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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Culture Read The Groundbreaking Orthodox Film Story That’s Now An Award Finalist
Editor’s Note: Simi Horwitz’s stories on the Orthodox world have been named a finalist in the prestigious Deadline Club awards. Read her complete story of Orthodox women filmmakers here. The Haredi world is generally viewed as an insular patriarchal community that shuns movies. Virtually nobody owns a TV. Still, a fledgling, shadow film industry has…
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Fast Forward Orthodox Umbrella Group Backs New York Law Banning Assisted Suicide
NEW YORK (JTA) — Agudath Israel of America has filed a brief on behalf of a New York state law banning assisted suicide that is being challenged in the state’s highest court. The haredi Orthodox group filed its amicus brief in the case of Myers v. Schneiderman, where arguments in the Court of Appeals are…
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Fast Forward Meet Avi Berkowitz, Jared Kushner’s Protégé Who Went From Harvard To The White House
Less than a year ago, Avi Berkowitz was completing his degree at Harvard Law School. Today, the 28-year-old is an assistant to Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser. The rapid rise of the young lawyer, raised in a Jewish orthodox family in New York suburbs, is largely due to his close ties with…
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Community Jewish Day Schools Must End The Silence On Sexual Harassment
My first confrontation with sexual harassment was not on the streets but within my small Modern Orthodox high school. As I walked down the hallways, its walls decorated with quotes from prominent rabbinical figures and pictures of students bent over Judaic texts, I heard my name being called alongside whistles and jeers, crude language and…
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Community Taking Haredi Suicide Out Of The Shadows
In 2016, we saw a disturbing spike in suicides in the American Haredi community — and a flurry of speculation about the causes. Addressing this issue must be done with the greatest sensitivity. 75 suicides in a year is a statistic, but the reality is 75 individual tragedies. As a therapist with 20 years experience…
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Fast Forward Female Orthodox Law Partners Wear Pink To Prosecute Criminals
Move over Elle Woods. Orthodox Jews Mindy Meyer and Sara Shulevitz, practicing criminal law in New York City while donning matching pink dresses, a statement they say is as much about fashion as feminism. “We comply with Orthodox Jewish rules of modesty, but we like to wear pink,” Shulevitz, 40, told The New York Daily…
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Fast Forward Jason Greenblatt’s Kippah Went Missing, And The Israelis Were Baffled
President Trump’s adviser on international negotiations just concluded his first trip to the Middle East and won a round of praise from all sides, for his openness and inclusiveness in approaching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But some in the Israeli press and on social media noticed another fact: Greenblatt, who is Orthodox, showed up to his…
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Fast Forward Betsy DeVos Praises Orthodox Schools As Model After Agudath Israel Meeting
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Education Secretary Betsy DeVos praised Orthodox Jewish schools as a model for publicly funded education. “I applaud Agudath Israel for their leadership and commitment to providing their community with access to educational options that meet the academic and religious needs of their families,” she said Wednesday after meeting with leaders of the…
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