Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future and Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary presents

Individual Articles download
  • Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman: "Meyached and Me'ached: The Unique and Unifying Effect of Revelation"
  • Table Talk: Quotes and Questions for Family Discussions From Yeshiva University's Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership

    • Reflections from the YU Shemitta B'Aretz Trip to Israel
  • Rabbi Elchanan Adler: "Bikurim & Shemita: Are They Compatible?"
  • Rabbi Dr. Ari Bergmann: "Joining In The Unity Of The Nation – One Fruit At A Time"
  • Rabbi Menachem Penner: "What Shemittah Can And Must Teach Us"

    • The Values of Shemittah in the Modern World
  • Rabbi Tzvi Aryeh Benoff: "Bankruptcy: Halacha, Morality, And The Torah’s Ideal Economic System"
  • Rabbi Meir Finkelstein: "Capitalism Vs Socialism: The Torah’s View Of Private Ownership"
  • Rabbi Shua Katz: "Shemitah As A Model For How We Spend Our Time"

    • Perspectives on Shavuot
  • Rabbi Mordechai Schiffman: "Chesed: Thank You Or Thank God?"
  • Mrs. Racheli Taubes: "You Are Who You Lead"
  • Rabbi Dov Winston: "In Defense Of Staying Up All Night Learning On Shavuot"
  • Rabbi Benjamin Yudin: "A Legislated Party"
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  • Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman: "Introduction—Sustaining Change"
  • Rabbi Kenneth Auman, Rabbi Reven Brand, Rabbi Naphtali Lavenda, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner and Ilana Turetsky Ed.D: "Perspectives on Shavuot"

    • The Importance of Being Part of the Jewish Community
  • Mrs. Penina Bernstein: "The Unity of Shavuot as the Culmination of the Sefirat Ha'Omer Period"
  • Mrs. Bracha Rutner: "The Resilience and Grit in Accepting the Torah"
  • Rabbi Gershon Albert, Rabbi Binyamin Blau, Rabbi Efrem Goldberg, Rabbi Shalom Rosner and Rabbi Kalman Topp: "Reflections on the Importance of Being Part of Community"

    • The Kedusha of the Synagogue
  • Rabbi Josh Flug: "Study Guide: How Far Should We Go to Pray with a Minyan?"
  • Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz: "Outdoor Minyanim"
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  • Rabbi Yaakov Glasser: "Introduction—Reaching Higher"
  • Rabbi Hershel Schachter: "Practical Halacha Guide for Shavuot"

    • Torah Guidance in Challenging Times
  • Rabbi Josh Flug: "The Relevance of Torah In All Situations: A Sample of Halachic Rulings from the COVID-19 Crisis"
  • Ms. Elisheva [Ellie] Levi: "Demolition as the Precursor to Building: Architectural Lessons for Judaism"
  • Rabbi Zvi Romm: "Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai Builds the New Normal"

    • Receiving the Torah on Shavuot
  • Rabbi Reuven Brand: "A Commitment of Love"
  • Mrs. Michal Horowitz: "Kabalas HaTorah: Living a Dedicated Life"

    • Shavuot Night Study Guides
  • The Mitzvah of Ve’ahavta L’rei’acha Kamocha
  • Who is Liable for Giving Access to Hackers and Fraudsters?
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  • Rabbi Yaakov Glasser: "Introduction—Chinuch and Hashpaah: Two Types of Education"

    • DEVELOPING A METHODOLOGY IN TANACH
  • Rabbi Hayyim Angel: "A Woman of Valor has been Found: Ruth Amidst a Sea of Ambiguity"

    • THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TANACH AND TORAH
  • Rabbi Hershel Schachter: "The Deeper Connection Between the Torah Reading and the Haftarah"
  • Naomi Grunhaus, PhD: "Ma’amad Har Sinai in the Haftara for Shavuot"
  • Rabbi Michael Taubes: "Torah, Nevi’im, and Kesuvim: How are they Different, How are they Similar?"

    • SHAVUOT AND KABBALAT HATORAH
  • Mrs. Penina Bernstein: "Receiving the Torah Requires Preparation"
  • Rabbi Noah Gardenswartz: "From Mitzrayim to Mount Sinai: Reflections on Shavuos as the Conclusion of Pesach"
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  • Rabbi Yaakov Glasser: "Introduction"

    • Heritage and Innovation
  • Rabbi Hershel Schachter: "Observing Torah in an Age of Innovation"
  • Mrs. Karen Lavner: "The Religious Innovation of Nadav and Avihu"

    • 21st Century Challenges
  • Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky: "Electricity and Shabbos: Past, Present and Future"
  • Rabbi Mois Navon: "Ethical Dilemmas on the Road to Redemption"
  • Rabbi Edward Reichman MD and Shmuel Reichman: "The Definition of Maternity Revisited and the Double Helix (Spiral) of Torah and Madda"
  • Ms. Elisheva [Ellie] Levi: "The Tower, the Ziggurat, the Mountain and the Race to Reach the Sky"
  • Dovid Lichtenstein: "Facebook, Cambridge Analytica and the Right to Privacy: A Halachic Overview"

    • Shavuot Study Guide
  • Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman: "A Tribute to Rabbi Ozer Glickman, z"l"
  • Rabbi Joshua Flug: "Contemporary Business Ethics: A Shavuos Night Study Guide"
    • Individual Articles download
  • Rabbi Yaakov Glasser: "Introduction"
  • President Richard M. Joel: "Chag Hasemikhah Remarks, 5777"
  • Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander: "Kabbalat HaTorah: A Tribute to President Richard & Dr. Esther Joel"
  • Rabbi Dr. Hillel Davis: "Yom Hamyeuchas"
  • Rabbi Dr. Avery Joel: "What Happens in Heaven... Stays in Heaven"
  • Dr. Penny Joel: "The Matan Torah Narrative and Its Leadership Lessons"
  • Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph: "Reflections on a Presidential Chavrusa: Lessons from the Fourth Perek of Brachos"
  • Rabbi Menachem Penner: "Experiencing the Silence of Sinai"
  • Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter: "Consent and Coercion at Sinai"
  • Rabbi Ezra Schwartz: "Flowers and Trees in Shul on Shavuot"

    • Special Symposium: Perspectives on Conversion
  • Rabbi Eli Belizon: "The Surrogate Challenge"
  • Mr. Joshua Blau: "The Power of Obligation"
  • Mrs. Leah Nagarpowers: "I Just Want to Drink My Tea"
  • Rabbi Yona Reiss: "Lessons from Mount Sinai: The Interplay between Halacha and Humanity in the Gerus Process"
  • Rabbi Zvi Romm: "Lessons Learned from Conversion"
  • Mrs. Shoshana Schechter: "On Mikva and Matan Torah: Observations from Witnessing the Conversion Process"
  • Rabbi Michoel Zylberman: "Performance of Mitzvos by Conversion Candidates"
    • Individual Articles download
  • Rabbi Yaakov Glasser - "Introduction"

    • SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM: TORAH STUDY IN THE DIGITAL AGE
  • Rabbi Dovid Bashevkin - "Medium Matters: The Medium and Message of Torah in the Digital Age"
  • Rabbi Efrem Goldberg - "Learning Offline in an Online World"
  • Rona Novick, PhD and Laya Salomon, EdD - "Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age"
  • Rabbi Ezra Y. Schwartz - "Online Learning and Talmud Torah"

    • SHAVUOT INSIGHTS
  • Rabbi Hershel Reichman - "Something and Nothing"
  • Rabbi Moshe Schapiro - "Shavuot: The God-Given and the Man-Made"
  • "Potluck Learning: A Shavuot Night Learning Activity" - by Mrs. Aliza Abrams Konig and Rabbi Joshua Flug

    • Individual Articles download

  • Rabbi Elisha Bacon - "What is your Olam Haba Moment? A Lesson from Shavuos"
  • Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger - "Matan Torah: Singular Event, Two Narratives"
  • Rabbi Michael Rosensweig - "Honor Your Parents: The Fulcrum of the Ten Commandments"
  • Rabbi Etan Schnall - "What Happened to the Spices?"
  • Rabbi Benjamin Yudin - "From Bondage to Bonding"
  • "The Minhagim of Shavuot" - From Members of the Graduate Program of Advanced Talmudic Studies at Stern College for Women

    • Individual Articles download

    The 48 Methods of Acquiring Torah
  • Rabbi Yaakov Glasser - "Miut Sheinah: Studying Torah While Sleep Deprived"
  • Scott Goldberg, PhD - "Know Thyself: Student at the Center of Learning"
  • Rabbi Dovid Hirsch - "Torah Study and Character Development"

  • Rabbi Meir Goldwicht - "Mahut Klal Yisrael B'Kabalat Hatorah"
  • Rabbi Michoel Zylberman - "Dissuasion and Encouragement: Complementary Themes in the Conversion Process"
  • Shavuot Lessons for Families from the Legacy Heritage YUTeach Fellowship
  • Practical Halacha Guide for Shavuot based on the halachic rulings of Rabbi Hershel Schachter

    • Individual Articles download

  • President Richard M. Joel - Introduction
  • Rabbi Dr. David Horwitz - "Notes on Aspects of Hag Ha-Shavu'ot and Megillat Ruth"
  • Dr. Yitzchak Schechter - "Megillas Naami: Identity, Alienation and Redemption"
  • Mrs. Natalie Taylor - "The Centrality of the Message of Megillat Ruth in Biblical Canon"
  • Dr. Ilana Turetsky - "The Individualized Experience of Matan Torah"

    • Feature Section: Leadership
  • Rabbi Ozer Glickman - "Ben Zoma and the Qualifications for Leadership"
  • Mr. Charles Harary - "Humility: The Essential Ingredient in Great Leadership"
  • Rabbi Josh Joseph - "Answering the Call, In Life and Leadership"

    • Individual Articles download

  • An Important Message to Our Rabbinic Colleagues, Students, and Community
  • Rabbi Elchanan Adler - "Derech Eretz Kadma LaTorah: A Multi-faceted Perspective"
  • Rabbi Joshua Flug - "Matan Torah as a Form of Conversion"
  • Dr. Michelle Levine - "Moshe Rabbenu at Ma'amad Har Sinai: Ascending and Descending the Mountain"
  • Rabbi Shmuel Maybruch - "The Best Part of Waking Up: Birchas HaTorah on Shavuos Morning"
  • Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner - "The Shabbat Influence"
  • Rabbi Dr. Richard Weiss - "Overcoming Medical Obstacles to Jewish Conversion"
  • Dr. Shira Weiss - "Were Obligatory Beliefs Revealed on Sinai?"
  • Rabbi Mordechai Willig - "Voluntary and Involuntary Acceptance of the Torah"
  • Shavuot Activities for Families from YUTeach, a project of Yeshiva University's Institute for University- School Partnership


    • Individual Articles download

  • Rabbi Elchanan Adler - "Yearning for Salvation"
  • Rabbi Azarya Berzon - "The Two-Fold Nature of Chag HaShavuot"
  • Rabbi Reuven Brand - "Converting to Kindness"
  • Rabbi Joshua Flug - "Torah Study: Results Are Also Important!"
  • Rabbi Shmuel Goldin - "Why Break the Tablets?"
  • Rabbi Yosef Kalinsky - "Aliyah Laregel Bzman Hazeh"
  • Mrs. Deena Rabinovich - "How is this holiday different than all others?"
  • Rabbi Dr. Andrew Schein - "A Brief History of Tikkun Leil Shavuot"
  • Dr. Lawrence Schiffman - "Yatziv Pitgam, One of Our Last Aramaic Piyyutim"
  • Ms. Shuli Taubes - "Habakkuk: The Man, the Mission, the Haftarah for the 2nd Day of Shavuot"
  • Collected insights from members of the Graduate Program in Biblical and Talmudic Interpretation at Stern College


    • Individual Articles download

  • Rabbi Kenneth Brander - "Introduction"
  • Mrs. Mindy Eisenman - "Ten Steps to a Healthy Relationship: Pesach to Shavuot"
  • Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter - "There Is No Sanctity Without Preparation: On The Torah Ethics Of Dating"
  • Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky - "Loving Hashem: A Model Relationship"
  • Rabbi Reuven Brand - "A Walk Down the Aisle"
  • Rabbi Yitzchak Blau - "Talmud Torah Kneged Kulam BTorat Rav Hutner"
  • Rabbi Yitzchok Cohen - "Zman Matan Torah: Our Name is Yosef, Not Joe"
  • Rabbi Joshua Flug - "The Tuition Challenge: A Discussion Guide"
  • Mrs. Tova Warburg Sinensky - "The Gift That Keeps On Giving"
  • Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner - "Avraham"s Yom Tov"
  • Collected Insights from Members of our Kollelim


    • Individual Articles download

  • Cantor Bernard Beer - "Liturgical and Musical Aspects of Shavuot"
  • Rabbi Reuven Brand - "The Wellness of Bread: The Achievement of Shavuot"
  • Rabbi Joshua Flug - "A Walking Sefer Torah"
  • Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer - "Eating Dairy on Shavuos"
  • Rabbi David Horwitz - "The Fundamental Principle of the Torah"
  • Mrs. Rivka Kahan - "The Transmission of Torah MiSinai"
  • Rabbi Menachem Leibtag - "A Revolution at Revelation: The Connection Between Shavuot & Shabbat in Sefer Devarim"
  • Rabbi Baruch Simon - "Seven Weeks of Seven Days - Making Our Time Meaningful"
  • Dr. Shira Weiss - "How Do We Know Judaism is the True Religion?"


    • Individual Articles download

    Learning Packets
  • Rabbi Josh Flug - "Halachic Perspectives on Live Kidney Donations"
  • Rabbi Daniel Stein - "Can I Have a Ride? Carpooling & Middas Sodom"

    • Divrei Drush
  • Dr. Naomi Grunhaus - "The Significance of Matan Torah"
  • Rabbi Zev Reichman - "Shavuot: Middot and Torah Linked Together"
  • Rabbi Moshe Taragin - "Twice Kissed"

    • Family Program
  • Pirkei Avot Scavenger Hunt
    Environmentalism in Jewish Law and Thought
    The Jew's Role in the World
    -Aaron Steinberg


  • Rabbi Joshua Flug - "Are We All Thieves? Hi-Tech Heists and Halacha"
  • Teen Program: Avidan Freedman - "Facebook and Friendship"

    • Individual Articles download

  • BIBLE HUNT - Learning to Use a Tanach
  • TIME TO PICK TEAMS - An Exercise in Mitzvah Categorization