This is the Forward’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and its affect on Jewish communities around the world.
COVID-19
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Opinion Panic is gripping my Orthodox community as we navigate the plague
It’s hard to overstate how serious it was for Rabbi David Cohen, senior halachic authority in the Flatbush area of Brooklyn and nationwide, to cancel all shul-related activities due to the coronavirus outbreak. And yet, that’s what happened. On Tuesday, he sent out a letter stating that all remaining schools which had not yet closed…
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Fast Forward Conservative Movement leaders say virtual minyans are permissible during ‘crisis situation’
(JTA) — The leaders of the Conservative movement’s Jewish law committee issued a crisis declaration allowing the recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish with a virtual online prayer quorum. In a statement issued this week, Rabbis Elliot Dorff and Pamela Barmash, the co-chairs of the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, said that given the current…
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News From the Forverts archives: Influenza 1918, everyone does the flu their own way
Reading the Forverts in 1918 you’d be forgiven for thinking revolution—rather than an influenza pandemic—was in the air. In June they thrilled to America’s military victory over Germany due to the spread of flu among Germany’s soldiers, not realizing it would make its way here, a viral passenger along for the ride with soldiers returning…
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Yiddish „הצלה דקרית יואל‟: שליסט אַלע שילן, ישיבֿות, שולעס און מקוואָות!Kiryas Yoel Hatzoloh: Shut all shuls, yeshivas, schools and mikvahs!
די מעלדונג אויף ייִדיש רופֿט דעם פֿרומען עולם, דורך אַ שטרענגער וואָרענונג, זיך צו דערווײַטערן וואָס מער פֿון אַנדערע מענטשן.
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Fast Forward Headquarters of Chabad movement, iconic ‘770’ building, closes for first time
The international Chabad movement, one of modern Judaism’s most powerful forces for the dissemination of Jewish culture and practice, has closed its iconic headquarters for the first time, citing the spread of coronavirus and the illness of residents in its Crown Heights, Brooklyn neighborhood. The closure happened “in accordance with the order of the rabbis…
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Culture Daily distraction: 92nd Street Y online, free yoga, Jewish Museum audio tour
It’s Wednesday, and we’re halfway through this first — for many of us — week of socially distancing. Every day is an achievement, and every day deserves a reward. Here are some options to consider today. 1) Browse archived performances from the 92nd Street Y. The 92nd Street Y, one of New York’s most beloved cultural…
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Life At home for coronavirus, I’m the child in the (literal) room
This is my evening routine in the era of coronavirus: around dinner time, I descend the staircase that connects my childhood bedroom, where I’ve spent most of the day, to the kitchen below. From the bottom, I can just see the table where my parents are preparing to sit down. But I eat on the…
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News Notes from the future: A view from New Rochelle, N.Y., where “social distancing” started
America, I know where you are headed, because I’m already there. We in New Rochelle, N.Y., became the experts at social distance, physical distance, early on. A “hot spot” – “New Roch-HELL” – “a problem area” – throw at us whatever you have because we can take it. Here at a forefront of the pandemic,…
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Opinion Outrage over Nicholas Kristof’s op-ed on sexual assault of Palestinians is missing the point
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News They texted about Torah and mitzvahs. Feds say they were insider trading
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Culture At Eurovision, Israel’s near triumph shows the limits of tolerance
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Opinion I run The Jewish Theological Seminary. Here’s the real story about President Isaac Herzog speaking at our commencement
In Case You Missed It
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Fast Forward Itamar Ben-Gvir draws criticism from Netanyahu for video taunting detained flotilla activists
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Fast Forward What Tuesday’s primaries tell us about Democrats, Republicans and the Israel issue
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Fast Forward AOC and other leading Democrats condemn Texas congressional candidate Maureen Galindo over antisemitic rhetoric
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Fast Forward Pennsylvania’s Jewish governor, Josh Shapiro, faces Trump-backed challenger in reelection bid