Last week, NASA released the first imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope, the more powerful successor to the venerable Hubble Space Telescope. The images provided us with previously unseen views of surrounding galaxies, nebulae, and space anomalies near and far. They allowed us to look back billions of years and view the universe as it was in its infancy, giving scientists unimaginable mountains of data to mine and digest, data that may lead mankind to a deeper understanding of creation and even life itself. Among the treasure trove of information released from the Webb telescope last week was an analysis of the atmospheric composition of exoplanet WASP-96b. The gas giant closely orbits a Sun-like star located roughly 1,150 light years from Earth. Despite orbiting closer to its star than Mercury orbits the Sun, Webb showed that WASP-96b's puffy atmosphere carried the unmistakably clear signature of water vapor, that essential ingredient for [...]

On Sunday, Jews throughout the world observed the Fast of Tammuz, which commemorates the destruction of the walls surrounding Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E. It begins a three-week period of introspection, culminating in Tisha B’Av, a fast day that mourns the destruction of the Second Temple. Our ancestors taught that the Second Temple fell because our people could not overcome their inclination toward sinat chinam—senseless hatred expressed through disrespect, distrust, and cruelty shown toward those who hold divergent socio-religious and political beliefs. The preeminent lesson of the Temple’s destruction, according to the sages, is that we must work with our fellow Jews to find solutions to our problems and treat everyone with the respect and dignity that human souls deserve. In a civilization that appears to be growing increasingly fractured and dismissive of the needs and opinions of others, combating the scourge of sinat chinam can seem like an impossible task. [...]

Today, the world commemorates Nelson Mandela Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009. The day honors the late anti-apartheid activist who later served as an advocate of democracy and social justice, as well as South Africa’s first president from 1994 to 1999. Though his critical opinions of the West often earned him scrutiny within the international community, his role as a spokesperson for equality, democracy, and social justice remains unchallenged nine years after his death. Mandela’s indefatigable commitment to equality and human rights continue to inspire human rights activists throughout the world. To honor his legacy, the Nelson Mandela Foundation asks us to, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are” to build a sustainable world with freedom and prosperity for all. What will you do today to create a better world? #MandelaDay2022 ​​​​​​​ —Rabbi Josh Knobel