Binyamin Kagedan / JNS.org
ARTICLES BY: Binyamin Kagedan / JNS.org
Sneakers on Tisha B’Av: When Spirit and Letter Collide
JNS.org - The wider world of traditional Judaism is moving in fits and starts toward a renegotiation of the terms of halakhic observance. At...
When is a Pentecost Not a Pentecost?
JNS.org - Religion and language interact in curious ways. Language, as the modern theorists have understood it, is in essence a culturally bounded system...
The Passover Pop Playlist
JNS.org - "In every generation, one is obligated to see himself as if he had personally left Egypt." The Passover Haggadah annually exhorts us to...
What is the Name ‘Purim’ All About?
JNS.org - The names of religious holidays are usually fairly straightforward, pointing us to the central symbol or theme of the festival. Pesach...
The Specialized Art of Chuppah Music
JNS.org - The hall has been booked, the dress fitted, the flowers selected, the food tasted, the photographer approved, the bands auditioned, the rings...
Beatles, Spice Girls, and Newsies Should be on Your Chanukah Playlist
JNS.org - For your Hanukkah party this year, impress and surprise your guests with songs that aren't explicitly about the Festival of Lights, but...
Just Who Were the Maccabees?
JNS.org - You've probably been hearing about the Maccabees since you were kid, and if you're like me, there's a good chance that the...
Menorah: The History of a Symbol
JNS.org - From the Chabad House to the White House, there are few more ubiquitous symbols of Jewish presence than the menorah. From its first...
A New Purpose for the Lulav and Etrog
JNS.org - Another High Holidays season is upon us, which means Sukkot is right around the corner. In no time you'll be ordering your annual...
Pop Songs for the High Holidays
JNS.0rg - In time for the 2013 High Holiday season, JNS.org has compiled a list of the top five popular songs to put you in...
Tisha B’Av in the 21st Century
JNS.org - It is a testament to the amazing variability of Jewish synagogue life in America that the summertime fast of Tisha B'Av is for some...
Father’s Day—Bible Style
An illustration of Elkanah and his two wives. In honor of Father's Day 2013, JNS.org compiled some quick facts about some rather un-famous (though not...
For Popular Musicians, Performing in Israel Makes a Statement
Since the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement got its start in 2005, the decision to schedule an appearance in Israel has been...
Lag B’Omer: Rethinking the Rabbi Akiva Narrative
As is the case for many holidays in the Jewish calendar cycle, Lag B'Omer (April 28 this year) carries within it not one, but multiple...
