Judaism and Science

This is not about the Flood or Exodus stories, but more about events mentioned in first millennium BCE reports, in particular military campaigns identified in the Book of Kings. Still, the use of geomagnetic fieldd data in connection with traditional archeology seems quite promising.

Israeli researchers say magnetic fields provide way to securely date biblical events Team discovers that from layers of historical destruction springs a new hope of accurate chronological dating, plus deeper understanding of a powerful cosmic force

A sad story of fatal anti-Semitism in England leads to a remarkable scientific discovery concerning the genetic development of Ashkenazi Jews. See here:

A group of Jews massacred over 800 years ago reveal a secret about Jewish genetics - Jewish Telegraphic Agency A study of victims of a 12th century massacre reveals that Ashkenazi Jews developed a unique genetic variation centuries earlier than realized.

The day before the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade and altered the prevailing law on abortion, a rabbi, a doctor, and a retired lawyer met to discuss Judaism and abortion. Was it the last civil conversation on abortion for the foreseeable future? Click the screen and start watching 7 minutes into the tape:

The Last Civil Conversation on Abortion? Dr. Elisheva ShanesRabbi Andrea LondonRoger Price On Thursday, June 23, 2022, one day before the Supreme Court’s momentous decision in the Mississippi abortion case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org., three Jews got together to talk about Jews, Judaism, and Abortion. Rabbi Andrea London, ra...

Exploring Einstein and God, and Science and Judaism

In January, 2022, the Mordecai M. Kaplan Center for Jewish Peoplehood invited Rabbi Michael M. Cohen and Roger L. Price, authors respectively of Einstein’s Rabbi and When Judaism Meets Science to discuss their books, the thoughts of Einstein and Kaplan, and other current issues involving science and Judaism. The entire program, which runs almost two hours, as well as biographical information about the authors and the chatroom log, can be found here: https://kaplancenter.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6897c577cb23caf1f11ab24cf&id=211a39e79d&e=8ad524ac69

Enjoy!

Webinar — God and Science, Einstein and Kaplan — Rabbi Michael Cohen and Roger Price (January 9, 2022) | The Mordecai M. Kaplan Center for Jewish Peoplehood Mordecai M. Kaplan (1881-1983) was one of the most influential Jewish thinkers of the 20th century. We believe that his thought may be even more important in the 21st century.

Thanks to the Kaplan Center for inviting me to participate this Sunday, January 9, in a conversation with Rabbi Michael Cohen about Judaism and science, with an emphasis on the thoughts of Albert Einstein and Mordecai Kaplan.

You can join, too! See how below:

Perhaps ironic, perhaps fitting, but Jews are fighting with each other this Hanukkah season. The forum is the Supreme Court and the topic is abortion. Learn more here: https://www.judaismandscience.com/when-jews-argue-in-the-supreme-court-about-abortion/

Delighted to have been at Hill Havura to engage in a fine conversation about what happens When Judaism Meets Science, and just a couple of blocks east of the U. S. Capitol!

Global warming is a hot topic. But what can Judaism say credibly and productively about it? Our discussion on this issue concludes here: https://www.judaismandscience.com/when-judaism-meets-global-warming-part-iv-4/

A new multi-part essay on Judaism and global warming is now available at https://www.judaismandscience.com/when-judaism-meets-global-warming-parts-1-3-4/ ENJOY!

A new study of fish consumption in ancient Israel and Judah prompts many questions. Was the Torah and its prohibitions not written in those days? Was it written, but not known? Was it known, but not considered authoritative? What can this study theach us about the origins of Judaism?

Bad Judeans? Despite biblical ban, non-kosher fish were eaten in ancient Israel Unlike prohibition on pork, ban on scaleless, finless fish - found twice in the Torah - was apparently not observed. New project looks at origins of Judaism as a religious practice

Sociology and Judaism, a new report from Pew.

Jewish Americans in 2020 What does it mean to be Jewish in America? A new Pew Research Center survey looks into this diverse group.

We are always just one discovery away from filling gaps in our understanding of the ancient world. Here we have the story of a recent discovery which provides a previously missing link in the chain of development of alphabetic writing.
Big thanks to Cambridge U. Press for publishing this information on behalf of Antiquities Publication Ltd.

Early alphabetic writing in the ancient Near East: the ‘missing link’ from Tel Lachish | Antiquity | Cambridge Core Early alphabetic writing in the ancient Near East: the ‘missing link’ from Tel Lachish

Many thanks to Cong. Agudat Achim of Schenectady, NY for inviting me to engage in the lively art of conversation with three scientists from the congregation (a materials scientist, a theoretical physicist, and a nanobiologist) about what happens When Judaism Meets Science. We talked about CRISPR technology, artificial intelligence, biblical history, exotheology, and much more. You can see and hear it here. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttV_FFnI0Mg&ab_channel=CongregationAgudatAchim

SIYR: Judaism & Science III

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is a rabbi, educator, activist, and author. Not yet forty years old, he has twice been named one of America’s Top Rabbis and also named by as one of the 50 most influential Jews and one of The Most Inspiring Rabbis in America. Today, Rabbi Yanklowitz is, among many other things, the President and Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, a center for Jewish learning, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

In January, 2021, as part of Valley Beit Midrash’s interest in the interface of Judaism and science, Rabbi Yanklowitz interviewed me about my book When Judaism Meets Science. The interview, which runs about ten minutes, covers the unique nature of the book’s contents, the differences between the challenges modern science presents today to Judaism, and by extension the Jewish People, and previous challenges, one of the more serious consequences of the current challenge of modern science, and the topic that has elicited the most engaged conversation when the author meets with congregants around the country. Thank you, Rabbi Yanklowitz!

That interview can now be seen and heard here:
https://youtu.be/mmVhbrB14yE Enjoy!

When Judaism Meets Science: Roger Price interviewed by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, interviews Roger Price, author of "When Science Meets Judaism," about his book of the s...

One thing we should have learned in the past year is that science matters.

In the new year, may you be safe, thoughtful, and worthy of blessings.

I was delighted in early August, 2020, to be interviewed by Rabbi Arnold Rachlis regarding my book “When Judaism Meets Science.” Initially, the interview followed an Erev Shabbat service at Rabbi Rachlis’s congregation, University Synagogue, Irvine, California. Over the course of twenty–four minutes, Rabbi Rachlis’s questions and my answers covered a number of issues discussed in the book, including the challenges of contemporary science to Judaism, the rejection of science and facts, vaccinations, artificial intelligence and a Jewdroid, genetics and diseases, Jewish genetic markers, and neuroscience and free will.
Now the entire interview, by itself, can be seen and heard here: https://vimeo.com/445649383/7bcc001c52

Enjoy!

Big Thanks to Rabbi Geoffrey Mitelman, founding director of Sinai and Synapses, for hosting this recenting interview. As he well knows, as science increasingly permeates our lives, we need to explore how religion responds to the challenges science present. You can watch and listen to our conversation here: https://sinaiandsynapses.org/multimedia-archive/when-judaism-meets-science/

When Judaism Meets Science - Sinai and Synapses We sat down with Roger Price, founder of the blog Judaism and Science, to discuss how the Jewish world is looking to the past and future to handle COVID-19.

This wonderful article tells us about ourselves and how we can to be. It is not an argument for the Anthropic Principle. Far from it. Rather it presents basic, yet profound, science. And it does not depend on or reject a Divine Force either. Can we accept the science and then consider all the other issues?

How Did The Universe Make Our Existence Possible? The history of the Universe is forever imprinted in our own bodies.

The Wise Ones of Covid Gubernia on Wearing Masks

Covid Gubernia was an area in the Old Country. Between the harsh winters, the poverty, and the poor nutrition, the people were quite pallid, so much so that where they lived was sometimes called the Pale. And, yet, despite all of their challenges, they were a good people, with the dignity that comes from working hard and trying to live a decent life. For that alone, they were worthy of honor, or koved in their old language. (Some even say the name of the area was based on the word koved.)

Perhaps as a result of their worthiness, the people were blessed on occasion with Wise Ones, for which they were exceptionally grateful. Other towns claimed to have wise ones as well, and maybe they did, but the Wise Ones of Covid Gubernia were the wisest of the wise.

One reason Covid Gubernia had so many Wise Ones was that it welcomed thoughtfulness from many sources. In some areas, it seems, people only followed the words that came from their main village and would not heed the words from the countryside. Even sillier, some listened only to male voices, as if female voices had no wisdom to share. Because they never knew who would speak wisely until the speakers spoke, the ears of the residents of Covid Gubernia were open to wisdom from all sources.

Folks from other parts thought that the Covidians wasted a lot of time listening to many ideas. And, for sure, there was a fair amount of nonsense uttered from time to time. But the residents of Covid Gubernia managed to figure out who was trustworthy and who was a charlatan, who provided solid information and who was a fraud. So they revered the words of Hillel, Micah, and Nachman and the words of Yehudit, Golda, Tikva, and the Ruths, the notorious one and the not–so–notorious one. They could not imagine any other way, but listening broadly and carefully.

As the world turns, from time to time, the people of Covid Gubernia would be infected by viral diseases that came, it seemed, out of thin air. Some such incidents were bad, and some were worse. (There is a minority view that suggests that the gubernia was named after one especially bad encounter.)

Naturally, there were those who did not think that any particular virus would last long or be particularly devastating. Others, however – at just the first whiff of trouble – thought that world as they knew it was coming to its end. For the residents of Covid Gubernia, here is where wisdom, and its partners experience and leadership, were helpful. The Wise Ones who lived and taught in Covid Gubernia over many generations did not always agree on their modes of reasoning, but they generally agreed on the actions to be taken. Their words proved valuable by bringing guidance, protection, and relief.

Yehudit, the Table Setter, created the scene: When we all care for the sick and the weak and the old, when we cherish life’s creatures, when we all live in harmony with one another and the Earth, then everywhere will be called Eden once again. More pragmatic and precise, Hillel, the Teacher, said: Do not treat others as you would not want them to treat you. Do not breathe on to others as you would not want them to breathe on to you.

Golda, the Governor, provided the alternatives: It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived. Do not scatter germs. Instead, love your neighbor and the stranger that passes by you.

Micah, the Seer, tried to capture the lesson with an epigram: People: you have been shown what is good and required: simply to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your masks. Tikva, the Scholar, drew a lesson from herstory: Like Deborah, raise up the swarm for battle, protect the hive. Wear masks! But Ruth, the Notorious, dissented: Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade. Be calm and wear a mask.

Nachman, the Restorer, attempted more perspective: All the world is a very narrow bridge. The important thing is not to be afraid, then maintain physical distance, and wear a mask for a while longer. And the final word went to Ruth, the Not–So–Notorious, who said: Though we are not alike in mind or body, somewhere in the depth of our souls we know that we are the children of one people. We are, then, responsible each for the other. For the sake of Heaven, if not our species, and for the sake of our species, if not for Heaven, have some respect. Wear your masks.

They were, of course, all correct. These and those are words by which to live. And isn’t that the point? When facing a virus crisis, isn’t the responsible thing to do that which best preserves life?

Beth Emet – The Free Synagogue is a Reform congregation in Evanston, Illinois. In November, 2019, it hosted an interview of Roger Price, author of When Judaism Meets Science. The interview was conducted in front of a live audience by David Graham, then a litigator and partner with the law firm of Sidley Austin LLP. Previously, Graham was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School and more recently, and repeatedly, was designated a “Best Lawyer” in commercial litigation. For several years, he also served as president of Beth Emet.
The program begins with a brief introduction by Marci Dickman, Beth Emet’s Director of Lifelong Learning. For the next forty–five minutes, Graham’s questions and Price’s responses cover a number of issues discussed in Price’s book, including the distinctive approaches of science and religion, the roles each plays today, the challenge of science to religion on matters such as the Passover story and genetically modified crops, the reaction of segments of the community to science’s challenges to religion, the problem with cognitive biases, and the need for critical thinking. Audience questions followed, and extended the discussion for another forty–five minutes. During this segment, comments were made concerning boundaries, abortion, the anthropic principle, the purpose of the Torah text, prayer as quotation and as affirmation, the need for humility, and the impact of writing a book. The entire session is available here, without editing or commercials: https://soundcloud.com/bethemet/roger-price
Enjoy.
When Judaism Meets Science is available at fine e–tailers everywhere, including Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Judaism-Meets-Science-Roger-Price/dp/1532653557/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3M1JDT3AU1WKR&dchild=1&keywords=when+judaism+meets+science&qid=1586983597&s=books&sprefix=When+Juda%2Cstripbooks%2C176&sr=1-1.

Thou shalt not Covid thy neighbor, nor the stranger that passes by thee.

Facts matter, but are sometimes uncertain. Values matter, but sometimes conflict. What to do when a pandemic strikes? Read more here: https://www.judaismandscience.com/coronavirus-the-halakha-and-the-council-of-experts/

I am pleased to report the posting of a podcast about what happens when Judaism meets science on Judeology, a website dedicated to sparking Judaism “through science, technology, and the arts.” What is unique about this podcast is that the host, Yaakov Schefres, is not a rabbi but an aerospace engineer. Over the course of just over a half hour, Yaakov and I engage in a wide ranging discussion about the different approaches and techniques of religion and science with respect to the big questions of the day. We talk about faith in religion and confidence in science, about the evolution of Judaism and self–correction in science. We also explore descriptions of the Biblical text as history, science, an ethical guide, and a community bond. Finally, we address some contemporary issues, including abortion, assisted fertility techniques, and artificial intelligence. I hope you enjoy this discussion. Of course, if you want to learn more, “When Judaism Meets Science” is available at your local etailer.
For now, listen here: https://www.yaakovschefres.com/judeology/

Judeology Podcast – Yaakov Schefres Shalom, and welcome to the Judeology Podcast. The podcast that sparks your Judaism through science, technology, and the arts. We’ll explore what happens when a modern world blends with an ancient tradition and what that means for the Jewish people. I’m hoping this podcast is entertaining, inform...

Be fruitful and multiply, but how? Prof. William D. Petok offers valuable information on reproductive science for those facing fertility challenges in a new essay on the Judaism and Science website here: https://www.judaismandscience.com/judaism-and-reproductive-science-be-fruitful-and-multiply-but-how/

Ethan Siegel helps us transition from one year to another with his usual wisdom, here applied to a timeless question.

Ask Ethan: Did God Create The Universe? It's not a question we know enough to know the answer to, but to dismiss the possibility is scientifically baseless.

Holiday sale! My publisher wants to give you a gift for the holidays, a way to meet WHEN JUDAISM MEETS SCIENCE. Wipf and Stock is offering 40% off the list price until 12/17/19 -- better than Amazon!, All you have to do is go to wipfandstock.com, order the book,
enter JOLLYSAVINGS and you will have a great read. Enjoy!

Lights for the spirit.
Enlightenment for the mind.
Books available at fine e-tailers everywhere.

We are a long way from the initial research to a practical application for humans, but this seems like a promising approach to address a problem that is only going to affect more and more people.

Israeli team uses silicon chip to deliver Alzheimer’s-busting protein to brain In Technion, Bar-Ilan trials, nanochip ferries 'neural growth factor' -- which combats neurodegenerative diseases -- and releases it where needed, overcoming blood-brain barrier

The work of paleoclimatologists, archeologists, and others analyzing stalagmites for oxygen and uranium isotope ratios, in the context of cuneiform and other records, sheds light on the demise of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah whose stories are told primarily in the biblical Book of Kings.
Assyria, the dominant empire of its time, captures Israel’s capital Samaria in 722 BCE and many of the Israelites who survive are taken to Assyria’s capital Nineveh or otherwise dispersed. King Hezekiah and Judah’s capital Jerusalem barely survive the siege imposed by Assyrian King Sennacherib around 701 BCE and later Judah becomes a vassal province of Assyria. Yet, in 612 BCE upstart Babylon takes Nineveh, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Judahites to Babylon within a few decades.
While many factors were undoubtedly involved in the collapse of the Assyrian Empire, now documented climate change may have played a key role. A lesson from a past era for the present?

Climate change may be behind fall of ancient empire, say researchers Dramatic shift from wet to dry climate could have caused crop failure in Neo-Assyrian empire

Some hopeful news. Much more work to be done.

Cystic Fibrosis and the Ashkenazi Jewish Connection | Jewish Journal When California native Stacy Carmona was 10 years old, her 12-year-old best friend died from cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a rare, life-threatening genetic

Rabbi Richard Address’s podcast features “When Judaism Meets Science”

RABBI RICHARD ADDRESS is the Founder and Director of www.jewishsacredaging.com. There he develops and implements the Sacred Aging project which has been responsible for creating awareness and resources for congregations on the implications of the emerging longevity revolution.

In winter 2018, Rabbi Address began hosting a weekly podcast, Seekers of Meaning. Rabbi Address’s interview of author Roger Price concerning the latter’s new book “When Judaism Meets Science” covers a wide range of topics, including creation, evolution, bio–ethics, fake news, the anthropic principle, a Jewdroid, and the Greenberg hurdle. Running about forty–five minutes, without commercial interruption, it can be heard here: https://jewishsacredaging.com/som-pod-roger-price-author-of-when-judaism-meets-science/

“When Judaism Meets Science” can be purchased from various etailers, including Amazon, and also from the publisher, Wipf and Stock.

RABBI WAYNE DOSICK's podcast features “When Judaism Meets Science”

Rabbi Wayne Dosick is the author of eight books and hundreds of essays and columns in Jewish periodicals. He is also the host of, among other programs, SpiritTalk Live!: Journeys into Mind, Heart, and Soul, a weekly Internet radio program, heard on HealthyLife.net. There he leads conversations about the “great questions of existence, in a quest to find meaning and worth in life, though intellectual inquiry and sacred spirit.” His conversation with author Roger Price concerning the latter’s new book, When Judaism Meets Science, can be heard here: http://healthylifenet.mainstreamnetwork.com/media/STL082119.mp3

"When Judaism Meets Science" can be purchased from various etailers, including Amazon, and also from the publisher, Wipf and Stock.

This story amplifies the one reported here in February. Even with limited application to "confirm" Jewishness, the use of DNA tests is fundamentally incoherent and flawed. There has to be a better way to help individuals who, through no fault of their own, lack whatever evidence the gatekeepers require. Maybe there needs to be a different gate.

Rabbinate DNA tests seek Jewishness in the blood, become a bone of contention Controversial method began in Moscow, spread to Jerusalem and Sydney, as a private bid to confirm ex-Soviets as Jews. Now it faces a High Court challenge and a thunderous outcry

There is no historical proof that the Israelites were in Egypt during the time and in the numbers stated in the Hebrew Bible, but there is strong evidence that Egypt was in the land of Canaan prior to the time of the Davidic kingdom. As to why Israelites claimed the dramatic events set in Egypt, bible scholar S. David Sperling suggests that the story was an elaborate allegory to establish Israel's distinctiveness. Perhaps bad memories of Egyptian rule in Canaan played a role in the climax of the story, the triumph of Israel's god over those of the Egyptians. This article talks about Egypt's time in Canaan.

When Egyptian Pharaohs Ruled Bronze Age Jerusalem - Biblical Archaeology Society What were Egyptian pharaohs doing in Bronze Age Jerusalem? Peter van der Veen investigates an Egyptian presence before the time of David.

Who doesn't love a good flood story? The Noah story in the Hebrew Bible may be the most famous, but it was preceded by the Gilgamesh Epic, which was preceded by the Epic of Atrahasis, which in turn was preceded by the Sumerian flood story featuring Ziusudra of Shuruppak. Why is this important? Because the history of the early stories sets the stage for Noah's story. It helps us understand what the biblical authors kept and what they changed, what was important to them, and what they hoped to teach us about the nature of the universe.
The clay tablet in this article sheds relatively new light on Gilgamesh and, therefore, the entire intellectual history of the flood sagas. It underscores that we are always one discovery away from learning more about our past and ourselves.

Ancient Clay Tablet Offers Insights into the Gilgamesh Epic - Biblical Archaeology Society An ancient clay tablet acquired in recent years by the Sulaymaniyah Museum in Iraq offers new insights into the Gilgamesh Epic.

Some sites can remain hidden for millenia, but once uncovered, the knives appear quickly, and not just ancient ones. This report in the TOI follows shortly on the one earlier in the day (see post below). As we said, what some archaeologists giveth, others would take away.

As archaeologists say they’ve found King David’s city of refuge, a debate begins Mere hours after team claims to have uncovered 3,000-year-old biblical town of Ziklag south of Jerusalem, two of their peers insist they most certainly have not

There are at least two lessons to learned from this report of the TOI on Monday, July 8, 2019. The first is that there is often a tension in archaeology concerning whether the biblical text is a worthwhile geographic or historical guide or a sacred writing to be affirmed or both or neither. The second lesson is that what some archaeologists giveth, other archaeologists taketh away.

Archaeologists say they found town where future King David took refuge from Saul For decades scholars sought the elusive site of Ziklag, where the Bible says David was given shelter by Philistine King Achish

Another area where Judaism and science intersect in ways not entirely clear.

This Rabbi Would Prefer That You Compost His Body, Not Bury It “I’m just trying to apply the principle of returning dust to dust,” he said.