This is the Forward’s coverage of rabbis, the spiritual leaders of Jewish congregations.
Rabbis
The Latest
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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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Israel News Pope Francis Heading to Holy Land With Rabbi and Imam as Interfaith Wing Men
(JTA) — With a rabbi and a Muslim sheik as his travel companions, Pope Francis is heading to the Middle East with what he hopes will be a powerful message of interfaith respect. It will be the first time that leaders of other faiths are part of an official papal delegation. The aim is to…
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Fast Forward Rabbi, 3 Others Indicted in $12.4 million Theft of N.Y. Special Ed Funds
Four New York men, including a rabbi, were indicted for allegedly stealing more than $12.4 million in funding intended for children with disabilities. Rabbi Samuel Hiller, 56, of Far Rockaway in the borough of Queens, was indicted on grand larceny and other charges, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Queens County District Attorney…
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Fast Forward 4 Top Rabbis Scoop Katz Award
Four leading rabbis will be honored for their work in applying halachah, or Jewish law, to modern life. The Katz Award 2014 recipients were announced Sunday. They are Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi of Britain; Rabbi Zvi (Herschel) Schachter, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva University; Rabbi Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg, the rosh yeshiva of…
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Fast Forward French Chief Rabbi Accused of $120K Orthodox Divorce Shakedown
French Chief Rabbi Michel Gugenheim denied allegations that he had helped extort $120,000 from a woman who needed his signature to get a religious divorce. The family of the woman, who was not identified, on March 18 filed a deposition containing the allegation against Gugenheim and two members of his rabbinical court at a police…
Most Popular
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News An Israeli restaurant chain said it closed due to boycotts. Protesters are celebrating.
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Opinion Jews are worried about Zohran Mamdani. Here’s why they shouldn’t be
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Film & TV What the new season of ‘Nobody Wants This’ gets right — and very wrong — about Judaism
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Opinion JD Vance just made a critical error in Israel — and time to curb Hamas is running short
In Case You Missed It
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Fast Forward ADL enlists major law firms to launch pro bono network for antisemitism cases
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Holy Ground American synagogues are closing at a record rate. This retired judge is rescuing their stained glass windows.
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Fast Forward German government pledges record $1B in funding for Holocaust survivor home care
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Fast Forward Vance downplays ‘little skirmishes’ as Israel bombs in Gaza and Hamas fails to return hostages
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