Waking Up to Divine PurposeDecember 1, 2023by Becky SilversteinThe mornings come quickly these days. A combination of a 5:15 a.m. alarm, the desire to have adult time after…
Revealing An Innermost GriefNovember 17, 2023by Alyx BernsteinWhen I sat down to write this piece, I grappled with whether I wanted to write something timely or not.…
Recognizing the Unrecognizable Jewish FutureNovember 3, 2023by Kendra SapersteinI’ve been having conversations with friends and loved ones about what makes Jews a people. Especially as I find myself…
As Our Learning Leads to ActionOctober 27, 2023by Bronwen MullinIn preparation for the start of this zman (semester) of learning at SVARA, which many of us began this week,…
Jewish and Queer Grief Technologies to Meet This MomentOctober 20, 2023by Elliot KuklaIn 1990 I was fifteen years old and freshly out as queer at my first Pride. Back then, Pride was…
A Stolen LulavOctober 6, 2023by Laynie Soloman“What is my lulav good for in a collapsing world?” I asked myself this while sitting in my sukkah the…
Note to Self: Choose LifeSeptember 8, 2023by Jhos SingerThis is the last Hot Off The Shtender of 5783. Rosh Hashana allegedly marks the birthday of the world, but…
And To the Students of Their StudentsSeptember 1, 2023by Lauren TuchmanFor years, people would ask me if I wanted to be a professor. Perhaps that question stems from a deep…
Letting Go of Our LizardAugust 25, 2023by Ren FinkelThis Elul, SVARA’s Mishnah Collective is taking some time to dive into Rambam’s Hilkhot Teshuva. In true Rambam fashion, his…
Mycelial Magic of CodificationAugust 18, 2023by Laynie SolomanIn the first halakha class I ever took, we sat in a circle, opened up a book called the Mishnah…
When Trying is More Than EnoughAugust 11, 2023by Maggie KrausA very hot take: I love when the summer ends. Don’t get me wrong, this folkloric season brings with it…
Akiva, You Have Comforted MeAugust 4, 2023by Mónica Gomery Nichum or nechemta, which mean comfort and consolation, are key words at this point in the Jewish calendar. We’ve…