Welcome to the Forward’s coverage of rabbis, the spiritual leaders of Jewish congregations.
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News British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis Brings Message of Openness to Limmud
In the decades since a bunch of British Jews created Limmud, its model of volunteer experts offering a pluralistic smorgasbord of Jewish teachings, arts offerings and performances has turned into a worldwide movement. But through all these years, the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom has never attended Limmud in the country where it all…
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Fast Forward Pittsburgh Rabbi Accused of Botching Circumcision
A Pittsburgh-area rabbi who performed a bris is being sued for causing what the parents claim are “catastrophic and life-changing injury” to their baby. The parents in their lawsuit filed Tuesday said Rabbi Mordechai Rosenberg acted “with a total disregard” for their son, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. The suit, which identifies the parents and the…
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Fast Forward British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis Slams Orthodox Shuls for Letting Women Lead Services
British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis called on Orthodox synagogues to ban partnership minyan services, where women can lead services and read from the Torah. Mirvis said in a message sent to rabbinic leaders Wednesday that the services were “not something that can take place within our synagogues,” the Jewish Chronicle reported. “I know that you…
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News Reform Rabbis Announce Head-Shaving Tribute to Superman Sam
(JTA) In March, dozens of rabbis will shave their heads at the Reform movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis conference in Chicago. But the 8-year-old boy whose struggle with cancer inspired the rabbis’ campaign will not be there to witness their act of solidarity. Samuel Asher Sommer, the son of Rabbis Phyllis and Michael Sommer,…
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Fast Forward Central Synagogue Names First Asian-American Head Rabbi
Angela Warnick Buchdahl was named Senior Rabbi of Manhattan’s Central Synagogue last night in a unanimous vote by the synagogue’s Board of Trustees, making her the first Asian-American leader of one of the nation’s largest Reform synagogues. Buchdahl currently serves as the synagogue’s Senior Cantor and will succeed Senior Rabbi Peter Rubinstein, who announced his…
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Israel News Fleeing Rabbi Draws Unwanted Attention to Israeli Fugitives in Morocco
Surrounded by dozens of adoring followers at his grandson’s wedding this summer, Eliezer Berland looked like any other Hasidic rebbe marking a family celebration. But Berland is not like most rabbis. The founder of the Shuvu Bonim religious seminary in Israel, Berland, 76, fled to Morocco earlier this year after being accused of sexual assault…
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Fast Forward Israel’s Chief Rabbis Telling Public to Pray for Rain During Dry Winter
Israel’s chief rabbis called on the public to say special prayers due to the lack of rain. Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau also called for a mass prayer at the Western Wall on Thursday . The rabbis ruled that the incredibly dry winter in Israel matches the definition under Jewish law of a…
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Fast Forward Supreme Court Hears Minnesota Rabbi’s Frequent Flier Case
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of a Minnesota rabbi who claimed he was cut from an airline’s frequent flier program for earning too many miles. Oral arguments in the case of Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg were heard on Tuesday. Ginsberg was one of Northwest Airlines’ top fliers when he was cut from…
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News Who is Alan Garber, the Jewish Harvard president who stood up to Trump over antisemitism?
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Fast Forward Suspected arsonist intended to beat Gov. Josh Shapiro with a sledgehammer, investigators say
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Opinion What Jewish university presidents say: Trump is exploiting campus antisemitism, not fighting it
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Fast Forward Jewish students, alumni decry ‘weaponization of antisemitism’ across country
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Opinion I first met Netanyahu in 1988. Here’s how he became the most destructive leader in Israel’s history
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Opinion Why can Harvard stand up to Trump? Because it didn’t give in to pro-Palestinian student protests
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Culture How an Israeli dance company shaped a Catholic school boy’s life
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