One hundred and fifty: a number simultaneously enormous and tiny. One hundred and fifty Czech Jewish teenagers left behind everything and everyone — the lives they’d known, their parents, their siblings, their grandparents and aunts and uncles. One hundred and fifty Czech teens, selected by the Jewish Agency’s Youth Aliyah and the Denmark branch of…
A Jewish school teacher accused of child sex abuse was heckled in an Australian court by a victims advocate after being extradited from the U.S. David Kramer, 52, looked stunned when alleged child sexual abuse victim Manny Waks stood up and shouted at him. “Welcome back to Australia Rabbi Kramer,” Waks called out, according to…
An American Jew was extradited to Australia and charged with multiple counts of indecent assault and indecent acts with a minor at an Orthodox Jewish school. David Kramer was surrendered by U.S. authorities on Nov. 29 and extradited to Melbourne, where he is accused of sexually abusing children at Yeshivah College between 1989 and 1992…
Circumcision is one of Judaism’s most important laws and for generations of faithful it has symbolised a Biblical covenant with God. But in Israel, more and more Jewish parents are saying no to the blade. “It’s such a taboo in Israel and in Judaism,” said Gali, nursing her six-week-old son, about the decision not to…
Another major Jewish organization in Australia is embroiled in a child sex abuse scandal, adding to the trauma triggered by recent revelations of similar cases involving students at two schools in Melbourne, run by Chabad and Adass Israel, respectively. Because of a suppression order issued by an Australian court, the name of the organization, the…
The announcement by Australia’s Prime Minister of a royal commission into the “vile and evil” scourge of child sex abuse has reignited the controversial issue inside the Jewish community. Julia Gillard announced Monday that the inquiry would include children under the care of all religious organizations and that it would focus on the response of…
The case against the New Jersey man who confessed to killing little Etan Patz is “flimsy,” and police reportedly say there is little or no hard evidence linking him to the notorious crime. Despite an intensive investigation, detectives have found nothing to tie Pedro Hernandez to the murder of the 6-year-old boy as he walked…
Birthright Israel NEXT is ceding its follow-up role in connecting young Jews to their Jewish identity after the free trips they take to Israel via the Taglit Birthright Israel program. The 4-year old program is replacing its staff in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and other cities where there are large concentrations of Birthright alumni,…
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