JTS Torah Archive

Teshuvah

Teshuvah means return and annual process of teshuvah provides us with a way to engage our past selves and move forward. These resources offer insight into this yearly renewal.

Heschel on Prophesy: Spirituality and Activism

This program originally aired as part of”ScholarStream: A Partnership of the Conservative Movement” and is being made available to honor Abraham Joshua Heschel’s 50th yahrzeit. Rabbi Gordon Tucker, Vice Chancellor for Religious Life & Engagement, JTS, shared his insight into the Heschel’s pursuit of justice and connection to God in this session. Thanks to our partners at the Rabbinical Assembly for sharing this program to commemorate this special date, which are not available without registering for the event.

Holidays

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Collected Resources | Hanukkah | Pesah | Purim | Rosh Hashanah | Shavuot | Shemini Atzeret | Simhat Torah | Sukkot | Tishah Be'av | Yom Hashoah | Yom Hazikaron-Yom Ha'atzma'ut | Yom Kippur

Explore these sources from scholars and students at JTS to enrich your holiday experience.

Cultivating a Habit of Generosity

By Eliezer B. Diamond | Public Event video

Part of the Global Day of Jewish Learning. With Rabbi Eliezer Diamond, PhD, Rabbi Judah Nadich Associate Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, JTS  What is the relationship between our level of generosity and our beliefs, our attitudes, and our actions? For Rav Eliyahu Dessler (1892–1953, Belarus/England/Israel), love, faith, empathy, and social bonding are consequences of generosity—not its causes. In […]

Finding the Four Children

Texts Intent of a Question (Eliezer Diamond): Understanding the evil child’s question The Right to Question (Ismar Schorsch): Amplifying the importance of engaging children in the Jewish story Videos A Twist on the Story of the Four Children with Rabbi Julia Andelman Wise and Simple: A Rabbinic Idealwith Rabbi Lilly Kaufman Elijah’s Cup: A Time […]

Rosh Hashanah Liturgy

TEXTS Lacking Praise (Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz): Why is Hallel absent from the Rosh Hashanah liturgy The Value of Doubt (Rabbi Julia Andelman): Vekhol Ma’aminim, the conflict between belief and doubt Choosing to Choose (Rabbi Jan Uhrbach): “Hayom Harat Olam” and the value of creation Safe in God’s Memory (Rabbi Mychal Springer): The Rosh Hashanah Amidah […]

Purim Practices

The Jews ordained and took upon themselves and upon their descendants… that these days of Purim should not cease from among the Jews, nor the memory of them perish from among their descendants… to observe these days of Purim at their appointed time. (Esther 9:27-31) The Laws of Purim from A Guide to Jewish Religious Practice by Rabbi […]

Living Yiddish in New York

By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary

This exhibit introduced visitors to rare archival materials that provided a snapshot of New York City as an important center of modern Yiddish culture. Between 1880 and 1924, approximately two million Eastern European Jews immigrated to the United States. Many of them settled in New York City, which by 1914 was home to 1.4 million Jews, among them the world’s largest urban population of Yiddish speakers.

Revelation at Sinai

Both of the images below reflect the awe and wonder at Sinai, reflecting two types of revelation: both the perception of God’s presence and the manifestation of God’s will through the laws of the Torah. These 19th Century prints from Special Collections of the JTS Library highlight the overwhelming presence of this moment. Text Who […]

Reframing the Liturgy

TEXTS (YOM KIPPUR) Connecting the Dots: The Basel 125th Conference and the Days of Awe (Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz): What the Viddui can teach us about 21st Century Zionism. Tip the Scales (Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz): Examining U-netaneh Tokef in light of the COVID pandemic Clay in the Potter’s Hands (Rabbi Joel Seltzer): Exploring Ki […]

Purim and the Parashah

The Shabbat before Purim is called Shabbat Zakhor and is connected to the story of Amalek. Find more on Amalek and his connection to Haman here. Toledot Two Brothers, Two Candidates (Rabbi Joshua Heller) Tetzavveh How We Wear Our Judaism (Rabbi Lewis Warshauer) Clothing Ourselves in Sanctity (Rabbi Matthew Berkowitz) The Masks We Wear (Ofra Backenroth) Vayak-hel–Pekudei From […]

In Every Generation

In every generation, one must see oneself as if one had personally experienced the Exodus from Egypt. These resources show connections across time and place, highlighting the eternal nature of the struggle for redemption. Seder Supplement JTS Seder Supplement for the COVID-19 Pandemic: JTS Faculty and Staff created this guide to enhance the Seder experience at […]

Stories and Storytelling

Join JTS scholars to explore a selection of stories drawn from across ancient, rabbinic, medieval, and modern Jewish literature. We will consider the power of shared stories, the unique ways in which they transmit values, norms, culture, and information, and how they can bring Jews together across time and space.

Lighting the Darkness

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Collected Resources | Hanukkah

In the northern hemisphere, we light the eighth Hanukkah candle on one of the darkest night of the year–the new moon closest to the winter solstice. These readings and videos explore the importance of increasing our light in dark times.

Shavuot Learning

EXPLORE THESE SOURCES FROM SCHOLARS AND STUDENTS AT THEJEWISH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY TO ENRICH YOUR SHAVUOT EXPERIENCE. These nine images are part of one illumination that depicts Moses receiving the law. It comes from a 15th Century Manuscript, The Rothschild Mahzor, which is part of JTS Special Collections. You can learn more here about the image […]

The Work of Her Hands: The Art of Lynne Avadenka and the Craft of Jewish Women Printers

This exhibit featured a selection of rare books printed by Jewish women from the earliest days of Hebrew publishing alongside new artwork created by American artist/printmaker Lynne Avadenka. 

A Wandering People: Jewish Journeys, Real and Imagined

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Public Event video | Video Lecture

Notions of home and homeland have been redefined by Jewish wandering. Drawing on literary, spiritual, and historical sources and responses, JTS scholars explore what happens when Jews—whether by force or voluntarily, whether in reality or in the imagination—travel from one place to another. 

Your God is My God

With these words, Ruth takes on Naomi’s religion. Ruth is emblematic of the process of becoming a Jew and these texts illuminate both her model and others of conversion. TEXT Love for All (Judith Hauptman): The commandment to love the stranger as yourself as a connection to conversion at Sinai Video Insight on Conversion from […]

Rosh Hashanah Torah Readings

By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Collected Resources | Va'era | Vayera | Rosh Hashanah

Both of the Torah readings for Rosh Hashanah are taken from Parsha Vayera. The first day reading tracks the birth of Isaac, the exile of Hagar and the subsequent saving of Ishmael. The Akedah or Binding of Isaac is read on the second day.

Seder Symbols

Pesah, matzah, and maror provide important experiential connections to the feeling of being enslaved and free. Texts Matzah’s Majestic Meaning (Judith Hauptman): Both the bread of affliction and redemption Pesah Three Ways (Matthew Berkowitz): Exploring the multiple meanings of the Pesah sacrifice Videos The Bitter Truthwith Dr. David KraemerConsider having a Maror tasting at your […]