This is the Forward’s coverage of Orthodox Judaism, which aims for a stricter observance of halachic law than Conservative or Reform Judaism. It includes Modern Orthodox Judaism, as well as Haredi (sometimes called ultra-Orthodox) Judaism,…
Orthodox Judaism
The Latest
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News Can Orthodox Buck Movement Toward More Liberal Branches of Jewish Faith?
Ron Rosenblatt’s parents grew up Orthodox. Ronsenblatt had his bar mitzvah in a Conservative synagogue. His children were raised as Reform Jews. Rosenblatt, 71, a dentist in Los Angeles, now attends a Reform synagogue a few miles from the Orthodox congregation where his parents were married. His trajectory is typical for an American Jew, the…
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Opinion Halacha at the Crosswalk
The recent incident this past Yom Kippur involving a woman in Jacksonville, Florida who was killed while crossing an intersection with dangerously fast cars was very tragic indeed. It not only left the sixteen year old daughter who was with her with life-threatening injuries, it left her orphaned r”l. This young lady had lost her…
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News Deadly Yom Kippur Crash Spurs Safety Push for Observant Jewish Pedestrians
On the eve of Yom Kippur, Orly Ohayon and her mother stood at an intersection in suburban Jacksonville, Fla., on their way to synagogue for Kol Nidre services. As they crossed eight-lane San Jose Boulevard, the pair was struck by a Toyota Camry, killing Esther Benzohar Ohayon, 57, and leaving Orly, 16, with several broken…
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News Popular Orthodox Teen Orphaned by Yom Kippur Crash
Orly Ohayon is a “popular” observant Jewish teenager who grew up in Jacksonville, Fla., where her Israeli immigrant parents settled decades ago. The 16-year-old girl is now an orphan after the tragic Yom Kippur accident that killed her mother and left her with serious physical injuries. She was released last week from the University of…
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Opinion To Reach Diaspora, Make Israel Welcoming to All Jews
I am always delighted by the Sukkot tradition of ushpizin. We invite guests, ceremonially and literally, into our homes to celebrate the spirit of Jewish hospitality — a central theme of this festival. This year, I challenge Israel and world Jewry to ask themselves a question: How big is our people’s sukkah? This question came…
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News Driver in Yom Kippur Accident That Killed Jewish Mother Had Previous Killer Crash
A Florida driver under investigation for the death of a Jewish woman on her way to Yom Kippur services has a long record of driving infractions — and was behind the wheel during a 2009 crash that killed a 6-year-old girl. Esther Benzohar Ohayon, 57, and her daughter Orly, 16, were crossing a highway intersection…
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Fast Forward Jewish Teenager Clings to Life After Florida Yom Kippur Tragedy
A teenage girl who was hit by a car while walking to attend Kol Nidrei services on Yom Kippur is in critical condition after undergoing several surgeries. Orly Ohayon, 16, from Jacksonville, Florida, was rushed to University of Florida Health hospital. Her mother was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver hit the pair as…
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Life Your Stories of Jewish Mourning
In late August, The Sisterhood launched a series examining the role of women in Jewish mourning traditions. Grieving for a loved one is fiercely personal; doing so as a woman, guided by Jewish laws and rituals, can be comforting or restricting, depending on one’s experience. We asked you, Sisterhood readers, to share your stories. Many…
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