Preface Welcome to “Ogrodowa Street,” a poignant and powerful play based on the life of Rachmiel Frydland, crafted by Steffi Rubin. This narrative unfolds in the heart of the Warsaw Ghetto during the harrowing days of World War II, capturing the essence of human resilience, faith, and the struggle for survival amidst unimaginable adversity. Rachmiel…

For much of the medieval period, the majority of the world’s Jewish population lived under Islamic rule, and these Jewish communities were responsible for many of the institutions, texts, and practices that would define Judaism well into the modern era.1 According to Norman A. Stillman, “The first two centuries of the Islamic era represented a…

In the most desperate times people turn to one of the greatest gifts: communication with the Creator through prayer. In these moments of trial and testing, prayer emerges and our spiritual voice finds its identity. What is prayer? The ever elusive, conclusive answer, which perhaps unlocks the door to the essence of what it means…

Introduction Most people are worried about the strange, changing climate, but are unsure what to believe or do. Accelerated climate change is one consequence of poor human stewardship of the environment, resulting from an unbalanced view of our role in the world, ultimately a spiritual flaw. Trying to scare people into action does not work;…

A common fate of history’s notables is to have their true lives and personalities distorted by the legends that grow up around them. In time, the authentic identity of the person becomes submerged in the image and narrative associated with them. The great Roman conqueror, Julius Caesar, for example, was a balding man who suffered…

Translated from Ukrainian by Oleksiy Panych The story of Joseph victimized by his own brothers is a well-known part of Torah. For Christians and Messianic Jews, the similarity of Joseph’s path to the life of Messiah is quite obvious. It is worth noting that even in traditional Judaism the figure of Messiah is closely linked…

Introduction The Hebrew Bible contains messianic forecasts, which often form the expectation of a coming Messiah who will advance God’s program of redemption and reconciliation. Prophecies contained in the Tanakh support the position that Messiah will be born in Beit-Lechem, from the tribe of Judah,1 from the root of Jesse, and that from King David2…

From the Editor TODAY, I would like to make two announcements: Rabbi Russell Resnik, who edited this journal since 2018, has stepped down to continue to pursue his interests in writing, counseling and pursuing the good life of relationships with his wife of 52 years, children, grandchildren, and friends, while engaging in hiking and cycling.…