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
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Fast Forward Dear Israeli Rabbinate: Please, Add Us To The Blacklist!
Dear Israel Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau: We, the following San Diego, California, Rabbis are outraged that we were left off of your blacklist of rabbis whose testimony as to the Jewish identity of their congregants are unacceptable to Israel’s Chief Rabbinate. In the future please include our names among the other blacklisted rabbis. We…
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Opinion All Jews Must Welcome Interfaith Families — It’s What Rabbi Hillel Would Do
I encountered fierce opposition to a piece I wrote recently on the value of welcoming multi-faith families into our communities and adopting a posture of radical hospitality. I believe that providing a space that caters to every Jew’s spiritual needs — even if that Jew is married to someone of another faith — is the…
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Community What Does It Mean To Be A Religious Jew Today?
To me, being religious, in our contemporary conception of society, means making the invisible person visible and the unheard person heard. It means that in the constant journey to learn, one seeks moral refinement in each moment, all the while acting with kindness and humility towards all. One boldly leads from the inside out: inner…
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Fast Forward 6 More Orthodox Couples Arrested In Lakewood Benefits Fraud Investigation
Six more Jewish couples have been arrested in Lakewood, N.J., in connection with a massive public benefits scheme that is estimated to have stolen millions of dollars from the state, according to the Associated Press. Those arrested include a rabbi and the former leader of a religious school. The investigation is continuing, and more arrests…
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Fast Forward Controversial Conversion Law Would Be Frozen Under Deal With Ultra-Orthodox
(JTA) — Government sources in Israel said the ruling Likud party had reached a deal with Haredi coalition partners on the future of conversions to Judaism in Israel. The deal entails preserving the current status quo on conversion in Israel for six months, with parties working for and against state recognition for conversions without Orthodox…
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News How Benefits Fraud Scam Spread So Widely In Orthodox Town
The numbers in the public benefits fraud scam in the Orthodox enclave of Lakewood, New Jersey, are stunning. Fourteen arrests so far, and counting. More than $2 million in fraudulently obtained government funds. Hundreds of others scrambling to avoid prosecution for similar crimes. Law enforcement sources say that the schemes are both “widespread” and some…
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Community In Lakewood, Sometimes Corruption And Greed Get In The Way Of The Torah
Since I became observant in high school, I’ve been asked, “How can religious people act that way?” by non-Orthodox friends and family more than I would like to remember — and they are asking a good question. I have had the privilege of spending the decade after high school in full-time learning in two of…
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Fast Forward Netanyahu Insists Western Wall Prayer Plan Isn’t Dead
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the leaders of U.S. Jewish federations on Monday that any other premier would have given in to pressure from ultra-Orthodox political parties and completely canceled the plan for an egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall, two senior Israeli officials involved in the meeting told Haaretz. The meeting was called…
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