About Tango With Torah:
What is Tango with Torah all about?
This website is a Jewish-oriented website that is attempting to provide a bit of the encyclopedic awesomeness of Textweek.com (a website full of links and resources on the Christian lectionary and calendar) to the Jewish scriptures, with lots of links to quality translations, commentaries and other resources. But we also want to provide our own original materials over time.
Who is behind this site?
It is edited by James M. Branum. I'm a member of Reform Jewish temple but also am an interfaith minister with the Objector Church, a religoius humanist community. If I had to define myself, I would call myself a Jewish Humanist, but I have past background as a minister in a progressive Mennonite Church. I still value the ethical teachings of Jesus, but these days I appreciate him primarily from his Jewish context and do not worship Jesus as part of a trinitarian conceptulalization of God.
Why is this website called Tango with Torah?
The editor of this website and his wife have in the past written some commentaries on portions of the Torah (in both written and audio form) with this name, so it seemed like a good name to continue to use. But I also like the idea of using the metaphor of The Tango (a dance known for its passion and transgressive nature) to describe the nature of Jewish study and engagement with scripture, since a true student of Torah (in the deepest sense of the word) will bring one's full attention and passion to the endeavor, as well as a healthy dose of irreverence.
Why are contradictory positions taken by some of the resources and links included on this website?
That's because Jewish scriptures are complicated, enigmatic and yes, sometimes contradictory. I find it most helpful to study these texts from a variety of perspectives, including some that otherwise might not agree with.