Jeffrey Radon

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Oct 24, 2023, 9:33 PM

A Reasonable and Just Solution to the Arab-Israeli Conflict

I live in Ashkelon in Israel, on the border of Gaza. Following the barbaric attack of Hamas on October 7th, we are now in the middle of what the state of Israel has declared to be not an operation...

Jul 30, 2020, 2:25 PM

The meaning of the fast of Tisha B’Av

Tisha B’Av, the ninth of Av (the 5th month of the Jewish calendar), is a day of national mourning in the Jewish tradition – and, is marked by a full fast (from evening until the following evening). In the...

Oct 20, 2019, 12:35 AM

The Book of Jonah and the way of God

The classic book of the Hebrew Bible which expresses the theme that compassion is the highest moral value (above that of justice or truth) is the Book of Jonah, and is appropriately read in the Jewish tradition on Yom...

Apr 1, 2019, 6:14 PM

What does it mean to walk in the ways of God?

In order to understand what it means in the Torah (the 5 Books of Moses) and the Hebrew Bible to walk in the ways of God, we must understand the Biblical conception of God. There is a fundamental distinction...

Feb 17, 2019, 3:57 PM

The significance of contradictions in the Hebrew Bible and Talmudic literature

There are many contradictions within the Torah (the 5 Books of Moses), the Hebrew Bible and the Talmudic literature. In the continuation, I will give only one example of contradiction – of what in my mind is the most...

Dec 23, 2018, 4:04 PM

Is the command to wipe out the memory of Amalek immoral?

In the Book of Exodus, it is written that God says (Exodus 17, 14) – “I will utterly wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven”. In the Book of Deuteronomy (25, 19) it is a commandment incumbent...

Dec 9, 2018, 10:50 PM

I too have a problem with the kippa – but for a different reason

I am writing here in response to an article “The fight with my kippa” in the magazine section of the Jerusalem Post (11/16/ 18) in which Rabbi Nathan Cardozo speaks of his problem in wearing a kippa (though what...

Oct 28, 2018, 6:13 PM

Did Abraham pass his test in the story of the binding of Isaac?

The obvious question in relation to the story of the binding of Isaac arises in comparison with the previous story of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, when God decrees to destroy the cities, Abraham...

Sep 4, 2018, 10:07 PM

‘I am who I am’ or ‘I will be who I will be’?

In my book on the Hebrew Bible “Reconciling a Contradictory Abraham” I argue that, in spite of the enormous influence of the Hebrew Bible upon western culture, the Hebrew Bible is a widely misunderstood document. One example of misunderstanding...

Jun 24, 2018, 2:46 PM

The Book of Job — a widely misunderstood book

The Book of Job, in my view, is widely misunderstood - it is the classic book of the Hebrew Bible that seemingly is orthodox (correct belief) and theological in nature in dealing with the philosophic question of evil in...

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About Me

Jeffrey Radon is a teacher of Jewish studies and the author of the internet site - www.orthopraxjudaism.com - a site devoted to Jewish studies in a democratic spirit. He studied over 10 years in yeshivot in Israel. He has a teaching degree as a teacher of Jewish studies from Achva (brotherhood) College, a small secular teachers' college in Israel, and a master's degree in Jewish philosophy (from Bar Illan University in Israel). He also has a master's degree in educational psychology (from the Israeli branch of Northeastern University in the United States), as well as certification as a marriage counselor and mediator.

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