Rav Avraham Eliyahu Kaplan achieved much in a short lifespan: creative talmid hakham, scholar, poet, pedagogue, inspiring persona, musar giant. His 100th yahrzeit will be marked tomorrow—15 Iyyar (May 23)—and beckons us to honor his life and teachings and to elevate and inspire us to push beyond our own boundaries. Read Hillel Goldberg’s presentation of R. Kaplan’s musar teaching in the TRADITION Archive.

Decades after R. Eliezer Berkovits passed away, a new anthology of his essays, ranging from Jewish prayer to life in America and Israel, reminds us of the ongoing relevance of this important theologian and educator. In his review of “Faith and History,” David Curwin examines Berkovits in his historical context, and compares his views with those of his contemporaries. Given the numerous contemporary crises confronting the Jewish community, this collection proves timely and insightful.

From “War and Destruction” to “Pain Not Even Satan Could Create,” Israeli popular music reflects changing moods toward the current war. What began with self-assurance about the IDF’s strength and inevitable victory has drifted to address the fear, pain, and loss that accompany any war, certainly this one. As we approach Yom HaZikaron, Yoel Finkelman shows how Israeli music calls upon us to live up to the memory of our friends, neighbors, and family who will not return.

TRADITION vol. 56 no. 2 (Spring 2024) has arrived as a special issue delivering the papers presented at last year's “Tradition Today Summit” exploring the spiritual challenges of material success, edited by Jeffrey Saks and Shlomo Zuckier. Subscribers can access the entire issue online; others can read select open-access content.