The shadow of the death penalty in Israel: Why is a legal punishment never used?
The death penalty is almost never used in Israel, but is still controversial. Postdoctoral fellow Smadar Ben-Natan explains.
What does it mean to be a minority? Anti-Jewish violence in medieval Egypt offers insights for today
Popular ideas about what it means to be a minority may change, but incidents of state-sanctioned violence remain eerily similar across millennia, explains Hazel D. Cole Fellow Brendan Goldman, a historian of the medieval Islamic world.
Uncovering the Yiddish-language tales about Knights of the Round Table that Jews (and non-Jews) loved
Annegret Oehme shares the stories of the nearly forgotten Yiddish knights' tales that inspired centuries of storytellers, both Jews and non-Jews alike.
Using Jewish history to combat anti-Muslim discrimination in the Netherlands: Rabbi Lody van de Kamp
Dutch Orthodox rabbi Lody van de Kamp believes that building bridges with other marginalized groups is essential in opposing white supremacy. Dr. Nicolaas P. Barr explains.
American Jews before 1880: Mobile, entrepreneurial, unconventional
Uniquely mobile, religiously unconventional Jews of 19th-century America laid the groundwork for American Judaism today, writes Dr. Shari Rabin.
Demonic femininity in the ancient synagogue: Dancing with the angel of death
Ancient synagogue poetry describing the magic "sotah" ritual for women evoked common fears around demonic forces and women's sexuality, writes Dr. Laura S. Lieber.
“What it’s all about”: Hebrew, the Hokey Pokey, and Rabbi Hillel
The Hebrew version of the popular children's song evokes the famous words of Rabbi Hillel, illustrating the deep resonances of the Hebrew language.
Us vs. them: Challenging stereotypes about Judaism in the wake of the Pittsburgh shooting
Christian myths about Judaism both feed anti-Semitism and misrepresent the reality of a religion based on the love of God and the other.