JTS Torah Commentary

The Toledo-Constantinople Bible

By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary | Rosh Hashanah | Yom Kippur

Like all Masoretic texts, the Toledo-Constantinople Bible (MS New York L6) includes precise Hebrew and Aramaic text, vocalization, and accents of the 24 books of the Hebrew canon. The colophon[1] of this Bible reveals a statement of profound resilience.

The Esslingen Mahzor

By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary | Rosh Hashanah | Yom Kippur

In the winter of 1290 in Esslingen, a small market town in southwest Germany, a talented Jewish scribe named Kalonimos ben Yehudah completed his one surviving credited work, The Esslingen Mahzor (MS New York 9344), the earliest-dated Hebrew book made in Germany. It is a large-format prayer book created for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.

Zionism: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond – Expanding the Conversation

What does it mean to be a Zionist in 21st Century North America? The JTS Convening, “Zionism: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond” is a two-day program which will explore this and other questions. In this webinar series, we expand on these conversations, presenting both the significant insights and debate that emerged, as well as enhancing the context that is informing contemporary issues. JTS faculty will highlight the political, religious, and philosophical perspectives that shape the current landscape for Jews in North America in relationship with Israel.

Expanding the Conversation – Zionism: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond

This gathering is just the beginning. Help JTS continue to develop the themes and ideas that emerged at the Convening. Share these pieces with your network.

Senior Sermons: Class of 2025

Presentations by senior Rabbinical School students in 5785 Find the written text for the senior sermons on Exploring Judaism Rebecca Gallin – Bereishit Sass Brown – Lekh Lekha Alex Friedman – Vayera Claire Shoyer – Vayera Aiden Pink – Hayyei Sarah Lara Rodin – Vayetzei Alicia Rothamel – Bo Ariel Dunat – Yitro Anina Dassa […]

Lara Rodin – Senion Sermon (RS ’25)

Vayetzei All Class of 2025 Senior Sermons

What’s Dikduk Got to Do With It? Language, Law, and Theology

The innovations of the rabbis can be seen not only in the content of their laws but also in their creative use of the Hebrew language. While they preserved the laws and formulations that they inherited from the Bible, the rabbis also transformed them in significant ways. In this session, we closely examine passages about the return of lost objects to uncover how linguistic shifts reflect new rabbinic understandings of property and their theological implications. 

Expanding the Conversation

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) presents Expanding the Conversation, a podcast that brings the thought-provoking discussions and dynamic scholarship of JTS directly to you. Drawing from live events, lectures, and panel discussions, this podcast goes beyond the moment—offering not only recordings of these programs but also exclusive interviews with speakers, scholars, and thought leaders.

Each episode explores the critical issues shaping the Jewish world today, from contemporary cultural moments to enduring questions of Jewish thought, practice, and identity. Whether you’re looking for intellectual engagement, spiritual insight, or a deeper connection to Jewish learning, Expanding the Conversation invites you to join the dialogue.

Expanding the Conversation: Jonathan Sarna

Welcome to the first episode of Expanding the Conversation, a new podcast from The Jewish Theological Seminary. This season, we bring you insights from Zionism: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond, a JTS convening that explores the evolving meaning of Zionism and the Israel-Diaspora relationship. In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Sarna, Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun […]

Expanding the Conversation: Nurit Novis-Deutsch

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, we explore pluralism in Israel with Dr. Nurit Novis-Deutsch, a lecturer at the University of Haifa. She delves into the challenges and paradoxes of pluralism, distinguishing between diversity and a true pluralistic mindset. Through thought experiments and real-world research, she reveals how pluralism—or the lack of it—shapes Israeli society, especially in times of conflict. Can embracing multiple perspectives strengthen both Jewish identity and democracy? And how do we teach pluralism without eroding core beliefs?

Illuminating Sacred Text: Contemporary Jewish Book Artists and Their Work

By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary

September 9–February 23 Sacred Jewish texts have long been crafted with exquisite beauty, reflecting their spiritual significance. Throughout history, artisans have adorned these books with masterful calligraphy, intricate decorations, and brilliant illuminations. Figurative illustrations have also found their way into these sacred volumes, adding yet a further layer of commentary onto the text. While the mass production of the […]

Expanding the Conversation: Dahlia Scheindlin

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program | Public Event audio

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, political strategist and public opinion expert Dr. Dalia Scheindlin explores the urgent challenges facing Israel today. Recorded live at the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Israel at a Crossroads convening, this talk examines three major dilemmas: the war in Gaza and the West Bank, the future of Israeli politics under Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the country’s deepening democratic crisis. Scheindlin discusses possible outcomes—from continued occupation and political stagnation to regional diplomacy, political change, and constitutional reform.

Expanding the Conversation: Raquel Ukeles

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

What role can a library play in a time of national crisis?

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Director of Collections at the National Library of Israel, reflects on how cultural institutions like the library serve as spaces of dialogue, connection, and resilience. Drawing on her experience overseeing one of the most important repositories of Jewish, Israeli, and Middle Eastern culture, Dr. Ukeles shares how the National Library has responded to war, social fragmentation, and political tension—not by retreating from controversy, but by doubling down on its mission to collect, curate, and make accessible the voices of all communities.

Expanding the Conversation: Rakefet Ginsberg

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

What does Jewish pluralism actually look like in Israel today?

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Rakefet Ginsberg, Executive Director of the Masorti Movement in Israel, reflects on how Israelis are redefining religious identity and reclaiming spiritual space—from the egalitarian Kotel to public Yom Kippur services in Tel Aviv. Drawing on her work at the grassroots level, she offers stories of coexistence, struggle, and hope, and makes a compelling case for expanding access to Judaism that is both meaningful and inclusive.

Expanding the Conversation: Seth Farber

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Rabbi Seth Farber, founder and director of Itim, reflects on the intersection of religious authority, individual identity, and democratic values. Drawing from biblical narratives, courtroom battles, and grassroots activism, Rabbi Farber explores how Israel’s religious bureaucracy impacts the lives of citizens at every major life cycle moment—marriage, burial, conversion—and what it will take to create a Jewish state that welcomes all Jews.

Expanding the Conversation: Nasreen Haddad Haj-Yahya

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

What does it mean to live fully in two worlds—and feel at home in neither?

In this episode of Expanding the Conversation, Dr. Nasreen Haddad Haj-Yahya, one of Israel’s leading experts on Arab society and state policy, shares a deeply personal and analytical perspective on the experience of Palestinian citizens of Israel. Drawing from her research and lived experience, she explores how government policy, economic marginalization, and social separation shape everyday life for Arab Israelis—and what it means to seek belonging, dignity, and equality in a divided society.

This conversation, recorded after her appearance at the JTS convening Israel at a Crossroads, offers a rare and nuanced window into the complexities of identity, the enduring impact of the Nation-State Law, and the fragile promise of a shared future.

Expanding the Conversation: Roy Peled

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

In this episode, Dr. Roy Peled—legal scholar and former youth activist—reflects on the legal and political forces shaping Israel’s identity. Speaking at the Israel at a Crossroads convening, Speaking at the Israel at a Crossroads convening, Peled traces the unfinished story of Israel’s constitution and the impact of Basic Laws on minority rights—especially the Arab minority. With clarity and nuance, he unpacks the political forces behind the Nation-State Law, the shifting role of the judiciary, and the tensions between national identity and democratic principles.

Expanding the Conversation: Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib

By Expanding the Conversation | Podcast or Radio Program

In this powerful episode, Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib—a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Palestinian American raised in Gaza—shares his story of survival, loss, and conviction. Speaking at the Israel at a Crossroads convening, Ahmed explores the personal and collective traumas that shape Palestinian life today, including the devastating impact of the current war on his own family.

Sacred Words: Revealing the Earliest Hebrew Book

By Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary

Sacred Words: Revealing the Earliest Hebrew Book March 19–July 24 After 1,300 years of untold travels along the Silk Road, the oldest Hebrew book reveals its remarkable story. In Sacred Words, guests will behold the oldest-known Hebrew book, containing Sabbath-morning prayers, liturgical poems, and the world’s oldest Haggadah, which was mysteriously written upside down. Learn about […]

Standing Together: Prayer, Presence, and the Power of Community

The High Holidays invite us into a season of profound reflection—not only on who we are as individuals, but on how we show up for one another and the world. This three-part webinar series explores the emotional and spiritual heart of this sacred time, focusing on the themes of vulnerability, responsibility, and connection.