Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of rabbis, the spiritual leaders of Jewish congregations.
Rabbis
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Opinion Pope Francis’s Rabbi No. 2
(JTA) — Pope Francis is bringing along not one but two Argentinean rabbis on his trip to the Holy Land. The pope’s close friendship with Rabbi Abraham Skorka is well known. Skorka even wrote a book with the then archbishop of Buenos Aires. Skorka told JTA that he would be with the pope “all the…
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Fast Forward Gang of 4 Rabbis Indicted in Orthodox Divorce Torture Extortion Scheme
Four Orthodox rabbis and one of their sons were indicted on charges of conspiring to kidnap and torture Jewish men to force them to grant religious divorces to their wives. Rabbi Mendel Epstein and his son David Epstein, Rabbi Martin Wolmark, Rabbi Jay Goldstein and Rabbi Binyamin Stiller were charged Thursday in New Jersey federal…
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Opinion 5 Dudes Who Claim To Be America’s Rabbi
Judaism — it’s a big religion; America — it’s an even bigger place. But one man — one brave, self-sacrificing man — has taken upon himself the weight and burden of serving both constituencies, of being just the Jew that this country needs, of being: America’s Rabbi. I’m sorry, did I say “one man”? I…
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Fast Forward Israel Aims To Rein In Jewish Radicals for Pope’s Visit
Israel issued restraining orders against several Jewish right-wing activists on Wednesday, restricting their movements over concern that they could try to disrupt a May 24-26 visit to the Holy Land by Pope Francis. Francis will visit Jordan, the Palestinian Territories and Israel during the trip, his first as pope to the region. An Israeli police…
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Fast Forward Jonathan Sacks Warns of Religious Freedom Threat in Right-Wing Law Firm Speech
(JTA) — Rabbi Jonathan Sacks was praised by a Catholic cardinal and then blessed by a Mormon apostle. The former British chief rabbi was being honored by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a Washington-based public interest law firm that’s been busy representing clients — such as Hobby Lobby — who say their religious freedoms are…
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Fast Forward Jewish Boy Scout Leader and Rabbi Nabbed in Child Porn Round-Up
A Jewish Boy Scout leader from Long Island, a Brooklyn rabbi and a police officer were among some 71 people arrested in the New York City-area, in one of the largest roundups of those who share child pornography online, a federal official said Wednesday. Jonathan Silber, a Boy Scout den leader and Little League baseball…
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Fast Forward Boston Rabbi Barry Starr Sent Nude Pics to Teen — Trolled Web for Sex
Disgraced Boston-area Rabbi Barry Starr sent naked photos of himself to boys and trolled the internet for escorts for sexual liaisons — and was tripped up when the brother of one teen demanded thousands in hush money, court documents alleged. The prominent rabbi, who resigned as leader of Temple Israel in Sharon, engaged in “extensive”…
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Fast Forward Boston Rabbi Barry Starr Paid Teenage Boy $500K To Cover Up Affair
Boston-area Rabbi Barry Starr allegedly paid nearly half a million dollars — taken from synagogue funds and borrowed from his congregants — to hide his affair with a 16-year-old male. According to statements released Monday in the Stoughton District Court, Starr, the longtime spiritual leader at Temple Israel of Sharon before his recent resignation, used…
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Fast Forward Russell Brand defends Ye’s ‘Heil Hitler’ music video
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