Memoirs of leaving the Orthodox Jewish world have become a genre with their own familiar arc. The protagonist flees an oppressive religious world, is ostracized by family and former friends, and emerges into secular freedom — damaged perhaps, but liberated. Readers consume these books partly as anthropology, partly as self-help and, critics sometimes complain, partly […]
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The Jewish Theological Seminary has named Rabbi Mike Uram as its next chancellor, elevating a Jewish educator best known for his time as executive director of the University of Pennsylvania Hillel to lead Conservative Judaism’s flagship university and rabbinical school. Uram, 49, will succeed Shuly Rubin Schwartz, who is stepping down at the end of […]
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Reconstructionist Judaism, wrote the Jewish sociologist Charles Liebman almost 60 years ago, “comes closer than any other movement or school of thought to articulating the meaning of Judaism for American Jews.” By emphasizing belonging over rote observance, personal fulfillment over inherited obligation, and Jewish “civilization” over theology, Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan’s brainchild seemed poised to capture […]
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There are some people who only want the warm embrace of their loved ones for Hanukkah. As for the rest of us — well, thank goodness for Hanukkah presents! Whether your family are one-and-done types of Hanukkah gift-givers or you’re the kind of mishpacha to give presents each and every night, we’ve rounded up a […]
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Eight hundred and eleven pounds of potatoes, 402 challahs, 68 chefs, 59 people named David and 27 people named Rachel. It all adds up to the world’s largest Shabbat dinner, which was organized by Temple Emanuel’s Streicker Center and held at the Javits Center on Friday night. Some 2,800 Jewish New Yorkers packed the top […]
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A silver Tiffany & Co. menorah from the year 2000. A bronze, 23-inch tall Statue of Liberty menorah made in 1986 in New Jersey by German-born artist Manfred Anson. A silver Hanukkah lamp, inlaid with carnelian stones, that was made in the early 20th century at the Bezalel school in Jerusalem. These are just a […]
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Like most synagogues, Congregation Beth El in South Orange, New Jersey added new rituals after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks that killed 1,200 in Israel, saw another 251 taken hostage and launched a grinding war between Israel and Hamas. The Conservative congregation hung a “bring them home now” sign out front on behalf of the […]
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In the two years since the attacks of Oct. 7, the Jewish discourse over the war in Gaza has been agonizing and polarizing. Jews have argued over the Israeli government’s military aims, over what it means to “bring the hostages home,” over the left’s betrayal of its Jewish allies and over the influence of Israel’s […]
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When Liangda Hu first tried doing Daf Yomi, the practice of studying a page of Talmud per day, he struggled to read it. Hu found the language of English Talmud translations uniquely archaic and, as someone who speaks English as a second language, difficult to understand. So he turned to artificial intelligence. Now, Hu uses […]
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Calling all Jews who love to love! Tu B’Av, the Jewish day of love, is upon us once again. Observed every year on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av, this year the holiday begins Friday, Aug. 8 at sunset and continues through sunset the next day. A once-forgotten minor harvest festival that […]
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