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
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Fast Forward Orthodox Blur Faces and Erase First Names of Israel Ministers
Another group of women in powerful positions, another haredi Orthodox paper erasing them. Here we go again. After each new Israeli government is sworn in, its ministers pose for a group photo with the president. This year’s photo, taken yesterday, features Israel’s three women ministers in the middle row — Culture and Sport Minister Miri…
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Fast Forward Belda Lindenbaum, Pioneer for Orthodox Women, Dies at 76
Belda Lindenbaum, the co-founder of the Midreshet Lindenbaum women’s seminary program in Israel combining religious studies and army service, and other programs to advance Orthodox women, has died. Lindenbaum, who according to the Jewish Women’s Archive “was driven by the birth of her daughters to create new opportunities for Jewish women and girls,” died on…
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Culture Growing Up Hasidic — and Racist
On April 22, 1987, my mother was rushed to Interfaith Medical Center, situated on the outskirts of Crown Heights in Brooklyn. My mother was new to this country, without anyone to guide her about things like where to give birth to her firstborn, me. She claims I was the only white baby in the nursery….
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Fast Forward Australian Girls School Principal on Trial for Sex Abuse
The former principal of a haredi Orthodox girls’ school in Melbourne who was extradited from Israel last year is on trial for allegedly sexually abusing a former student. The trial began Tuesday in Australian Supreme Court against former principal Malka Leifer. The mother of eight ran the Adass Israel girls’ school from 2001 to 2008,…
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News How Orthodox Money Is Reshaping Republican Politics
Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have long appreciated the importance of tapping into the pool of Jewish donors, who are among the most generous political contributors in the nation. But until recently, Orthodox Jews have been an elusive target. Like their Democratic counterparts, Republican candidates chose to go after more secular — albeit more conservative…
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Culture A Piece of Unsolicited Advice for the Hasidic Community
A version of this essay appeared in Yiddish here. I was never really a Hasid. Sure, I looked like a Hasid, I quacked like a Hasid, and I even sometimes felt like a Hasid, but inside I never was one. I didn’t understand it at the time, and I denied it for years, but looking…
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Fast Forward Rabbis Speak at Conference on Gays in Orthodoxy
(JTA) — A group of modern Orthodox rabbis have done what advocates for Orthodox gays and lesbians say would have been unthinkable as recently as five years ago: They spoke at a conference on the treatment of gay, lesbian and transgender people in Orthodox communities. Four prominent Orthodox rabbis participated in Faith, Desire and Pyschotherapy,…
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Fast Forward 3 Rabbis Convicted in Orthodox Divorce Extortion Scheme
(Reuters) — Three Orthodox Jewish rabbis were convicted in New Jersey on Tuesday of conspiracy to commit kidnapping in a scheme to force men to grant divorces to their unhappy wives under Jewish law. Two of the rabbis were convicted as well of attempted kidnapping in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, according to the…
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Fast Forward Will the US come to Israel’s defense as Iran retaliates for attack?
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Fast Forward As Israel attacks Iran, Jews around the world open their Psalmbooks
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Fast Forward Analysis: What to watch for as Israel escalates ‘shadow war’ with Iran
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News Israel’s strike on Iran: How we got here, what we don’t know and what happens next
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