Samuel Lebens

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Apr 29, 2025, 1:26 PM

The Voice of Diaspora Judaism

Itamar Ben Gvir is Israel’s minister for national security. He was recently invited to be guest of honour at Woodmere’s Young Israel in New Jersey. After an outburst of indignation, his invitation was promptly rescinded. What was the fuss...

Nov 10, 2023, 1:31 AM

Still Chosen After all These Years

What does it mean to describe the Jews as the chosen people? Other people describe themselves that way too. Christians believe that the church supplanted, or at least became grafted onto, the chosen people. The Quran claims that Abraham...

Jul 13, 2023, 9:32 PM

Israel in search of a story

Here's the situation. On one side of the aisle, there are legitimate fears about judicial oversight, fueled by feelings of deep alienation from, and resentment towards, the so-called "liberal-elite." This liberal elite has, to the minds of many people,...

May 29, 2023, 2:38 PM

Post-post-modern Orthodoxy: In response to Rabbi Herzl Hefter

My teacher Rabbi Sacks, of blessed memory, didn't like the term “Modern Orthodox.” He felt that it was too limiting. Orthodox Jews are already a minority of Jews worldwide. To call yourself a “Modern Orthodox” Jew is to place...

Mar 23, 2023, 8:44 PM

Hear, O Israel! Listening in divided times

I have never known Israel as divided as it is today, and that's saying something. In divided times, the first thing that needs to be done, I would contend, is to listen. Both sides need to recognise the humanity...

Dec 22, 2022, 11:01 PM

Orthodoxy in the age of culture wars

Those targeting the 'LGBTQ+ agenda' would show true Torah leadership by seeing what can be done in the name of peace and reconciliation instead

Oct 30, 2022, 3:50 PM

Talking to the Floating Voter

Yair Lapid. By Haim Zach / Government Press Office.

This post started off on my Facebook wall, but it attracted so much attention that somebody suggested I make it into an article for the Times of Israel blog. The post was my analysis of the choices that face...

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About Me

Samuel Lebens is a Rabbi and a professor of philosophy at the University of Haifa. He has written books and articles on Jewish and secular philosophy covering a broad range of themes from the work of Bertrand Russell to the thought of the Hassidic masters. Visit his website at www.samlebens.com