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.
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Fast Forward Sean Penn Hosts Freed Hasidic Businessman Jacob Ostreicher
Actor Sean Penn is with Jacob Ostreicher, the New York businessman held in Bolivia since 2011 who returned to the United States this week, the Hollywood star told the Associated Press. He told the AP in an e-mail Tuesday that Ostreicher was safe and receiving medical care in an undisclosed location. Penn told the AP…
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Opinion A Community of Exes — Hasids, That Is
Frimet (third from right), holds up her Footsteps certificate with the other fellows. I am a Footsteps member and supporter. I am also an observant Jew. To the critics of Footsteps, a not-for-profit organization that helps those seeking to leave their ultra-religious communities, this statement may seem like an oxymoron. Until about a year ago,…
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Opinion The Trouble With Idealizing Hasidim
Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein have yet to sell shtreimels. But one fashion commentator — and a whole lot of YouTube viewers — think Hasidic garb is worth another look. “The Substance of Hasidic Style,” a video posted by fashion platform StyleLikeU (and reposted by Upworthy), has garnered more than 170,000 views after it was…
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Fast Forward Baruch Lebovits Plea Deal Falls Through — Retrial Looms for Child Abuse Suspect
The prospect of a plea deal for accused child abuser Baruch Lebovits was shot down by both the prosecution and defense — prompting a judge to move toward a retrial of the tangled case. Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Mark Dwyer set a new hearing on January 23, at which he is expected to set a date…
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Life Hasidic Sex Abuse of Boys Is a Feminist Issue
There are so many stories in the news emerging from the Orthodox community about boys in the religious community — literally from here to Australia — that it’s hard to keep track. Ben Hirsch, director of Survivors for Justice, a Brooklyn organization that advocates for Orthodox sex abuse victims, has recently been quoted as saying…
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Fast Forward Firing of Bearded Hasidic Man From NYPD Academy Ruled Religious Discrimination
A federal judge ruled that a Hasidic police recruit who said he was fired from the New York Police Department because he would not trim his beard was the victim of religious discrimination. Fishel Litzman could be reinstated in the coming days, according to the New York Daily News. Federal Judge Harold Baer issued his…
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Opinion Hear Sam Kellner — In His Own Words
For this week’s story about the cases of accused molester Baruch Lebovits and accused extortionist Sam Kellner, the Forward was provided with a trove of secretly-recorded conversations. Among the recordings is a conversation Sam Kellner had with the family of a man who had already pled guilty to abuse charges. Over the course of 80…
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News Sam Kellner’s Tangled Hasidic Tale of Child Sex Abuse, Extortion and Faith
This is a story about religion, sex abuse, power, extortion, bungled prosecutions and the pitfalls of pursuing justice in an insular Orthodox community where disputes are solved internally and mistrust of outsiders reigns. It involves a convicted sex offender; a Hasidic multimillionaire oil and diamond dealer; a drug addict; a New York assemblyman; a supporting…
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