angel on the Akeidah, the book of Jonah, and the book of Kohelet. We invite you to print the "Holiday Reader" and enjoy it during the course of the holidays.
Halakha has ample mechanisms for adapting in times of crisis. Competent posekim can utilize these mechanisms to develop creative strategies to reduce communal and individual burdens and allow better access to the consolations and joys of ritual.
