Despite Portugal’s offer to grant citizenship to Sephardic Jews descended from Jews persecuted in the Inquisition, 92% of applications are still pending, with only 292 out of 3,838 approved in the past year and a half. However, no applications have been denied thus far. Portugal’s “law of return” allows those who can prove “a traditional
Portugal sitting on citizenship applications from Jews Read More »
International, Jewish HistoryRabbi Irving Elson is retiring from the armed forces, but will continue to serve the troops as the incoming director of the Jewish Welfare Board By Rich Tenorio Shortly before the start of the High Holidays, Rabbi Irving Elson concluded a historic 35-year career serving his country. Elson retired on September 29 as deputy chaplain
Highest-ranking Jewish chaplain in Marines says so long — but not goodbye Read More »
Jewish Religion, USABy Richard L. Cravatts, PhD BOSTON, Massachusetts –Seeming to parallel the dystopian world described by George Orwell in 1984 in which history and fact are manipulated to serve political ends, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently voted 24-6 to approve a resolution stripping the Temple Mount and Western Wall of its
By Rabbi Ben Kamin OCEANSIDE, California — I am touch with a broken mother who has just lost a second child—who can even attempt to offer words? A freshman college student agonizes about his parents’ difficult and contentious divorce. There is a lot of anonymous suffering in the world—much more than the terrorizing open dramas
Miracles are when we bestir ourselves to do good Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Joel H. Cohen NEW YORK — We’ve come a long way from the time when Jewish garment workers and others who wanted to observe Shabbos were told on Friday, “If you don’t come in tomorrow, don’t bother coming in on Monday.” Observance today is easier, thanks to such advances as the five-day work week, and
Dilemmas of taking off work on Jewish holidays Read More »
Jewish Religion, Joel H. CohenEvery year, Jews around the world seek repentance before the holiday of Yom Kippur through an atonement ritual known as kapparot. In exchange for a donation, a rabbi gently waves a chicken over one’s head, reads a blessing, and then the bird is humanely slaughtered according to Jewish dietary laws. Animal rights groups have repeatedly
Animal rights activists can’t stop a religious rite Read More »
Jewish Religion, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–A clip is circulating among alumni of the Fall River Jewish community that has Cantor Marcus Gerlich along with the Temple Beth El choir. singing Kol Nidre, It brings back memories from the best of my Jewish youth. Cantor Gerlich was a fine teacher and role model, who saw me and many others through
Kol Nidre: Its style and substance Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Jewish Religion, Middle EastAmid tight security, worshipers invited to special sukkah by chief rabbis, rabbi of the Western Wall By Times of Israel staff Thousands of people gather at the Western Wall for the Priestly Blessing on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 (Israel Police) Thousands of Israelis flocked to the Western Wall in Jerusalem Wednesday, for the traditional biannual
Thousands flock to Western Wall for Priestly Blessing Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastThe Jewish community of France reacted with outrage to the call of far-right politician Marine Le Pen to ban the kippah. Meyer Habib, a Jewish member of the French parliament, spoke with Arutz Sheva about Le Pen’s proposed kippah ban. “She is confused and mistaken. It isn’t kippahs or burkas or crosses that are causing
Jews will leave France before they remove their kippahs Read More »
International, Jewish ReligionA planned circumcision in the city of Bnei Brak descended into chaos on Tuesday when the father of the newborn boy snatched the baby up and bolted in an attempt to thwart his son from undergoing the traditional Jewish operation. The father, a formerly religious man, is adamantly opposed to his son taking part in
Secular father kidnaps baby minutes before circumcision Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle EastThe chief of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, has received “death threats” after she criticized a series of controversial Arab-backed resolutions which seek to erase the Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations organization said on Monday. “The director general has received death
Death threats for condemning anti-Israel UNESCO resolutions Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle EastIn an interview with Channel 10 on Friday, UNESCO chairman Michael Verbes said, “I am aware of the connection between Israel and Jerusalem, and I will never deny it. Jerusalem’s Old City and its walls are a UNESCO world heritage site since 1982, and have been recorded as being holy to three religions. This is
UNESCO chairman apologizes for decision Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastDepartment store magnate aided Jewish and general communities Linda Forgosh, director of the Jewish Historical Society of NJ, holds her book, Louis Bamberger: Department Store Innovator and Philanthropist. Photo by Robert Wiener A cardboard replica of Louis Bamberger and the landmark clock outside his department store is the logo for “Meet Me Under Bamberger’s Clock.”
Exhibit opens on Newark’s philanthropist, Louis Bamberger Read More »
Jewish History, USABy Joe Spier CALGARY, Alberta, Canada — At 10 o’clock in the morning on April 16, 2007 sirens sounded all over Israel and the country came to a standstill, people stopped what they were doing, pulled over in their cars and stood in remembrance. It was Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, the day to remember
Liviu Librescu — hero of the Virginia Tech massacre Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA