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,…
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Yiddish World Yankel and Leah 4: Observing the NYC Skyline – And Her
This originally appeared in the Yiddish Forverts. To read the previous chapter. “I’m available,” Leah said brightly. “Good,” he said, feeling an instant resistance to her enthusiasm. “I’ll see you at eight o’clock?” This time Yankel was able to borrow a different car. It was an almost-new Oldsmobile 98 Regency. “Beautiful car,” Leah said when he…
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News Orthodox Push For Eruv Sparks Fierce Backlash In New Jersey Suburb
More than 200 residents of the New Jersey suburb of Mahwah packed a local park Monday night to celebrate what speakers called a victory against a potentially negative influence on the wealthy town. It wasn’t an upsurge in crime or some kind of unwanted real-estate development that had them so riled up. It was the…
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Fast Forward London Orthodox Push Boycott Of JW3 Center Over LGBT Programming
(JTA) — A group of Orthodox rabbis in London have called on their members to boycott the city’s JW3 Jewish cultural center because it holds events for LGBT Jews. Signed by seven haredi Orthodox rabbi, the letter released Friday calls on members of their communities to “distance themselves fully from JW3, its activities and services,…
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Opinion WTF: Why Don’t Some Observant Jews Carry Umbrellas On Shabbat?
I’m not a rabbi, nor am I an expert on Jewish law by any means — but I have been a practicing Modern Orthodox Jew for my entire adult life. As one of the few Orthodox Jews working at the beautifully pluralistic Forward, I often become the go-to gal for questions of religious custom and…
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Fast Forward Attacking Prenups Is Bad For Jews Everywhere
Last week by Rabbi Zvi Tau added his signature to a yellowing letter, originally published in the 1980s, opposing the use of pre-nuptial agreements. In doing so Rabbi Tau, a leader of the ultra-conservation faction within Zionist Orthodoxy, added his name to a list of 44 rabbis similarly opposed. The timing is no coincidence. The…
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Opinion ‘Liberal’ Jews Are Just As Judgmental As The Orthodox Behind The Kotel Decision
Like most of my fellow liberal Jews, I find it deplorable that the Israeli government reneged on a deal for egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall. I’m also feeling something that others probably aren’t, though: hope for a lesson learned about liberal Judaism’s own walls. What the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate is doing to the liberal…
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Community Sorry, Netanyahu: The Diaspora Won’t Take This Betrayal Lying Down
On the morning of July 12, I read a piece in the Opinion Page of the New York Times titled “Israel to American Jews: You Just Don’t Matter” by Thomas L. Friedman. In this piece, Friedman states that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu has yielded to the whims of the Orthodox and has basically…
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Opinion American Orthodox Rabbis Don’t Trust Women By Themselves In Mikvehs. Why?
In the past few years, the American Jewish establishment has spoken out against the Israeli Chief Rabbinate’s refusal — sometimes retroactive — to recognize conversions and marriages performed by American rabbis, one of whom, most notably, oversaw the conversion of Ivanka Trump. For many American Jews, the chief rabbinate was, once again, being unnecessarily strict…
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Opinion A Reichstag fire is blazing in Trump’s America and we know exactly who is fanning the flames
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Yiddish נײַ בוך וועגן אַמאָליקן ניו־יאָרק איז ווי אַ סעודה פֿאַר ייִדישיסטןNew book about old New York City is like a feast for Yiddishists
דער מחבר הענעך סאַפּאָזשניק איז אַ גאָר פֿעיִקער װעגװײַזער איבער אַ פֿאַרלוירענער װעלט.
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Fast Forward Philadelphia Jewish museum won’t re-hang Israeli flag now after it was vandalized twice in a week
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Fast Forward Two congregations, two opinions as Torahs hit the floor at separate NYC services
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