Jewish News Roundup

Posted on November 20, 2008 by Luke Ford

From Hirhurim:

  • R. Menachem Genack tells readers that his cousin, Julius Genachowski, is on Obama’s transition team (Jewish Press). R. Genack also writes: "When people asked me whom to vote for, I would respond, ‘Vote for the person you think is best for America. He is the person who is best for Israel.’"
  • A letter to The Jewish Press compares the Mormon practice of baptizing deceased Jews with the Holocaust (Jewish Press). I’ve got to say that I don’t see the big deal with what the Mormons are doing. Why should we care?
  • The Jewish Week editorial board lashes out at Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes for failing to investigate and prosecute yeshiva abuse cases (Jewish Week).
  • President Richard Joel of Yeshiva University appears on a panel with Chancellor Arnold Eisen of JTS and President David Ellenson of HUC-JIR (Forward)
  • Charedi man who killed his baby was sentenced to six years in jail (JPost). At the time of his arrest, various famous Torah scholars called on their followers to help this man financially and emotionally. However, they did not, according to this article, declare him innocent (JPost). They only encouraged people to help him prove his innocence. I’m not sure whether they now accept that they were wrong or simply believe that the court made a mistake in convicting him.
  • Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer calls on Charedim to increase their work habits from 25% of their potential (Arutz 7).
  • Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks spoke to the European Parliament and called for a relationship based on… a covenant, which evidently is his favorite term (JTA). He means covenant in the sense of rights and corresponding responsibilities.
  • The rabbinic judge in Israel who potentially invalidated thousands of conversions (link), R. Avraham Sherman, spoke at a conference of EJF, an organization run by one of the leaders of the ban on R. Natan Slifkin (Yeshiva World).

    • About Luke Ford

    I've written five books (see Amazon.com). My work has been covered in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and on 60 Minutes. I teach Alexander Technique in Beverly Hills (Alexander90210.com).
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