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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Life Modesty Isn’t About Shells. It’s About Patriarchy.
Upon reading Michelle Honig’s article “Why This Orthodox Layering Trend Has to Stop”, I felt more worked up than I might have expected about a fashion item, albeit an extremely popular one laden with meaning. In her article, Ms. Honig attacks the “Kiki Riki” brand shell, a ubiquitous clothing trend used to ensure modesty for…
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News Boycott Schm-oycott! Trump Insists He Never Planned To Call Rabbis For High Holidays
Did liberal Jewish denominations succeed in making a brave statement against President Trump’s divisive leadership by effectively torpedoing an annual High Holidays conference call with rabbis? Or did Trump hang up on them before they could hang up on him? Less than 24 hours after Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist rabbis announced they would not organize…
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Community Sorry, Frum Fashion Police: We Orthodox Women Will Keep Wearing Whatever The Heck We Want
A piece appeared in the fashion section of the Forward a couple days ago by Michelle Honig, in which she deplored the ubiquitousness of the layering shell — a tightly-fitting top that Orthodox Jewish women wear beneath tops that would otherwise not meet Orthodox standards of modesty. She expressed the opinion that these things are…
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Community Touro’s Lander Colleges
Touro’s Lander Colleges have educated generations of Jewish students and prepared them for careers in law, medicine, accounting, finance, the health sciences, psychology and more. The school has three campuses—Brooklyn (separate men’s/women’s program), Queens (men’s program) and Manhattan (women’s program). All three campuses offer an Honors program track and generous academic scholarships. All food served…
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Opinion The Orthodox Obsession With Being Skinny Has To Stop
I grew up with parents that loved me, a roof over my head, and everything I needed to be happy. But when I look back at my childhood, one thing overwhelms everything else: the overwhelming shame, hatred, and disgust that I had about the size of my body. Growing up I was told that I…
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Fast Forward Orthodox Rabbinical Group Condemns Trump Over Charlottesville
The largest body of Orthodox rabbis in the United States released a statement on Wednesday condemning President Trump’s continued comparisons between white supremacist marchers and counter-protestors in Charlottesville, Va. “There is no moral comparison,” the president of the Rabbinical Council of America, Rabbi Elazar Muskin, said in a statement. “Failure to unequivocally reject hatred and…
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Opinion My Fellow Orthodox Jews: Admit You Were Wrong About Trump
For two years, I have been grappling with how to relate to those of my fellow Orthodox Jews who, for reasons utterly mystifying to me, cannot see Donald Trump for what he is. I first tried logic, I tried appeals to truth, then justice, then facts, then emotion. That last one was particularly painful. It…
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Life How the Term ‘Ultra-Orthodox’ Is An Overgeneralization — And Why It Matters
One of my biggest pet peeves about how the media often portrays Orthodox Jews is its use of the overarching term, “ultra-Orthodox.” The photos that accompany articles about “ultra-Orthodox” Jews are typically of women in thick stockings, short wigs and little hats pushing strollers in busy intersections in places that look like Boro Park. Men…
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