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
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Fast Forward Prominent Orthodox Rabbi Condemns Vaccines as a ‘Hoax’
One of the country’s most prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbis has condemned vaccines as a “hoax” in an interview with a local Jewish newspaper. “I see vaccinations as the problem,” Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky told the Baltimore Jewish Times in a story published in late August. “It’s a hoax. Even the Salk [polio] vaccine is a hoax. It’s…
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Opinion Modesty Is the New Black
Fashion is a tricky one for feminists. There are two poles to navigate, each with deep roots in thousands of years of patriarchy, and few of us make it through uncompromised. On one side we feel the pressure to dress sexy and look attractive, and on the other, a pressure to cover-up, because it is…
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Fast Forward Swastika Spray-Painted in Haredi-Heavy New York Suburb
Police are investigating an incident of anti-Semitic vandalism in a Rockland County, N.Y., community with a large haredi Orthodox population. The graffiti, consisting of a swastika and the words “Hail Hitler” spray-painted inside a Jewish star were found on a sidewalk Sunday in the town of Spring Valley, The Associated Press reported. Rabbi Yisroel Kahan,…
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Fast Forward British Orthodox Jew Forced From Home After Criticizing Israel’s Gaza Operation
An Orthodox Jewish man was forced to leave his home in England after criticizing Israel’s Gaza operation at a protest rally. The Greater Manchester home was vandalized twice with eggs and graffiti and smashed windows, and his car was sprayed with red paint, the Manchester Evening News reported Sunday. The man moved out after he…
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Opinion Take Back Tzniut
The first days of school are, once again, upon us. Teachers, parents and students alike are thinking about school supplies, those first lessons, the new routine. But for some students — especially female students in junior high and high school — and those who work with them, attention has also, once again, turned to the…
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Fast Forward Haredi School in Beit Shemesh Barred From Using Secular School Building
A Jerusalem court issued a restraining order against a haredi Orthodox girls’ school in Beit Shemesh from using part of a secular school’s building. The order issued Tuesday against the haredi school, Mishkenot Daat, was requested by the Ministry of Education, which also ordered it to close for operating without a license. The closure order…
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News I’m a Jew Contemplating Conversion to Judaism
The Seesaw is a new kind of advice column in which a broad range of columnists will address the real life issues faced by interfaith couples and families. Join the discussion by commenting on this post, sharing it on Facebook or following the Forward on Twitter. And keep the questions coming. You can email your…
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Fast Forward Parents and Teachers Protest School Partition in Beit Shemesh
Parents and teachers at a secular public school in Beit Shemesh are protesting the partitioning of half of the building for a haredi Orthodox girls’ school. A floor for the building was separated for use by the school, called Mishkenot Daat, and city construction workers erected an 8-foot-high wall down the middle of the schoolyard…
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