Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of Hasidic Judaism, a sub-group of Haredi Judaism that adheres to the historical traditions of Eastern European Jews, including communicating in Yiddish.
Hasidic
The Latest
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News Why Do Some Ultra-Orthodox Jews Defy Their Rebbes And Refuse Measles Vaccines?
“Minke” used to get her kids vaccinated, though she never felt right about it. The thought of injecting her children with a foreign substance — one that might cause them to run a fever or have an allergic reaction — scared her, even if it might protect them from measles, polio and other life-threatening diseases….
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Life What Yeshiva Kids Are Actually Studying All Day
In the last few years, advocacy groups have criticized yeshivas (Orthodox private schools) in the New York area for offering students a substandard education. YAFFED (Young Advocates for Fair Education) recently sued New York state, challenging the constitutionality of a recent amendment to an education law directed at these schools, and has argued that their…
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Life Why Hasidic Jews Avoid The Torah On Christmas Eve
It is a common practice among Hasidic Jews to abstain from studying the Torah on Christmas Eve. This tradition is remarkable, since for one thing, religious Jews do not usually have customs associated with Christian holidays. For another, studying of Torah is considered one of the most important things Jews must do, and they otherwise…
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Fast Forward Man Charged With Hate Crime For Punching Hasidic Jew In Brooklyn
(JTA) — New York police have arrested a man alleged to have punched a Hasidic Jewish man in the head, and charged him with a hate crime. In addition to the hate crime charge, Eric Gerena, 32, who was arrested on Tuesday, was charged with assault in the third degree. The attack on Friday night…
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Community NYC Is Cracking Down On Yeshivas — And The Satmar Rebbe Has Declared War
For years now, the Hasidic community has feigned compliance with New York State Education laws. While Hasidic yeshivot don’t typically provide much secular education at all, they have at least claimed that they were complying with the law. However, a recent speech by the Satmar Rebbe Aron Teitelbaum disabuses once and for all the notion…
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Fast Forward WATCH: Hasidic Man Punched In Brooklyn, Perpetrator Yells ‘Blah!’
A Hasidic man was punched in the head from behind on Saturday in Brooklyn, NBC New York reported. Video shows a Hispanic man racing up to a small group of people standing on the sidewalk in the Williamsburg neighborhood. He punched the 32-year-old victim and reportedly yelled “Blah!” before running away. The victim was wearing…
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Fast Forward 2 Jewish Boys Attacked In Brooklyn In Separate Incidents
NEW YORK (JTA) — Two Orthodox Jewish boys were attacked in Brooklyn in one day. A passerby repeatedly punched a 9-year-old in the face on Sunday evening in the Williamsburg neighborhood, police told the New York Post. The boy was walking with his mother when the attack occurred in the heavily Hasidic area. Half an…
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News Black Jew Swarmed By Hasidic Mob — For Carrying A Torah While Not White
Yehuda Webster has a routine when it comes to Torahs. Just about every month, he picks up a rented Torah in a plastic sleeve from J. Levine Books and Judaica in Manhattan. He uses the Torahs for the bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies he arranges through an organization he founded, for families that don’t belong…
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Fast Forward Rep. Max Miller says driver called him a ‘dirty Jew’ and threatened to kill his family. A local doctor turned himself in.
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News As Israel attacks, what is life like for Jews in Iran?
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News An Alabama millionaire offered Jews $50,000 to move to his town. 16 years later, what’s left?
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Culture Why is Israel’s attack on Iran called ‘Rising Lion’ — and what does the Bible have to do with it?
In Case You Missed It
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Opinion If war with Iran goes badly for the U.S., Jews will be the scapegoat
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Fast Forward Israel puts civilians on high alert as Iranian leaders vow response to US strikes
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Fast Forward Trump meets gratitude, criticism after claiming total destruction of Iran’s nuclear program
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Opinion The US and Israel could topple the Iranian regime. They should choose negotiation instead
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