Three Pillars of Inclusive Orthodox Rabbinical Leadership
Rabbi Dr. Benjamin Elton presents three pillars basic to the outlook of an Inclusive Orthodox
Rabbi. They are a route to combining openness with integrity.
Articles
Paired Perspectives on the Parashah: Mishpatim
Mishpatim:
An Eye for an Eye: Peshat and the Problem of Equivalence
Angel for Shabbat: Parashat Mishpatim
Many of us have received gracious gifts of advice, time, and money that meant a lot to us, that may have changed our lives for the good. Some fine people believed in us and invested in us. Likewise, we can help others when they turn to us. We can do this now, when they need us, not when it’s too late.
Agnon’s Nobel Speech in Light of Psalm 137
In 1966, the Nobel Prize for literature was awarded to S. Y. Agnon. This was a major event for the Jewish world at large and for Israel in particular. Agnon was the first Israeli to win a Nobel in any field, and he remains the only Hebrew-language author ever to have received the Nobel Prize in literature. He died February 17, 1970 at age 82.
The Grand Worldview of Rav Uziel
Book Launch: The Grand Worldview of Rab Uziel will happen on Tuesday, February 17, 7pm at Shearith Israel, New York.
Isolation, Loneliness...a Friendly Chat
It’s as simple as “May I help you?” Or, “Is this your first time here?” Or, “Do you need a siddur or a Chumash?” Maybe, “Would you like a better seat?” Or, simply, “Shalom!” In other words, just a few words. A “chat” does not have to be long. Just helpful.
Upcoming Classes with Rabbi Hayyim Angel
The spring learning semester with Rabbi Hayyim Angel is just getting started!
Art Appreciation and Creativity Development in the Jewish Day School
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
—Albert Einstein
“Pyramids, cathedrals, and rockets exist not because of geometric theories of structures or thermodynamics, but because they were first a picture—literally a vision in the minds of those who built them.”
—Historian Eugene Ferguson
Did You Hear the One about the Sephardic Boy Who Walks into This Orthodox Yeshiva?
For the achievement of a moderate and observant next Jewish generation, there will need to be a synthesis of all the best qualities and approaches of like-minded approaches, from Modern Orthodox to Sephardic and beyond, creating a Jewish lifestyle that is neither extremely stringent or oppressive nor exceedingly indifferent to religious observance. I hope our religious leaders are up to the task.
JEWISH AND MUSLIM MEETING
On Wednesday night January 14, 2026, a group of Board members of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals met with a group of Board members of the Peace Islands Institute, a Turkish Muslim organization. Rabbi Jospeph Potasnik, Executive Director of the New York Board of Rabbis, also participated in this gathering. The mentor and spiritual guide of Peace Islands Institute was the late Fethullah Gulen, a remarkable Muslim thinker who fostered respectful relations among all human beings.