From the Editor | Between Tradition And Change

In 1993, Moment devoted its June issue to “Homosexuality and Judaism.” The magazine featured a candid essay from a gay man on his experiences in the Jewish community, a story on gay and lesbian shuls and descriptions of each denomination’s official view on homosexuality. The coverage was well-meaning and meant to be inclusive, but reading it from the perch of 2026, it is hard not to cringe (and not just for the dated language)—so many pages were dedicated to questions such as environment vs. biology and the value of conversion therapy. One piece that underlines the distance from today is from an Orthodox rabbi arguing against homophobia. He asked readers to have compassion for those interested in or engaging in gay sex, while asserting that homosexuality is against halacha as well as “fundamentally narcissistic” and “a manifestation of incomplete sexual and society maturation.”

I’m writing this not to pick on the editors and writers of these pieces—who knows what Moment editors 30 years from now will think about what we write today?—but as a backdrop to Nadine Epstein’s thoughtfully reported piece in this issue, “When Leviticus Is Not the Last Word,” exploring how the Orthodox world is making space for LGBTQ+ Jews in both theological and concrete ways. The tensions are not new, but one major difference is the change of perspective from Orthodox institutions and Orthodox Jews themselves. There are now multiple support groups within Orthodoxy for LGBTQ+ individuals and their family members, as well as Orthodox synagogues that actively embrace gay members. Social and theological challenges, of course, remain. As Epstein notes, many LGBTQ+ youth continue to feel alienated and often leave their communities. Moreover, much of the progress has occurred within Modern Orthodox circles, which represent only a sliver of Orthodoxy. Even so, it is remarkable to see the growing number of Orthodox rabbis and scholars developing innovative interpretations of biblical and rabbinic texts to foster greater inclusion and acceptance.

Continuously innovating and balancing tradition with nuanced change is what has made American Judaism so dynamic. Much of this is due to visionaries—rabbis, lay people, dreamers—who were willing to adapt traditions or create new ones to fit the needs of an evolving Jewish community. In this issue’s “Big Question,” we ask scholars, thinkers and innovators whom they view as the most innovative American Jews of the past 50 years. We focus on those who changed Judaism in the United States but define innovation expansively—it could be in the religious, political, social or cultural spheres. The list is undoubtedly incomplete, but as you read it, it is hard not to be in awe of the amazing contributions of these creative, entrepreneurial innovators.

But is our time as a flourishing American Jewish community running out? In a provocative “Moment Debate,” we ask: Will America turn on its Jews? This is a question born of fears increasingly being voiced in response to physical attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions as well as rhetoric from the far left and right that has been creeping into the halls of government. Two impassioned debaters, Adam Scott Bellos and Menachem Rosensaft, weigh in. This debate was originally recorded as a MomentLive! broadcast and has since gone viral. Read it and let us know where you land by emailing us at editor@momentmag.com.

As always, there is so much more to explore in this issue. Moment’s Critic-at-Large Carlin Romano writes from Shanghai about the long relationship between Jews and China, as well as the more complicated one between China and Israel. In “Perspectives,” our columnists focus on two important minorities in Israel: Shmuel Rosner asks if the inclusion of Arab-majority parties in the next governing coalition is even possible, and Naomi Ragen argues that the Haredi fight against the military draft, and the ugly rhetoric surrounding it, is ruining the national character. “Ask the Rabbis” wonders if empathy is actually a Jewish value. While you might assume they all land squarely on “yes,” the rabbis don’t disappoint in getting into the complexity of the question, including delving into the idea of “toxic empathy.”

Elsewhere in this issue, Deputy Editor Jennifer Bardi’s “Jewish Word” unmasks the askan, a well-known figure in ultra-Orthodox communities regarded as an advocate, operative and fixer. In “Visual Moment,” we trace the history of The Jewish Museum in New York on the heels of its $14.5 million renovation. And in “Talk of the Table,” intrepid Senior Editor Dan Freedman investigates the history of the rotisserie tower of meat that is shawarma and tries to see if it can be recreated at home. Plus book reviews on porous faith in late antiquity, Yiddish kid lit and Mossad spies. Oh my!

Enjoy this beautiful print issue, but remember to visit momentmag.com for coverage and commentary on current events you won’t find anywhere else, and sign up for our award-winning newsletters such as Moment Minute and Jewish Politics & Power.

Let Moment’s wise journalism help you navigate these uncertain, often unwise times.