The denominations that make up mainstream American Judaism — Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist — all seem to be struggling with organizational issues while clinging fiercely to their separate identities. But not Jewish Renewal, a small movement based on the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Renewal is facing the exact opposite problem: It is struggling to…
Experts are warning that an outbreak of mumps that has already sickened thousands in the Orthodox community could spread further this Passover. The outbreak, which first appeared last June, has been largely confined to Hasidic populations in Brooklyn, Orange and Rockland counties in New York, and parts of New Jersey. But the Centers for Disease…
The battle over whether women may serve in rabbinic roles in Orthodox synagogues, and if so, what these women should be called, dominated the recent Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance conference — where many speakers predicted that female clergy members would become increasingly common at Orthodox institutions. “The community is inspired, electrified and supportive of women…
This summer, young Israeli and Palestinian leaders will travel to Washington to live together and learn from each other, in hopes of creating a new narrative for the possibilities for peace in the Middle East. They’ll be taking part in New Story Leadership, a program that takes 20- to 25-year-old Israeli and Palestinian college students…
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Daven!” Susie Essman Regales at Jewish Museum Purim Ball Introduced by comedienne Judy Gold, it was the surreal Purim shpiel of Susie Essman that had the guests at the March 3 Jewish Museum’s Purim Ball at the Waldorf-Astoria spinning graggers and roaring with laughter. Titled “Surreal Soiree,” the gala was…
Here in Portland we’re fortunate to have a year-round farmer’s market, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting, tasty, off-the-beaten-path things to make for Pesach. I love serving fresh asparagus at my seder, but it’s not in season yet, so I was looking for an alternative. Our local mushroom purveyor, Springwater Farm, offers a…
It is apropos that the Whole Grains Council has declared quinoa as the March Grain of the Month, as we begin Passover on the night of March 29th. Quinoa, a rockstar of a grain in its own right with tons of nutritional value, made its debut as a Passover friendly grain just a few years…
A Seder in a restaurant? To many, that would be unimaginable, because the event is normally synonymous with the hospitality of a Jewish home. Of course, synagogues and catering halls have long offered communal Seders to all comers, and ecumenical and “theme” Seders now abound — even at the Obama White House, to the tune…
The dispute between Israel’s Magen David Adom and its American fundraising arm has reached a critical point as the Israeli organization has formally announced its intention to sever its contractual ties with American Friends of Magen David Adom. A letter sent on March 10 from a New York attorney representing MDA, which is the Israeli…
On this week’s Forward podcast: editor Jane Eisner on what’s in the March 19th edition of the paper, and musician and Forward artist-in-residence Jeremiah Lockwood releases the first installment of his Nigunim project.
Sunday was my daughter Hannah’s third birthday party (which came just three weeks after my son Jeremy’s sixth birthday party). My husband and I threw the same kind of party for my daughter as for my son. I baked a cake — shaped like Dora the Explorer this time rather than The Cat in the…
אַבֿרהם שטערן, אַ פֿרומער ייִד, האָט פֿאַרטראַכט חשבון־מכשירים וואָס האָבן דערפֿירט צום מאָדערנעם קאָמפּיוטערײַ.
