Articles by Davida Kollmar

Our Side of the Mehitsah: An Open Letter

By Davida Kollmar | Comment ()
One of the main focuses of Jewish life in the Modern Orthodox community, at least among adults, is the synagogue. And yet, there are several aspects of synagogue life that alienate half of the Jewish population. Many synagogues do things that make women feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. These ... Read more →

Teshuvah: Inspiration and Action

By Davida Kollmar | Comment ()
Reviewed Book: Erica Brown, Return: Daily Inspiration for the Days of Awe (Jerusalem, Israel, and New York, NY: Maggid Books and OU Press, 2012). When a reader first picks up a book, the first thing he or she sees is the title. Sometimes, the title of a book can be vague. It may be some [...]

“I Did Not Act for My Own Honor, but, Rather, I Acted for Your Honor”: Nakdimon Ben Guryon and the Miracle of Rain

By Davida Kollmar | Comment ()
[i] Most of Masekhet Ta’anit discusses the process that the Jews would undergo when there were droughts or other impending catastrophes. The third perek is filled with stories of rabbis who prayed and were thereby able to sway the course of nature by convincing Hashem to intervene and bring ... Read more →

Strictly Kosher: How Haredi Literature Reflects and Influences Haredi Culture

By Davida Kollmar | Comment ()
Reviewed Book: Yoel Finkelman, Strictly Kosher Reading: Popular Literature and the Condition of Contemporary Orthodoxy (Boston, MA: Academic Studies Press, 2011). Even at Yeshiva University, a Modern Orthodox institution, students are familiar with the haredi, or Yeshivish, community. This ... Read more →