I’d like to apologize to our readers for my lack of commitment to Radical Torah as of late. There are a few factors which have contributed to this scenario, primarily business: I have been busy with paying work and I have been busy with other Matzat-related projects. (Matzat is my non-profit startup, which oversees Radical Torah.)
However, another large reason why I have been uninvolved, as of late, is because I’ve frankly been a bit disappointed with how the project is moving forward. If you check out our contributor page, you’ll see that we have an amazing cadre of contributors listed who had initially made commitments to contribute to the site. However, due to their own professional constraints, when push comes to shove, I can barely squeeze a contribution out of any of these folks. They simply don’t have the time.
Their lack of commitment, in a certain respect, has led to my own lack of commitment, and I have considered folding the project on a number of occasions, or — at the very least — merging it into Jewschool, which has a much more consistent flow of contributions.
Nonetheless, I think there’s a value in Radical Torah as a standalone project. However, it is not something that I, nor its few devoted contributors (Rachel and Avielah in particular) can keep going on its own.
Some folks have attempted to contact me to offer contributions in the last few months. Unfortunately, a combination of issues delayed my receipt of their emails until the parsha they sought to comment on had already passed. For this, I apologize profusely. I do not want to turn away any contributions, and most certainly not with neglect. If you are one of the people whose emails had not been received nor responded to in due time, I beg your forgiveness and ask that you not hesitate to resubmit in the future. This project is, ultimately, dependent on you.
And with that sentiment in mind, I am asking those of you out there who are Jewish educators, rabbis, rabbinical students, amateur theologians, and the like, that have an interest in contributing to Radical Torah to please do so. There simply isn’t enough progressive Torah being taught these days, and resources like Radical Torah are essential in helping to rectify this matter.
Finally, I would like to announce that I am searching for a volunteer editor who is willing to manage Radical Torah, seeing as how I’m spread a bit thin with all my other projects. Responsibilities chiefly include pursuing, receiving, and editing submissions. There isn’t a heck of a lot more to it than that. If this is something you would be interested in doing, please contact me at director at matzat.org.il. In the meantime, Sarah Chandler (aka Jewschool’s Shamir Power) will be taking over as interim editor in my stead. If you would like to contribute to Radical Torah, she can be reached at editor at radicaltorah.org.
Again, my apologizes for slacking. I look forward to another year’s worth of Radical Torah — one in which the potential of this site is fully realized.
Thanks,
Dan Sieradski, founding editor
Radical Torah