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Opinion Institution of Chief Rabbi Has Outlived Its Usefulness
Finally, after more than a year of deliberation, the United Kingdom has chosen Ephraim Mirvis to be its new chief rabbi, replacing Lord Jonathan Sacks. Actually, much of that sentence isn’t correct. It isn’t “the United Kingdom” that chooses the chief rabbi. For all its pretensions to established status, the chief rabbinate has only a…
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Fast Forward History of Jews in Quebec Explored in New Class
Montreal’s Université de Montréal has launched a new course this semester that asks the question: “Who are the Jews of Quebec?” The course, organized by the theology and science of religions department, is the first of its kind to be held in a Francophone university, The Canadian Jewish News (http://www.cjnews.com/campus/new-udem-course-studies-quebec-jews) reported. Called “Culture et expériences…
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Fast Forward New England Shuls Close Amid Blizzard
Some synagogues have cancelled services ahead of a potentially historic blizzard. At least two synagogues in Providence, R.I., have called off Shabbat services this week in light of the expected severe weather. More than two feet are expected in Providence, one of the highest predicted snowfalls. “Due to the impending blizzard all worship services have…
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Fast Forward Nechemya Weberman’s 103-Year Sentence Cut In Half
The 103-year prison sentence a judge slapped on convicted child molester Nechemya Weberman has reportedly been slashed by more than half by state prison officials. State Supreme Court Justice John G. Ingram hit Weberman, an unlicensed ‘therapist’ in the Satmar Hasidic community, with the century-plus term behind bars for repeatedly abusing a young girl placed…
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Fast Forward Synagogues Shut as Jewish Community Readies for Nor’easter Blizzard Nemo
Some synagogues have cancelled services ahead of a potentially historic blizzard. At least two synagogues in Providence, R.I., have called off Shabbat services this week in light of the expected severe weather. More than two feet are expected in Providence, one of the highest predicted snowfalls. “Due to the impending blizzard all worship services have…
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Fast Forward Jewish Cemetery Desecrated in Tunisia Twice in One Month
For the second time in a month, vandals desecrated Jewish graves in Tunisia. On Feb. 4, unidentified individuals smashed and overturned ten gravestones in Kef in Western Tunisia, according to the Tunisia News Network. An earlier incident in the coastal Tunisian town of Sousse left more than 68 Jewish graves ransacked and looted on Jan….
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Opinion The Gun Lobby’s Jewish Enemies List
The National Rifle Association compiled a list of its enemies and it reads like a Jewish who’s who list. The list, prepared by the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action includes 506 individuals, organizations, media outlets and corporations that “have lent monetary, grassroots or some other type of direct support to anti-gun organizations.” The groups listed…
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News In Victory for ‘Chained’ Wives, Court Upholds Orthodox Prenuptial Agreement
For the first time, a state court has affirmed the constitutionality of a Modern Orthodox-sponsored prenuptial agreement meant to protect agunot — Jewish women “chained” by husbands who refuse to grant them a religious divorce. The agunah in this case, Rachel Light, may even be eligible to demand more than $100,000 from her husband under…
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News A pioneering Reform synagogue makes way for a booming Iranian Jewish community
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News Hampshire College closure reverberates for alumni who treasured a Yiddishist hub
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Opinion Who’s responsible for deadly antisemitism? Everyone will hate the answer
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Opinion Epstein and Iran are an antisemitism mega-crisis. Here’s what Jewish organizations should do about it.
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Fast Forward Steeped in history, Pensacola Jews celebrate the 150th anniversary of Florida’s oldest synagogue
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Fast Forward Rahm Emanuel joins calls for end to US ‘financial aid’ to Israel
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Fast Forward Michigan Democrats nominate Eli Savit, progressive Jewish prosecutor, for state attorney general
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Fast Forward At soldiers’ graves, the rows keep growing: Israel’s Memorial Day is shaped by new loss
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