Vanessa Ochs
Vanessa Ochs is the Ida and Nathan Kolodiz Director of Jewish Studies at the University of Virginia and associate professor of Religious Studies.
Articles by Vanessa Ochs
Parashat Behar-Bechukotai: God In Our Grief
Where is God when we are grieving after the bad things happen?
Parashat Achrei Mot-Kedoshim: Space to Grieve
This week’s Torah reading is a double portion composed of Achrei Mot (“After the Death” ) and Kedoshim (“Holiness”). The ...
Parashat Tzav: The Virtues of Thanksgiving
If you have had a loved one who died while in hospice care, you may have received the same little ...
Studying New Ritual
Looking through the lens of material culture.
What Makes a Jewish Home Jewish?
They are filled with ethnic and religious objects--and everyday objects imbued with special meaning.
Touring a Jewish Home
From ritual items to artwork to the contents of a refrigerator, Judaism is evident throughout a Jewish home.