Welcome to 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
-
Opinion Why Does My Hillel Favor Orthodox Over Reform?
Israel has been in the news recently for public officials’ . Unfortunately, downplaying Reform Judaism is not only an Israeli problem — it’s also haunted me throughout my experience at my campus Hillel. And at Hillel, it’s not coming from public official thousands of miles away. It’s in my home. Hillels all over the country…
-
Opinion The Whole Orthodox World Is Complicit in Faigy Mayer’s Death
Another beautiful soul died this past weekend, prematurely and unnecessarily. Thirty-year-old Faigy Mayer was after having plummeted from a 20-story building in Manhattan. Officials described her death as a possible suicide. While Faigy may have taken her life, the will to live was taken away from her by a community that is sadly complacent and…
-
Opinion Yes, Orthodoxy Changes. No, That’s Not ‘Rewriting History.’
Pssst! I’ve got a secret to share. It’s from deep inside the Orthodox Jewish world. Come closer… Okay, here it is: Orthodoxy changes! It’s not much of a secret, actually. At least in these here parts. But it seems to be an unfamiliar concept for Marc Shapiro, a University of Scranton professor and author of…
-
Opinion Can an Ex-Hasid Fit In Without Ever Hearing Nirvana or Watching Cartoons?
Here’s one of the things rarely admitted to, or even talked about, by those of us who’ve left the Haredi world. We are often plagued with what might seem to some a trifling concern: “fitting in.” After the decision to leave has been made, the first pair of jeans purchased, the new social circle formed,…
-
Fast Forward Bias Against Non-Orthodox Has Deep Roots in Israel
(JTA) — Israeli Religious Services Minister David Azoulay — from the haredi Shas Party — drew a wave of backlash earlier this week when he said that Reform Jews aren’t Jews. Among those who spoke out against the minister was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “A Reform Jew, from the moment he stops following Jewish law,…
-
Fast Forward Israel Minister Not Sorry for ‘Sinner’ Slur Against Reform Jews
Israel’s religious services minister said that his remarks about Reform Jews were taken out of context, but he did not apologize for their nature. “Of course, all Jews, even though they sin, are Jews,” David Azoulay of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party said Wednesday in a speech on the floor of the Knesset. “At the…
-
Fast Forward Orthodox Rabbis Plan Conversion Reform After Barry Freundel Scandal
(JTA) — After facing criticism for its handling of inappropriate behavior by a convert-supervising rabbi who turned out to be a mikvah-peeping voyeur, the country’s main centrist Orthodox rabbinical group has released key guidelines aimed at preventing abuses during the conversion process. The Rabbinical Council of America is recommending that would-be converts be given a…
-
Opinion We’ve Heard Enough Rabbis on Gay Marriage. Now, We Need a Rebbe.
The Orthodox conversation over the Supreme Court’s gay marriage decision reminds me why I am Modern Chassidish and not Modern Orthodox. There are many differences between these two streams, but the defining distinction is this: their views differ greatly over the role of Halacha (Jewish law) in religious life. The Modern Orthodox Jew experiences the…
Explore
Most Popular
In Case You Missed It
-
Sports ‘All my homies hate paintball Nazis’: Antisemitism scandal tears through paintball community
-
Fast Forward Man burns library books on Jewish history, including Anne Frank’s diary, in Jewish suburb of Cleveland
-
Culture The towering Jewish critic who taught me to grok art and hate Picasso
-
Fast Forward Judge cites Betar US in releasing Massachusetts student from immigration detention
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
