JTS Torah Online

High Holiday Rare Materials

By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary

Audio Collection The JTS Library has an extensive collection of audio recordings from individuals and communities that reflect the sounds of the High Holiday season. These examples illustrate the breadth of the collection:  Cochin (India) Rosh Hashana Musaf (Recorded 1967) Nusah from the Firenze (Florence) Jewish Community (Recorded 1967) Selihot from Salonika (Recorded September 21, […]

Song of Songs: Cantillation and Commentary

Cantillation for Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Ruth Texts “I Will Go to the Mountain of Myrrh” (Barbara Mann): An illustration and illumination of the Song of Songs A Scroll of the Song of Songs (The Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary): Highlighting a scroll created by the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in […]

Torah & Haftarah

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Hanukkah

First Day of Hanukkah (Numbers 6:22 – 8:4) Haftarah First Shabbat (Zechariah 2:14 – 4:7) Haftarah Second Shabbat (I Kings 7:40 – 50) EXPLORE MORE HANUKKAH CONTENT

Esther, Vashti, and Gender

The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she won his grace and favor more than all the virgins. So he set a royal diadem on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Esther 2:17 Purim Heroines (Dr. Stefanie Siegmund): Reconsidering the story of Esther in light of crypto-Jews Purim Reversals (Rabbi […]

Reflections on Ruth

The Book of Ruth provides a model for relationships–from family to strangers–kindness and compassion are at the forefront of the interpersonal connections. Below find images related to Ruth from JTS Special Collections. Text Ruth’s Torah Matters Now (Amy Kalmanofsky): The centrality of human relationships in Torah Lessons from the Book of Ruth (Ismar Schorsch): “To […]

Forgiveness

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Collected Resources | Rosh Hashanah | Yom Kippur

much more complex challenge of seeking forgiveness from those who we have wronged. It means reflecting on our shortcomings and forgiving ourselves and reaching out to those we have hurt. These resources provide guideposts on going through this difficult process.

Kollot Rabbinic Literature, 2022-23

By Jan Uhrbach

Download Sources Download Sources: Yiftach’s Daughter | Shoftim Download Sources Download Sources

JTS Cantorial Convocation, February, 2022

Program FEBRUARY 2, 2022, 3:30 P.M. ET   |  1 ADAR I 5782 VIRTUAL PROCESSION WELCOME Alan Levine, Esq., Chair, JTS Board of Trustees GREETINGS Hazzan Luis Cattan, President, Cantors Assembly D’VAR TORAH Hazzan Nancy Abramson, Director, H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music, JTS MUSICAL PERFORMANCE Shehecheyanu, composed by Hazzan Gerald CohenPerformed […]

From Slavery to Freedom

Texts Freedom Through Torah (David Hoffman): Highlighting the connection to Shavuot and freedom through the giving of the Torah A Noble Freedom (Tim Bernard): Freedom is something to aspire to We were Slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt (Matthew Berkowitz, with Image): An image from the Lovell Haggadah shows the connection between slavery and freedom Pesah: […]

Dangerous Ideas: Censorship Through a Jewish Lens

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video

Throughout Jewish history, certain texts and ideas have been deemed too dangerous to circulate—whether by outsiders who banned Jewish writings, or Jewish leaders who suppressed ideas considered heretical or beyond the pale. In this series, JTS scholars will examine efforts to control knowledge from ancient to contemporary times, exploring the ways in which censorship both reflects and shapes broader ideological struggles. They will discuss the varying motivations for controlling or revising narratives, and consider whether and under what circumstances it might make sense to suppress certain ideas. These discussions will illuminate past struggles and help us understand the battles over censorship and free expression playing out today. 

Human or Divine?

God is never mentioned in the Megillat Esther. These reflections explore the interplay between the human and the divine in the Purim story and beyond. The Whimsy, Confusion, and Hope of Purim (Chancellor Emeritus Arnold Eisen) Finding God in the Purim story and world events God Helps Those Who Help Themselves (Dr. Raymond Scheindlin): “the main […]

Relating to God

By The Jewish Theological Seminary

oin JTS scholars to explore what Jewish texts and thought can teach us about how we might understand, experience, and be in relationship with the divine.  View All Sessions in the Series

High Holiday Webinars

Join JTS in preparing for the High Holiday season with meaningful and enriching sessions led by faculty.

Senior Sermons: Class of 2023

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Short Video

Presentations by senior Rabbinical School students in 5783 Alex Hamilton – Noah Israel Gordan – Lekh Lekha Aaron Leven – Hayyei Sarah Gavriella Kornsgold – Toledot Andy Weissfeld – Vayetzei Benjy Forester – Vayishlach Amelia Wolf – Vayeshev Adam Gillman – Va’era Stefanie Gedan – Yitro Grace Gleason – Ki Tissa

Plagues & Miracles

Texts Shevi’i Shel Pesah: Living at the Frontier (Lauren Henderson): Understanding the crossing of the Sea of Reeds God of Wrath? (Daniel Nevins): Pharaoh’s awe at the plague of hail Redeeming the Plagues (Miriam Liebman): Empathy for the suffering of our enemies Videos Freedom and Responsibilitywith Dr. Rachel Rosenthal

Liturgical Resources

The primary observance connected with Purim is the reading of the Book of Esther, usually called the megilla (Scroll). Before the reading, the scroll is unrolled and folded to look like a letter of dispatch, thus further recalling the story of the great deliverance (Maimonides, Hil. Megillah 2:12). Klein, Isaac.”The Laws of Purim.” A Guide to […]

The Power of Emotion: Judaism and the Inner Life

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Video Lecture

Joy. Grief. Anger. Shame. Love. Emotional experience is often at the center of our lives. JTS scholars explore perceptions of emotions in Jewish texts and offer surprising and useful insights for understanding the feelings that make up our inner worlds.

JTS High Holiday Webinars

Join JTS in preparing for this 5783 High Holiday season with two meaningful and enriching sessions. 

Preparing for Pesah

Preparing for Pesach can feel like a marathon leading to the Seders. As former JTS Chancellor Ismar Schorsch writes, “It took God but six days to create the world; it took my mother at least twice that long to prepare for Passover.” These resources offer ways to help with this preparation, both in terms of […]

Hanukkah Learning

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Collected Resources | Hanukkah

Learn with JTS Faculty and Students to enrich your Hanukkah celebrations.