Jarrod Bernstein made his first public speech as President Obama’s liaison to the Jewish community Monday, at the second annual Agudath Israel legislative breakfast, in New York . As might be expected, he did his best to remind the members of the pro-Israel Haredi organization of what the administration is doing both for Israel and…
The Jewish Week shares the story behind a kosher vegetarian bacon salt. Magen Tzedek, which offers an ethical seal of approval to kosher food producers, responds to a claim by orthodox organization Agudath Israel, that the seal is attempting to change the definition of kashrut. Read both pieces on JTA. We’re thrilled that you’re a…
Rabbi Avi Shafran is the public affairs director of Agudath Israel of America, the Haredi advocacy and social service organization. On the side he writes a weekly column that goes out by email and appears in various publications and websites. I get it in my mailbox and I almost always open it up to see…
During the kapparot ceremony, a custom practiced primarily in the Haredi community before Yom Kippur, sins are shifted to chickens, which a holder swings above his head three times. The meat is then to be donated to the poor. After learning that the custom can cause pain to chickens, and even injuries to their bones…
Israel’s ultra-Orthodox top health official earlier this week said that, within the Jewish state, “swine flu” would be called “Mexican flu.” Perhaps he thought that all the talk of the potentially deadly flu associated with pigs would cause a run on pork chops, bacon and deli-style ham — even though the outbreaks have been having…
Republican presidential nominee John McCain plans to host a conference call with Jewish leaders across the country Sunday morning. The so-called tele-town hall meeting with Jewish leaders, McCain’s second such call since August, will include the participation of U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman. The independent Democrat who has been campaigning for the Republican ticket in battleground…
Rabbi Avi Shafran — spokesman for the ultra-Orthodox Agudath Israel of America — seems genuinely excited about the Reform movement’s new prayerbook. To be sure, the Reform Siddur “Mishkan T’filah” is pretty far from what Shafran would consider an ideal prayerbook, but he’s pretty pleased by its steps toward tradition — particularly its inclusion of…
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