Jewish law

Parashat Tazria-Metzora: Turning lemons into lemonade

These parashot deal at length with a unique phenomenon described in the Torah – tzara’at, which are marks or changes that appear on the walls of a house, on clothing, or on the body.

'Spirituality can grow without diminishing anyone,' says the writer.
Rabbi Shlomo Litvin, Director of Chabad of the Bluegrass and Chairman of the Kentucky Jewish Council.

New Kentucky law says authorities must contact Chabad before cremating unnamed body

REPRESENTATIVES OF the Chief Rabbinate of Israel cross Jaffa Street in Jerusalem as they deliver a kosher certificate to a local restaurant.

Time for Israel’s non-kosher public to push back - opinion

Prof. John Loike (R), Prof Alan Kadish (M), and Rabbi Tzvi Flaum (L)

New study examines debate over brain-dead pregnant women kept on ventilator


The Jewish humor of American illustrator Dick Codor

Summing up his career, Codor quips: “Drawing Jewish humor is a way of life. I didn’t choose it. It chose me. Judaism can be grim. Jewish humor makes you grin.”

 A selection of Dick Codor's artwork.

France gets its first Orthodox woman rabbi

Out of France's tradition of traditional, Orthodox Judaism, is emerging an invigorated movement of women who are looking to serve as rabbis for the Orthodox community.

Female rabbi being ordained (illustration)

This rabbi hopes to explain Judaism to millions with new website

The Jewish Tradition website is based on the content of a book with the same name, written by Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, head of the Har Bracha Yeshiva.

 Har Bracha Yeshiva

New bill proposes broader sanctions on Israeli men refusing to divorce wives

Israeli law requires that a man give the divorce papers to his wife for the divorce to become valid.

 A WOMAN seeking divorce in a ‘beit din’ was the sole female in the room until the advent of ‘toanot.’ (Illustrative)

Jewish civil marriage group sees increase in ceremony requests

The group, which aims to help Israelis get married legally without the Rabbinate, believes political tensions have caused the increase in requests.

 Wedding (Illustrative).

Religious families cannot get priority in adoption of non-Jewish children, High Court rules

Non-Orthodox families will be able to adopt non-Jewish children more easily, as adoption standards will now be made "in the best interest of the child."

 A parent and his child holding hands (illustrative)

Can Jews talk about death? Yes, it won't kill you

There is a myth that Judaism looks askance at directly talking about death and mortality. But this isn't true.

 RABBI YISRAEL HAGER of the Vizhnitz Hassidic dynasty visits the shiva for Rabbi Meir Stern in northern Israel, 2022.

Let them eat cake: What's at stake with Israel's controversial Hametz law?

SOCIAL AFFAIRS: Why are hospitals being targeted with a new law banning Hametz over Passover? How will it affect staff, and is there a halachic basis for it?

 BURNING HAMETZ in Jerusalem before the start of Passover.

Pardes remains committed to learning despite Israeli political strife - opinion

As we celebrate a half-century of The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, how might we hold on to our past in a way that helps us to move forward?

A DEDICATION ceremony takes place for a new Torah scroll to be used at Pardes’s future home.

All citizens of Israel should be allowed to marry - opinion

Non-Jews who come to Israel, pay taxes and serve in the IDF shouldn’t have to get married in Cyprus if they don’t want to convert to Judaism.

 Wedding (Illustrative).