Category Archives: Rabbis

Rabbis Vs Journalists

The Jewish Week reported in its June 10, 2009 issue: The halachic adviser to Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services, which receives millions of dollars in state and federal money, told a Bergenfield, N.J., synagogue audience in 2007 that tax … Continue reading

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Conformity In Orthodox Judaism

Should I stay or should I go? If I go, there will be trouble. If I stay, I will be troubled. Damn phone’s not ringing. I don’t care. So you want me to repress my feelings? Just shove them right … Continue reading

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The Rabbis Club

From the New York Post: The lower Manhattan lockup known as the Tombs was like a "private club" for a group of Orthodox Jewish jailbirds, whose politically connected prison-chaplain rabbi regularly treated them to feasts of roast beef, salmon and … Continue reading

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First Black Female Rabbi Ordained

Bob emails: There goes the neighborhood. Khunrum emails: "There’s one shul that might let Luke attend." Fred emails: "I wonder if they’d make him sit in the back of the shul." Bob emails: "Even they would probably question our hapless … Continue reading

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‘A Sincere Question’

Rabbi Yehuda (YY) Rubinstein emails me June 5: Dear Mr Ford, I honestly want to pose you a question if I may. I watched the video of you sitting in the car the other day [LF: this video or this?] … Continue reading

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Contemporary American Judaism: Transformation and Renewal by Reform Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan

We talk by phone Tuesday, June 2. (Previous interviews with Rabbi Kaplan here.) Luke: "You have a note in the beginning that some of your language in this book is a bit sharp." Dana: "I’m trying to make certain points. … Continue reading

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A New Modern Orthodox Blog

About a year ago, I said to Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky, "When are you getting your own blog?" He seemed pretty overwhelmed at the time and I did not expect him to post one any time soon. I got an email … Continue reading

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Meir Kin Dispute Resolution In Sight?

This email made the rounds today (background on this story): From: Jeremy <[email protected]> Date: Wed, May 20, 2009 at 6:11 PM Subject: May 31st Kin Rally Postponed To: [email protected] Dear Friends, As per the advice of community rabbis, in light … Continue reading

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Why Did The Los Angeles Gadolim Support Politician Paul Koretz?

I got a postcard Tuesday on behalf of Paul Koretz and Jack Weiss from the "Cutting Edge Consultants" claiming that their candidates were endorsed by (I have no idea if these claims are lies): Rabbi David Akhamzdeh (Ohr Haemet) Rabbi … Continue reading

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RCA’s Feel Good Resolutions

Michael posts to Hirhurim: Nice feel-good stuff, but really no meat to any of them. The sad thing is that they will likely be ignored by their own membership and OU-affiliated shuls. The smachot in my neighborhood are still over … Continue reading

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