(JTA) — For many observant Jews, the mourning over the destruction of the two ancient Temples in Jerusalem on the fast of Tisha B’Av actually begins three weeks earlier with the onset of a period of mourning during which it’s customary to avoid joyful activities like weddings and music.… Read more »
Posts By Sofia Moraga
‘Unorthodox,’ ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ ‘Maisel’ and more: Here are all the notable Jewish Emmy nominations for 2020
(JTA) — Though much about the 2020 Emmy Awards ceremony is not yet known, one thing is clear: Jewish TV stars are well positioned to clean up. Dozens of Jewish actors and creators were on the list when this year’s nominations were announced Tuesday. Read through to see who… Read more »
New ‘kosher Netflix’ streaming service in Israel lets viewers skip the immodest parts
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israelis who don’t want to see racy content have a new streaming service that allows them to skip the immodest parts. The Tov TV service, dubbed the “kosher Netflix” by the Israeli daily Haaretz, is geared toward observant Jews who follow the religious laws of modesty.… Read more »
After George Floyd, Jewish institutions consider their own shortcomings on race
When the protests over the police killing of George Floyd spread throughout the United States this spring, the moment served as a wakeup call not just for the country but for American Jews. Very quickly, leading Jewish institutions realized that the issue of racial justice wasn’t just about how… Read more »
Israel will allow foreign students to enter country to begin studies
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Foreign students planning to begin their studies in Israel this fall will be permitted to enter the country despite coronavirus restrictions that ban non-citizens. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said in a statement reported by The Jerusalem Post that “we have been making great efforts to maintain… Read more »
Israel’s schools will open on time even with rise in coronavirus cases, education minister asserts
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s education minister made it clear: Rise in coronavirus cases or not, schools in the country will open on time. “I say here to the citizens of the State of Israel, the school year will open on Sept. 1. Period,” Yoav Gallant said in an interview… Read more »
Abe Foxman’s next act: Raising $28 million to feed thousands of struggling Holocaust survivors
(JTA) – Since retiring from his post as national director of the Anti-Defamation League in 2015, Abraham Foxman has had plenty of opportunities to take on other projects in the Jewish world. Until now, he’s always said no. But now the 80-year-old is coming out of retirement with an… Read more »
Some synagogues are opting for high quality over homegrown when it comes to online services. Is that a good thing?
(JTA) – For the rabbis and cantor of Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, Illinois, the to-do list to prepare for the unprecedented online-only High Holidays season was long. In addition to transforming their usual services for over 3,000 people into an experience that congregants will find meaningful online, they… Read more »
Portland-area rabbis call on Department of Homeland Security to withdraw federal agents
(JTA) — Seven rabbis from the Portland, Oregon, area are pushing back against the Department of Homeland Security’s covert activity against protesters in their city. Portland has been the site of protests against racial inequality and police brutality for the past 50 nights, in the wake of the death… Read more »
Jewish day camp in Texas closes following COVID-19 outbreak
(JTA) — A Jewish day camp in suburban Dallas has closed after at least two campers and two counselors tested positive for COVID-19. The closing of Gan Israel of Plano, Texas, on Tuesday night serves as a cautionary tale as schools look to reopen this fall. The camp, which… Read more »
How a Holocaust survivor’s book helped this Rohingyan refugee survive brutal detention
This story originally appeared on Alma. Jaivet Ealom is the only known person to have ever escaped the notoriously brutal Australian-run refugee detention center on Manus Island. As a Rohingyan refugee fleeing Myanmar’s campaign of genocide, Jaivet found himself imprisoned on the remote island near Papua New Guinea for three… Read more »
Want to pray with a synagogue minyan? Sign this COVID-19 waiver first.
(JTA) — If you want to pray with a minyan at Beth Sholom Congregation in Potomac, Maryland, the synagogue has a page on its website that guides you through the process. At the top is a helpful video in which the Orthodox synagogue’s two rabbis describe the procedures the… Read more »
Ukraine bans annual Rosh Hashanah pilgrimage to Uman over coronavirus pandemic
JERUSALEM (JTA) — The tens of thousands of Jewish pilgrims who travel each year to Ukraine for a Rosh Hashanah rite will have to make different plans for September. The Ukrainian government has barred the trip to Uman, where the revelers mark the Jewish New Year at the burial… Read more »
LGBTQ rights group names longtime Israel advocate as director amid movement’s growing criticism of government
WASHINGTON (JTA) — An LGBTQ rights group has named a longtime Israel advocate as its leader amid increasing criticism of the Jewish state from the left. A Wider Bridge announced the appointment of Ethan Felson, formerly executive director of the Israel Action Network, on Monday. The network is the… Read more »
Immigration to Israel could spike due to the coronavirus pandemic, leading groups say
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel could see a sharp increase in immigration over the next few years spurred on by the coronavirus crisis, two groups involved with arranging immigration to the country claim. The chairman of the Jewish Agency — a nonprofit focused on bolstering Israel-Diaspora ties and immigration to… Read more »
Orthodox Jewish camps won’t be allowed to open as US judge sides with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo
(JTA) – A last-ditch effort by Orthodox Jews in New York to clear the way for overnight camps this summer fell short Monday as a federal judge declined to intervene against Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to keep the camps closed. The judge was responding to a lawsuit brought last… Read more »
New York Jewish Week is putting print edition on hiatus
(JTA) — The New York Jewish Week said it will put its print edition on hiatus as it transitions to a “digital-first model.” The last print edition of the nearly 150-year-old weekly — at least for now — is scheduled for July 31, according to an announcement published Tuesday… Read more »
Brazil’s president has COVID-19 and the country is a coronavirus hot spot. Here’s how Rio Jews are adapting to the pandemic.
RIO DE JANEIRO (JTA) — The bombshell news on Tuesday was ironic for some — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, one of the world leaders who has most staunchly downplayed the potential of the coronavirus pandemic, had contracted the virus. Despite his ardent support of Israel, Bolsonaro’s tempered rhetoric on… Read more »
Karen Berg will become only Jewish member of Kentucky state legislature
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Jewish Louisville Community via JTA) — After winning a special election in the state’s 26th district last week, Karen Berg will become the only Jewish member of the Kentucky state legislature. “I’m very excited; I’m humbled; I’m ready to get to work,” said Berg, who will serve… Read more »
After World War II, there were 100 Jews left in Frankfurt, Germany. Today, the community has a potent voice.
BERLIN (JTA) — There were approximately 30,000 Jews in the city of Frankfurt before World War II, making it the largest community in Germany. By the time the U.S. military occupied the city in 1945, there were only about 100 left. “Jewish life was destroyed,” said Tobias Freimuller, author… Read more »