Jewish News

Rabbis and imams talk Halacha and Shariah

Abraham and Isaac — or, as some would have it, Ibrahim and Ishmael — took center stage when some of America’s most prominent Modern Orthodox rabbis and Muslim imams discussed their respective legal systems and foundational texts, and their implications for Jewish-Muslim relations today.The October 30 seminar “Ancient Texting” brought together 15 rabbis expert in Halacha, or traditional Jewish law, ...

Rabbinical Students To Bike Coast-to-Coast for Friendship Circle

Three rabbinical students will bike coast-to-coast this summer to benefit Friendship Circle International.The cyclists will push off on the 4,000 mile distance on July 6 from Central Park in NYC, accompanied by their support vehicle. Along the way they will visit 20 Friendship Circle chapters where they will raise awareness and funds for Friendship Circle.“We’ll be doing an average of ...

Rabbinical Leaders Shocked At Life Sentence Request For Rubashkin

American Jewish leaders are expressing shock and outrage at the federal government’s recommendation that Sholom Rubashkin be sentenced to life in prison for his role as an executive with the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa. It is the latest example of a prosecution that has repeatedly targeted Rubashkin for unfair treatment compared to others who have been accused ...

Rabbinical Courts Offer Online Info

The Rabbinical Court Administration has launched a Web portal with up-to-date information on cases being heard by regional rabbinical courts and the Rabbinical Court of Appeals.According to a statement issued by the Rabbinical Court Administration, the new moves aims to improve public service, allowing citizens and their representatives to receive information at the click of a button from any computer, ...

Rabbinical Court Allows Divorcee to Marry Cohen

Jewish law states unequivocally that a Cohen cannot marry a divorced woman, but there are exceptions. The Tel Aviv Rabbinical Court last week ruled that it would approve the divorce of two people who married in a civil service in the US – but that the divorce would not interfere with the woman’s marriage to a Cohen.Israeli law determines that ...

Rabbi Yosef legitimizes IDF conversions

Shas’ spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef on Friday wrote a halachic ruling legitimizing all conversions performed by the Israel Defense Forces in recent years.Following a meeting with Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar and members of a committed tasked with examining military conversions, Rabbi Yosef decided to approve the controversial conversions.As reported by Ynet earlier, the committee appointed by Rabbi Amar ...

Rabbi Yosef gives PM breathing space on building freeze

Just hours before he takes off for the US for the start of direct talks with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received surprising political reinforcement from Shas even as it remains unclear how he will maneuver around the continuation of the West Bank settlement building moratorium demanded by the US and the Palestinians.Ynet learned that Shas is prepared to ...

Rabbi Yosef asks PM to back Yishai

Shas’ spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef on Tuesday protested Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lack of backing for Eli Yishai in regards to the interior minister’s responsibility for the Carmel fire failures.Rabbi Yosef made the remarks in a private meeting with the prime minister’s bureau chief, Natan Eshel, which focused on urgent political issues as well.“He did a lot during the ...

Rabbi Yitzhak Spotted Using iPhone, Despite Ban

A recent picture of a rabbi in a compromising position that scandalized the haredi community was finally explained on Sunday.Rabbi Amnon Yitzhak, renowned for his outreach work among Sephardi Jews, was photographed several weeks ago holding what looked suspiciously like an iPhone. This was surprising, to say the least, since the device has been roundly denounced by several senior ultra-Orthodox ...

Rabbi Yitzhak Levy to Head Conversions Authority?

Rabbi Yitzhak Levy is the leading candidate to replace Rabbi Haim Druckman as head of the conversions authority, Ynet learned Thursday.Levy’s candidacy is promoted by the locator committee formed to find a replacement for Druckman. According to a report in Makor Rishon, Levy’s in favored by both the Prime Minister’s Office’s and Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel Shlomo Amar.A former ...

Rabbi: Women Mustn’t Run for Knesset

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, one of the most senior Religious Zionism leaders, has ruled that women must not run for Knesset according to Jewish Law, as it is “immodest.”He added that women’s right to vote should also be banned, but that nowadays that could be overlooked.“A woman must not serve as a Knesset member. It’s immodest,” the rabbi, head of the ...

Rabbi Wolpo: Fire rubber bullets back at soldiers

National rift deepening- SOS Israel Chairman Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpo called on West Bank settlers living in outposts and their supporters to use violence against soldiers and officers who use crowd dispersal means during evacuations.In a radio interview Saturday night, Rabbi Wolpo estimated that Israel was heading toward a civil war. “The army decided to fight against settlers and against ...