judaism
Shiva Prohibitions Embody Depersonalization
The specific prohibitions on mourners during the shiva period reflect the mourner's sense of estrangement from the life force.
Death as Estrangement
Mourning customs reflect the depersonalization and distance from God experienced by the mourner who has just confronted the death of a close relative.
Three Biblical Signs of Covenant
Shabbat, the rainbow after the flood, and brit milah are three covenantal "signs" which God provides.
A Historical View of Choosing a Jewish Name
Naming a child can reflect ancestry, associations with the baby's arrival, and hopes and dreams for his or her future.
Medieval Jewish Women Were Leaders in Religion and Business
New information about the economic and religious lives of medieval Jewish women.
Greetings From Medieval Cairo
An Italian Jew records his impressions of Cairo and its Jews in the late fifteenth century.
