Still Small Voice

Whether or not Jews have faith – and the reality is that many of us are on the fence – there’s no question that the pandemic, protests, and politics of 2020 have made people think anew about the divine. About powers beyond ourselves, events that baffle us, kindness, callousness, or upheaval that require a different language or reckoning.

Abigail Pogrebin, a Forward contributing writer, author, and speaker, has spent years pondering Jewish practice and identity, but often avoiding questions about the divine. Now she is our guide to how rabbis and teachers of Judaism translate God for the rest of us — not academically, but practically. Every day.

Pogrebin asked rabbis and scholars of varying denominations and backgrounds, leaders whom she admires but doesn’t always agree with — to explore some of the thorny questions that sometimes make us squirm. Each column consists of one honest conversation with one teacher about one question using one text. We originally published them during the Jewish month of Elul, a traditional time of reflection and accountability, leading up to the high holidays.

Click here to read the introduction to the series. Send feedback to pogrebin@forward.com