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News Dazzling Miss Israel Brings Message of Jewish Diversity to America
When Miss Israel, Yityish Aynaw, entered a Solomon Schechter Day School prekindergarten class, in New Milford, N.J., a caretaker excitedly asked the children, “Do you know where she’s from?” “Africa!” one confident little girl shouted. The adult quickly corrected the 3-year-old, explaining that Aynaw is in fact from “Eretz Israel.” The little girl’s reaction demonstrated…
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Opinion Time for Israel To Change Stance Toward Jewish Women
Is Judaism the problem or the solution to women’s equality? Try telling agunot, women who are chained to their husbands unable to obtain a get, a religious divorce, that they are equal to men. Overarching Jewish values like b’tzelem Elohim — that all people are created in the image of God — may teach equality,…
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Fast Forward Jews Tell Pope Francis of ‘Concerns’ Over Possible Sainthood for Pius XII
A Jewish leader expressed concern to Pope Francis on Monday over attempts to make a saint of World War Two-era Pope Pius XII, who has been accused of turning a blind eye to the Holocaust. Francis made no mention of his wartime predecessor during his talks with members of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious…
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Fast Forward Far-Right Touches Nerve With Demands for Jewish Prayer on Temple Mount
Far-right Israelis are pressing for an end to an effective ban on holding Jewish prayers at a Jerusalem holy compound once dominated by Biblical temples and now home to al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islam’s most revered sites. Palestinians oppose Jewish worship at the vast stone plaza overlooking Judaism’s Western Wall as a potential threat to…
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Opinion Women’s Prayer Protests at Western Wall Are Just Childish Provocation
I am, in my religious behavior, somewhere between what Israelis would call a hiloni or “secular” Jew and a masorti or “traditional” one. My wife and I light candles on Shabbat, we celebrate the Jewish holidays with our children and grandchildren, and now and then, for one reason or another, I find myself in a…
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Fast Forward Catholics Defend ‘Italian Schindler’ on Nazi Claim
The Vatican newspaper said on Saturday a decision by scholars to brand a wartime Italian previously praised for saving Jews as a Nazi collaborator was part of an attempt to smear the Catholic Church during the papacy of Pope Pius XII. An article, titled “To Strike at the Church of Pius XII” and written by…
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Fast Forward Chabad Rabbi Sorry for Suggesting Australian Boys Agreed to Sex Abuse
The Chabad rabbi at the center of a scandal surrounding his views on allegations of child sex abuse in Sydney two decades ago has apologized. Rabbi Baruch Lesches, who now runs the Lubavitch community in Monsey, N.Y., issued a statement Monday saying he “deeply regretted” comments attributed to him in news reports Sunday and stressed…
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News Six Excuses To Celebrate Jewishly This Summer
Sadly, between Shavuot (May 15) and Rosh Hashanah (September 5) there is a shortage of Jewish holidays. Sure, there’s Tisha B’Av (July 15), a day to recall the destruction of the First and Second Temples and other Jewish tragedies. But who wants to throw a party on a fast day? Tu B’Av, the Israeli equivalent…
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Exclusive Mahmoud Khalil wants to reassure you
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Culture 70 years ago, this Jewish choreographer predicted our epidemic of loneliness and isolation
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Opinion Trump is backed into a corner on Iran. Get ready for him to start blaming Jews
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Culture The original anti-Zionists have been all but forgotten. Molly Crabapple wants to change that.
In Case You Missed It
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Fast Forward Dan Bilzerian wants to ‘kill Israelis’ and thinks Judaism is ‘terrible.’ Now he’s running for Congress.
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Fast Forward After AIPAC-backed primary loss, Tom Malinowski endorses rival who says Israel committed genocide
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Opinion Viktor Orbán may fall. Netanyahu should be next
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Opinion Hungary is poised to topple an authoritarian leader. American Jews have something to learn
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