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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Opinion Meet the Man Fighting Eruv ‘Terrorists’ in the Hamptons
A still from The Daily Show’s segment on eruvs, showing an “eruv hat” If Jack O’Dwyer didn’t exist, Jon Stewart might have invented him. You might remember The Daily Show’s hilarious 2011 video report on the bitter controversy surrounding a proposed eruv (religious boundary) in Westhampton Beach, New York. Simply by venting to correspondent Wyatt…
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Fast Forward Why Is Religious Pluralism Not Issue in Israel Vote?
(JTA) — A flyer published in late February declared that liberal Jews — whether liberal Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or otherwise — account for more than 600,000 Israelis. That many votes, the flyer said, could account for 10 seats in Knesset, a substantial party. The flyer’s message was clear: liberally religious Jews are a significant constituency…
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Fast Forward Sephardic Leader Calls ‘Hatikvah’ a ‘Stupid Song’
The spiritual leader of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party said at a party convention that “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem, “is a stupid song.” Rabbi Shlomo Cohen, head of the Council of Torah Sages of the Shas Party, made the comments Sunday at a party convention, the Israeli news website Walla reported. Walla also put a…
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Fast Forward Sephardic Leader Calls ‘Hatikvah’ a ‘Stupid Song’
The spiritual leader of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party said at a party convention that “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem, “is a stupid song.” Rabbi Shlomo Cohen, head of the Council of Torah Sages of the Shas Party, made the comments Sunday at a party convention, the Israeli news website Walla reported. Walla also put a…
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Fast Forward Israel Chief Rabbi Vows To Defy Conversion Law
One of Israel’s two chief rabbis said he would not recognize conversions performed by municipal rabbis despite a government directive validating them. A recording of Yitzhak Yosef vowing to block the conversions was published Wednesday on the website kikar.co.il. The Sephardic chief rabbi said he would withhold his signature, which is still required to complete…
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Fast Forward ‘Get-Extort’ Rabbis Caught on Tape Plotting To Beat Reluctant Husbands
(Reuters) — An undercover FBI agent testified on Thursday in a case involving three Orthodox Jewish rabbis in New Jersey accused of kidnapping and beating husbands to force them to grant divorces under Jewish law to their wives. Special Agent Jessica Weisman, who went by the name Rachel Marconi during the operation, said she weaved a…
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Opinion Let’s Get Over Our Non-Orthodox Inferiority Complex
When I was in high school, I stopped wearing my kippah. I felt myself drifting away from the ultra-Orthodox community of my childhood and the Modern Orthodoxy my parents tried to model for me at home. I stopped wearing my kippah because I wanted to disaffiliate from the Orthodox Jews that filled New York City…
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News Non-Orthodox Jews Find Voice as Sharp Battle Lines Drawn in New York Suburb
Between economic challenges and declining affiliation rates, it has been a rough few years for the non-Orthodox Jewish community in Rockland County. Situated about 30 miles north of midtown Manhattan, Rockland has been named New York’s most fiscally stressed community for two straight years by the state comptroller, and median home values are still down…
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