Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its affect on Jewish communities around the world.
COVID-19
The Latest
-
Opinion The ultra Orthodox leadership’s shameful abdication of its responsibility
“Stay at home,” we were told yesterday. Other than for instances of critical need, Israelis are not to leave the house. Many of us have already been here, as schools were cancelled last week after three days of Purim vacation. For my family, that came on the heels of already having been quarantined in home…
-
Forverts in English Kiryas Yoel Hatzoloh: Shut all synagogues, yeshivas, schools and mikvahs!
Read this article in Yiddish Hatzolah of Kiryas Joel, the upstate New York Hasidic town of Palm Tree’s volunteer ambulance corps, released a poster in Yiddish Tuesday warning residents to close all communal institutions including synagogues. As a public service during this pandemic, the Forward is providing free, unlimited access to all coronavirus articles. If…
-
Culture Socially distancing? Join the Forward’s book club, and connect.
Dear reader: I hope you’ll join me in a new project we’re launching: The Forward Book Club. For me, it’s a way to combine something I love (reading) with something I crave (connection in a time of crisis). We’re going to start with a book that’s perfect for this moment: “The Bread Givers,” by Anzia…
-
News To preserve life, most Orthodox Jews submit, and sacrifice religious life
Hana Cohen’s apartment in Borough Park has a view onto the heavily Orthodox neighborhood’s 12th Avenue thoroughfare. There is a yeshiva, a daycare, a small synagogue, a restaurant. Tuesday, it was business as usual, with class in session and people shopping. Wednesday was different. “Usually there’s kids playing by the street, there’s mothers on the…
-
News Watch: White House calls Hasidic leaders, asking them to take virus more seriously
An assistant to the president called on rabbis and leaders of the Orthodox community to help reduce gatherings of more than ten people to prevent the spread of coronavirus, according to video and audio recordings sent to the Forward. Religious leaders asked questions on Tuesday about how to safely hold minyanim, including having them outside,…
-
Forverts in English All YIVO online classes are now free of charge
Read this article in Yiddish As COVID-19 continues to affect individuals and societies around the world, the YIVO Institute for Jewish research has decided to offer all its online courses free of charge. “YIVO wants to help keep our spirits lifted and provide content to sustain our minds and souls,” said Jonathan Brent, YIVO’s Executive…
-
Life How to fulfill the Torah’s commandment for optimism in the darkest times
There is a lot of confusion and doubt in these “coronavirus days.” That’s especially the case within the Jewish community, where optimism has always played a large role in how we live — even in the face of some of the harshest realities. Synagogues, mikvehs, schools and yeshivas have suspended all activities, going against our…
-
Yiddish זיך וואַשן די הענט — אַ גאָר אַלטע ייִדישע מסורהHandwashing – a venerable Jewish ritual
דאָס װאָס די כּהנים האָבן זיך געװאַשן די הענט פֿאַרן טאָן די עבֿודה איז דער ערשטער משל פֿון זיך ריטועל װאַשן די הענט בײַ ייִדן.
Most Popular
- 1
Culture Hitler is trending on TikTok again — and they’re trying to make him seem like a nice guy
- 2
Culture You can buy Sukkot gift boxes that say ‘tuchus’ on Amazon
- 3
Fast Forward Sitcom star encourages non-Jews like her to hang mezuzahs on their homes
- 4
Opinion A maelstrom around Rashida Tlaib shows how broken discourse about the war has become
In Case You Missed It
-
Yiddish זשורנאַל „ייִדישלאַנד“ דרוקט ערשטן קאַפּיטל פֿון אַ נײַעם אַוואַנטור־ראָמאַן‘Yidishland’ magazine prints first chapter of a new adventure novel
אויך אין דעם נומער: אַ ייִדישע איבערזעצונג פֿון לידער פֿון אַן אוקראַיִנישן פּאָעט וואָס איז געפֿאַלן אין שלאַכט קעגן רוסלאַנד.
-
Fast Forward Israel kills Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah
-
Culture On Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday, assessing the 39th president’s record on the Jews
-
Opinion With killing of Hezbollah’s chief, Israel occupies the inarguable moral high ground
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism