Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of rabbis, the spiritual leaders of Jewish congregations.
Rabbis
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The Schmooze Naomi Campbell And Paula Abdul Pay Tribute To…The Lubavitcher Rebbe
25 years ago this week, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader of the Chabad Hassidic movement who some Jews believe to be the messiah, died. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, a biographer of Schneerson, who was known to his followers as The Rebbe, says, “He really established what is, as far as I know, the first attempt…
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The Schmooze A Queer, Butch Woman Rabbi On Television? Meet Jen Kober, Of ‘Dead To Me.’
A non-exhaustive history of rabbis on television shows: The rabbi on “Seinfeld”? A man. The rabbi on “The West Wing”? A man. The rabbi on “Seventh Heaven”? A man. The rabbi on “Gossip Girl”? A man. The rabbi on “Grey’s Anatomy”? A man. The rabbi on “The Mindy Project”? A man. The rabbi on “Curb…
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Fast Forward Rabbi Accused Of Sexual Assault Has Paid Virtually None Of $21.7 Million Settlement To Alleged Victim: Lawsuit
A Connecticut rabbi found liable in a federal civil court case connected to the sexual assault of a yeshiva student has paid virtually none of the $21.7 million in damages awarded to the victim, according to a new lawsuit filed by the victim, the New Haven Register reported. In May 2017, a jury in Hartford…
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The Schmooze Did You Catch The Woman Rabbi Cameo On Saturday Night Live?
Did you catch the song “Holes” on Saturday Night Live this weekend, hosted by Adam Sandler? The musical sketch focused on the fact that clothing has holes in it (arm holes, leg holes, etcetera,) and is a pretty good cautionary tale about when people of one gender and race combination, who represent a tiny segment…
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Fast Forward Rabbi Wounded In Synagogue Shooting Finished Sermon Before Going To Hospital
The San Diego rabbi who was shot in the hand during Shabbat services — but insisted on finishing his sermon — has also served as the county’s police chaplain. Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein is a rabbi with the worldwide Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which emphasizes outreach and education to other Jews, and as chaplain tended to the “spiritual…
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Life Passover Falls On Marijuana Holiday 4/20 This Year. Rabbis Aren’t Thrilled.
For so long, in Judaism and elsewhere, “getting stoned” meant getting literal stones thrown at you until you died. Now it means getting high on marijuana. And isn’t that freedom? Well…said the seventeen rabbis and spiritual leaders contacted by the Forward for this story. Not — well — uh, not exactly? This year, the second…
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Opinion Israeli Rabbis Are Using DNA Testing To Police Civil Rights. This Shouldn’t Shock You.
On Tuesday, Judy Maltz reported in Haaretz that the Israeli Rabbinate, which controls conversion, marriage and divorce in Israel, is using DNA testing to verify a person’s Jewishness. Since a person who isn’t Jewish can’t marry a Jew in Israel, which has no civil marriage, the rabbinate is using the DNA test to deny people…
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Fast Forward Orthodox Rabbi Appointed To Serve In Illinois Legislature
(JTA) — An Orthodox rabbi was appointed to serve in the Illinois State Legislature. Rabbi Yehiel Kalish was sworn in to the Illinois House of Representatives on Sunday night. Kalish, 43, is the first rabbi to serve as an Illinois state representative. “I may be the first rabbi in any state legislature. And that’s very exciting,”…
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Opinion Zohran Mamdani’s victory proves it: The ‘gotcha’ mode of fighting antisemitism has to go
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News What a Mayor Mamdani would mean for New York Jews
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Fast Forward Mamdani tells Colbert — and a national audience — why NYC Jews shouldn’t fear him as mayor
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Opinion Mamdani’s victory is an opportunity for Jews to relearn the art of disagreement
In Case You Missed It
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Fast Forward ‘Let Bibi go,’ ‘Make the deal in Gaza’: Trump renews Israel demands in social media posts
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Fast Forward ‘Death to the IDF,’ punk band chants at Glastonbury ahead of Kneecap set
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Fast Forward Swedish far-right party apologizes for its past links to Nazis and antisemitism ahead of elections
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Fast Forward Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand calls on Zohran Mamdani to denounce ‘globalize the intifada’ following primary win
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