Zalman Rothschild is an assistant professor of constitutional law at Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law.

We are living through what might be the most polarized moment in American political life since the Civil War. Polling from last year shows that 80 percent of Americans believe the country is greatly divided on matters of values. According to one survey, roughly 1 in 4 Americans have ended a friendship over political differences. Our era’s hair-trigger readiness to write off those who disagree with us has created a climate not only of polarization but also of contempt.

The Jewish High Holidays, beginning with Rosh Hashanah and culminating in Yom Kippur, invite us to adopt the opposite posture. These days demand humility, which includes acknowledging that we do not have a monopo

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