Jonathan K. Crane

Jonathan K. Crane

Jonathan K. Crane, PhD, Rabbi (he/him/his), serves as the Raymond F. Schinazi Scholar in Bioethics and Jewish Thought at Emory's Center for Ethics. A Professor of Medicine, Crane is a past president of the Society of Jewish Ethics, founder and co-editor of theJournal of Jewish Ethics, and author or editor ofNarratives and Jewish Bioethics,The Oxford Handbook of Jewish Ethics and Morality,Beastly Morality: Animals as Ethical Agents,Eating Ethically: Religion and Science for a Better Diet, and Judaism, Race, and Ethics: Conversations and Questions.

an image of a man holding his hand up to his ear symbolizing that he is listening
Ki Tisa

Why so Quiet?

D'Var Torah By: Jonathan K. Crane

 March 1, 2023
Children, and teenagers especially, are often told to think about what they say, and how they say it. Instead of speaking cavalierly, it's best to speak carefully and in a measured manner. In fact, perhaps it's best to listen more than speak. This is a lesson many of us could benefit from, and this week's parashah could help us.
Four people locking shoulders turned around facing away from the camera
Vayak'heil - P'kudei

A Single Whole

D'Var Torah By: Jonathan K. Crane

 February 27, 2023
As I was reading this week’s parashah about the construction of the Tabernacle, I found that one repeated detail caught my attention: “And he [Bezalel] made fifty gold clasps and coupled the curtains to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle became one whole,” and then just a few verses later we are told again that, “He made fifty copper clasps to couple the tent together so that it might become one whole” (Exodus 36:13,18).
an image of a man and a woman in services; the man is holding a gragger for Purim
T'tzaveh

Splitting like a Fig

D'Var Torah By: Jonathan K. Crane

 February 16, 2023
We often encounter paradoxes in life, things that appear to be mutually incompatible. Paradoxes sometimes appear in the unlikeliest places, and they deserve our close attention, like the one hiding in this week's parashah.
an image of a construction tools, a helmet, blueprints, pencil and measuring stick
T'rumah

“Tools of Gold”

D'Var Torah By: Jonathan K. Crane

 February 14, 2023
Every job has its tools. In my industry (at least, back in the old days), there were pencils for students, chalk/white boards for teachers, and books for everyone. Such tools had benefits and limitations. When used together, they had the potential to generate profound illumination.
an image of a watch half burried in sand
Mishpatim

“Don’t Delay”

D'Var Torah By: Jonathan K. Crane

 February 7, 2023
A discussion a few weeks ago with my son about watches made me wonder about the value of time and punctuality and their importance. I stumbled upon this issue again when reading the religious stipulations listed in this week's parashah.