Judaism

US congressmen lament divisive Western Wall prayer plaza decision

Democrats Jerrold Nadler and Ted Deutch say they have been swamped with complaints from American Jews By Stuart Winer and Times of Israel staff Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-New York. (Courtesy) Two Jewish American congressman said they are being flooded with complaints about an Israeli government decision to back out of an agreement over a new […]

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Ultra-Orthodox threaten to bolt goverment if conversion bill endangered

Head of United Torah Judaism faction sneers that Reform Jews ‘wouldn’t get 1,000 votes in an Israeli election’ By Sue Surkes Health Minister Yaakov Litzman attends a conference in Jerusalem, February 16, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90) Health Minister Yaakov Litzman on Wednesday threatened to take his party out of the governing coalition if a bill cementing

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Jewish Religion, Middle East

High Court to hold hearing on Western Wall agreement in July

Women of the Wall head says cabinet decision to freeze 2016 deal shows state has no legal arguments for delaying its implementation By Alexander Fulbright Conservative Jews at the section prepared for prayer for the Women of the Wall at Robinson’s Arch in Jerusalem’s Old City on July 30, 2014. (Robert Swift/Flash90) The High Court

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Jewish Religion, Middle East

Destruction of Arkansas’ Ten Commandments monument places spotlight on separation of church and state

The 6-foot-tall stone monument engraved with the Ten Commandments — a capstone of sorts to years of debate in Arkansas over the separation of church and state — was erected with little pomp on the lush grounds of the state Capitol. Less than 24 hours later, the monument came crumbling down after a Dodge Dart

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Jewish Religion, USA

Jewish Agency takes out ad slamming Western Wall decision

Organization says freezing pluralistic prayer pavilion and granting ultra-Orthodox conversion monopoly ‘endangers the unity of the Jewish people’ By Times of Israel staff Members of the Reform and Conservative Jewish movements hold torah scrolls during a mixed men and women prayer at the public square in front of the Western Wall, in Jerusalem’s Old City,

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

MKs backing conversion bill not welcome in Chicago, Jewish leader warns

After meeting PM over legislation and Western Wall about-face, Steven Nasatir says he’s done ‘being nice’ to Israeli dignitaries who ignore Diaspora Jewry’s needs By Raphael Ahren Any Israeli lawmaker who supports controversial Israeli legislation putting conversion matters exclusively in the hands of the Chief Rabbinate should consider him or herself persona non grata in

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Torahs survive flood and fire

  By Beth Sarafraz The Jewish Press BROOKLYN, New York — In 2012, during Hurricane Sandy, the sifrei Torah of Congregation Kneses Israel of Sea Gate were saved from flooding water by the shul’s rav. The shul, however, was destroyed. Rabbi Chaim Brikman and his congregants rebuilt the upper floors of the beautiful synagogue, so this year’s Pesach sedarim were joyously

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Jewish Religion, USA

Israel’s diverse population yields many factions

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There are attractions in the Jewish State, but also problems. Given its location and population, no surprise that they are the problems of living with Jews, and Arabs. They aren’t the same problems, and it isn’t obvious which are the most serious, or threatening. Arab citizens are some 20 percent of

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Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East

Powerful musical recounts Atlanta lynching of falsely accused Jewish man

A century after the murder of Leo Frank, ‘Parade’ — now staged in Chicago — is still a devastatingly relevant piece of drama By Ronit Bezalel Patrick Andrews and Brianna Borger in ‘Parade.’ (Michael Brosilow) CHICAGO — Chicagoland theater goers have a must-see play in their midst. Even a century after the events that inspired

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Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Jews were both insiders and outsiders in San Diego

Editor’s Note: The following is excerpted from Don Harrison’s presentation on June 22 at the San Diego History Center about the status of pioneer Jews in San Diego County.  Other speakers included Joellyn Zollman, curator of the exhibit at the Center on the Jews of San Diego; Mary Ellen Stratthaus and Phil Shapiro, who both

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County

Harrison is new editor of Western States Jewish History

LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — The Western States Jewish History Association has announced that Donald H. Harrison, editor and publisher of San Diego Jewish World, will also assume the position of editor of the quarterly journal Western States Jewish History, starting with Volume 50, Issue #1 – Fall 2017 Harrison has been a contributor to

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, USA

Austrian top court mulls whether Hitler house seizure was legal

Vienna (dpa) – Austria’s decision to seize Adolf Hitler’s birth house from its owner is at the centre of a Constitutional Court case that pits the right to private ownership against Austria’s historical duty to prevent neo-Nazi activities. On Thursday, the court in Vienna started hearing a complaint against the expropriation that was filed by

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International, Jewish History