Category Archives: Orthodoxy

Yisroel Pensack: Work to Begin Tomorrow on $1.6 Million Upgrade of San Francisco Orthodox Synagogue’s Social Hall Building

Congregation Chevra Thilim, which describes itself as “San Francisco’s oldest Orthodox congregation,” has announced that construction will begin tomorrow on a $1.6 million project to renovate and upgrade its large social hall building. The project, expected to be mostly completed by next September in time for Rosh Hashanah, will include a new floor and ceiling, a … Continue reading

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Did The Chofetz Chaim Go Too Far?

A secular Jew calls up and says he reads the Chofetz Chaim every night and that the central point of Judaism is that you don’t be a shmuck. Dennis Prager: “I agree. The Chofetz Chaim is a great saintly rabbi. … Continue reading

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Rampant Disregard Of Common Courtesies In Traditional Orthodox Judaism

Luke Ford does not see this vulgar behavior in Reform, Conservative or Modern Orthodox Judaism but in traditional Orthodox Judaism, he sees it all the time — a total disregard for common decency. People coming to shul sick and infecting … Continue reading

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The Guy Next To You In Shul May Well Be Homeless

Unable to pay the rent or to pay their mortgage, some Orthodox Jews I know in Pico-Robertson are homeless. They’re living out of their cars. They have access to somebody’s bathroom where they shower and relieve themselves and charge their … Continue reading

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Single Parents Are Often Treated Like Outcasts In The Orthodox Community

Sara Soferet writes for The Jewish Press: When I moved onto the block not too many years ago, neighbors welcomed me. One brought over a cake, another came to visit Friday night, everyone was friendly and smiled, said hello on … Continue reading

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Women’s Prayer Groups Are Passe

In a 2010 lecture on R. Joseph Messas and R. Avraham Shapiro, Marc B. Shapiro (no relation) says that the Sephardim have always had a positive view of the return to Israel. Sephardim have never been anti-Zionist. Rav Messas wrote … Continue reading

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Responses To Rabbi Kanefsky On The Morning Blessings

I’ve been asking Orthodox rabbis about Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky’s two blog posts (here and here) announcing why he did not say the traditional morning blessing thanking God for not making him a woman. A friend tells me: “Fact is, that … Continue reading

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Kabbalist To The Stars Accused Of Fraud

FailedMessiah reports: The father in law of Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto says the kabbalist to the stars used him to launder money. Rabbi Shlomo Ben Hamo is the Chief Rabbi of Argentina. His daughter Deborah is Pinto’s wife. In a court … Continue reading

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Orthodox Flee Tottenham Riots

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Jews Have Been Kind To Me

I can only think of one instance where I met a Jew who disparaged converts. Her name was Sherry. It was an Aish Ha Torah event. And she just came out and said, “I don’t accept that you can convert … Continue reading

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