Jewish News

Rahm Emanuel has commanding lead in Chicago mayoral race

The poll, released Thursday evening, showed Emanuel with the support of 44 percent of those surveyed. Former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun polled at 21 percent, and former Chicago Board of Education President Gery Chico at 16 percent. City Clerk Miguel del Valle had 7 percent support, while 9 percent were undecided, the poll found. Two other candidates got negligible ...

Racist Soccer Fans Attack Hungarian Activist Ahead of Jewish Congress

The head of a Hungarian anti-racism group said far-right soccer fans shouted “Sieg Heil” and attacked him, breaking his nose days before the country is due to host the World Jewish Congress.Ferenc Orosz, chairman of the Raoul Wallenberg Association, told Reuters he was assaulted after arguing with a group of supporters chanting the Nazi slogan at a match between the ...

Racial Slurs Against Israeli Soccer Player ‘Cross Limit’

England’s Chelsea soccer club launched an investigation into claims that Israeli player Yossi Benayoun was the target of anti-Semitic slurs over the weekend made by the team’s own supporters.Benayoun, 32, was reportedly met with anti-Semitic taunts and chants from a section of the Chelsea fans when he came on as a substitute during the match against Liverpool at Anfield on ...

Rachmistrivka Rabbi: Tsunami result of Haredi Arrests in Japan

Rabbi David Twersky, leader of the Rachmastrivka Hasidic dynasty, says the recent tsunami in Japan, which has left thousands of people dead, was the result of the arrest of two yeshiva students by Japanese authorities after being convicted of smuggling drugs.“The Japanese don’t understand why they keep on receiving blow after blow, and it never ends. If they want it ...

Rabbonim OK Therapeutic Approach to Homosexuality

A coalition of more than 150 Orthodox rabbis, community leaders, organizers and respected mental health professionals have given an historic stamp of approval to a document entitled a “Declaration on the Torah Approach to Homosexuality.”The document, seeks for the first time to clarify the theological understanding of the Biblically mandated prohibition, as well as presents what the authors and signators ...

Rabbonim Issue Halachick Ruling Regarding Hamanteshen

Purim Satire: One of the most hotly debated topics among halachic authorities has always been regarding the amount one must eat in order to have fulfilled the obligation to eat hamantashen on Purim.While the authorities have always debated whether the obligation is Biblical or Rabbincal, the issue of how much of the triangular treat is required has never been addressed ...

Rabbis urge Vatican to renounce rebels

European rabbis urged the Vatican on Wednesday to suspend unity talks with an ultra-traditionalist Catholic rebel society until the movement pledged to fight what they called anti-Semitism in its ranks.The Conference of European Rabbis said Bishop Richard Williamson – already known for publicly denying the Holocaust – and the head of the splinter group in France had recently revived the ...

Rabbis To Egypt: Don’t Cancel Pilgrimage To Abir Yaakov Kever

The Conference of European Rabbis said Egypt’s decision to prohibit Jews from visiting the burial site of the Abir Yaakov (Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira) in the Nile delta this year violated human rights and sent the world a message of religious intolerance.“The world is looking at how Egypt protects the rights of all religious minorities in the country,” CER President Chief ...

Rabbis take a stand on road safety

Israel’s Chief Rabbinate battling road accidents: Chief Rabbinate Committee members held Monday a meeting on the endless carnage on Israel’s roads and highways during which they decided that Chief Rabbis Yona Metzger and Shlomo Amar would draft a special prayer – which will be recited by local rabbis at locations in their area which have witnessed road accidents.The committee also decided ...

Rabbis: Stopping Assimilation Overrides Shabbat

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner and prominent kabbalist Rabbi David Batzri say it is permitted to desecrate Shabbat as part of attempts to prevent romantic relationships between Jewish women and Arab men.In response to a question in regards to assimilation, the two ruled that the goal – saving young women from physical and spiritual danger – justified the means – an activity ...

Rabbis slam attack on Reform synagogue

A number of rabbis and public figures from the city of Raanana have signed a letter strongly condemning the desecration of a local Reform synagogue.“This act, like other acts of violence, saddens all of us,” the letter said. “We stress that the Torah condemns any act of violence and harm to our fellowman.”The synagogue’s windows were smashed with stones last weekend, and ...

Rabbi’s Sadness as Synagogue Is Put Up for Sale

A Jewish community has reluctantly put its city centre synagogue up for sale.The Highfields Street home of Leicester’s orthodox Hebrew community was put on the market after the dwindling numbers of worshippers meant less money for the building’s upkeep.Rabbi Shmuli Pink, who leads a small congregation in prayer four times a week, said the sale was needed to ensure the ...