By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Minhag hamakom: the local custom or tradition. Minhagim (the plural) are sometimes said to outweigh halachah (Jewish law). While originally not commanded, they are often treated as if they were given at Mt. Sinai. However, as Rabbi Zvi Ron, Ph.D., notes in his thoug…
By Rabbie Rachel Esserman
The discovery of the BRCA1 gene has greatly affected many women’s lives, particularly those with a family history of breast cancer. Now they can test to see if they have a genetic tendency toward the disease and make educated decisions. Gila Pfeffer, the author o…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Most of the women who appear in the Talmud weren’t considered important enough to be named or given distinguishing features. In her fascinating “The Madwoman in the Rabbi’s Attic: Rereading the Women in the Talmud” (Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies/Maggie …
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Most scholarly works on the Bible focus on its composition, for example, how the book was written and/or who wrote it. Little thought has gone into the way the ancient rabbis actually read the text. According to Rebecca Scharbach Wollenberg’s fascinating, but diff…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Uptown German Jews vs. downtown Russian Jews, gangsters vs. reformers, and business owners vs. unions: these opposing groups were active in early 1900s New York City and form the core of Dan Slater’s impressive “The Incorruptibles: A True Story of Kingpins, Cri…
