By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Two years ago my congregation embarked on a grand experiment. Instead of “charging” for synagogue membership we changed to a free will donation system we call T’rumah. T’rumah has been a success, although a qualified success. Many of our members chose to increase or maintain their previous membership gift […]
T’rumah–or free will donations–support synagogue Read More »
Jewish ReligionTel Aviv (dpa) – Fifty Holocaust survivors who never got to celebrate their Jewish coming-of-age ritual because of the horrors of World War II got a chance to do so Monday in Jerusalem. The bat mitzvah and bar mitzvah – the first for girls, the second for boys – is typically performed when the child
Belated b’nai mitzvahs at Kotel for Shoah survivors Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The Triguboff Institute, established by an Australian philanthropist, specializes in the needs of Jews from the former Soviet Union, notably Russia and Ukraine. The fact that perhaps as many as 400 000 Israeli citizens of Russian and Ukrainian background aren’t regarded as Jews by the state’s rabbinic establishment has prompted
Orthodox intolerance helps grow Reform in Israel Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastAs Passover and Shabbat end tonight, people across Israel are celebrating Mimouna. Social Equality Minister Gila Gamliel (Likud) is taking part in the festival at the Dahan home in Yavne, along with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara. Gamliel spoke to fellow attendees, saying that “the festival of Mimouna, in which the doors
Minister: ‘Mimouna is the best symbol of unity in Israel’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
In what has become a yearly tradition at the holy site, hundreds of Jewish worshipers packed the Cave of the Patriarchs (also known as the Cave of Machpela) in Hevron for a mass prayer led by two leading rabbis from Tzfat (Safed), the heart of Jewish mysticism in Israel: Tzfat Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and
Machpela packed for Pesach prayers Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East
MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism), Chairman of the Knesset”s Finance Committee, on Wednesday blasted Jewish visits to the Temple Mount, claiming that Jews who ascended to the holy site were violating Jewish religious law. Speaking to Israel Radio, Gafni argued that religious Jews who visited the Temple Mount were leading the country to war,
Haredi MK: Jews who visit Temple Mount spark war Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastI thought we could handle the forecast predicting steady 105 degree weather in order to go to Southern India for Pesach to serve as visiting Rabbinic leadership for a little-known community of Indians practicing Judaism called the Bene Efraim. But as I reached into the seat-back to check out the airplane newspaper, headlines read, ‘record
A seder in a remote village of India Read More »
International, Jewish Religion
A Marseille synagogue is to be converted into a mosque as the demand for places of religious worship for Jews and Muslims shifts in the southern French city. Several months ago, the Al Badr Association, a Muslim organization, purchased the Or Thora synagogue near the Saint-Charles train station in Marseille for some $400,000, daily French
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International, Jewish ReligionLiberation celebration explores slavery both ancient and modern Evans and Donna Spagner of Watchung share a Haggada during the interfaith seder at the Fountain Baptist Church. Photos by Robert Wiener The Rev. Vernon Williams explains the history of African-American slavery. Rabbi Hannah Orden holds up Miriam’s Cup in tribute to women of the Bible who
Jews, Baptists break matza together at seder of ‘hope’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, USAJERUSALEM — Ha’aretz’s cartoonist has summarized a substantial slice of what concerns us this week. He depicts one variety of religious Jew wanting to perform a sacrifice on the Temple Mount, and another Jew, unkempt and secular, walking his dog in the opposite direction. The Jew leading a young goat in the direction of the Temple
Religious tensions mark Passover festival in Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle East
Hundreds of Jewish pilgrims flocked to Hevron on Monday for a rare opportunity to visit the tomb of Othniel ben Kenaz, the first of the Jewish judges to rule the Israelites after the death of Joshua. The tomb is located in the Palestinian-controlled section of Hevron (which encompasses the vast majority of the holy city),
Jews allowed rare visit to tomb of Othniel ben Kenaz Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastThe Jewish community in Nigeria celebrated a very special Passover this year. Thanks to a unique collaboration between the local Chabad and the EMI SYSTEMS LTD, Nigerian Security Company owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Mesika, a kosher Passover seder was held for the first time in six major cities across the African nation, led by
Jews in Nigeria celebrate a special Passover Read More »
International, Jewish ReligionBy Stanley Tiger SAN DIEGO –Passover in the 21st Century presents Jewish people with new dilemmas unimagined in previous eras: Should I have regular white flour matzah, whole wheat matzah, egg matzah, any of the flavored matzahs, and more recently “gluten free matzah.” We also have the choice of salted or unsalted matzah, domestic or
Ancient Jewish wisdom and modern science Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — It came as something of a shock to me a few years ago to hear that there are some people who have mixed feelings about celebrating the Jewish festival known as Passover (Pesach). For someone like myself who quite likes eating matza this seems strange. But then I
Memories of Passovers past Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish Religion