Religion

Long Island town ordered to pay $19M after blocking Chabad synagogue construction

Rabbi Aaron Konikov and Lubavitch of Old Westbury sued the Village of Old Westbury in 2008 after the village unlawfully blocked construction on the rabbi's property.

|ByGRACE GILSON/JTA
The Chabad of Roslyn/Old Westbury building.
A Torah held aloft at a reconstructionist synagogue.

Mordecai Kaplan's Reconstructionism: A vision of American Judaism that struggles to grow - review

Mordecai Kaplan’s dream of a Jewish civilization built on choice and fulfillment faces the reality of modern challenges in sustaining community and commitment.

|ByANDREW SILOW-CARROLL/JTA
Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed receives a memorable gift from Christian leaders at the inaugural Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in Ottawa, Canada, March 2026.

Canadians pray for Jerusalem as Parliament penalizes quoting the Bible - opinion

The success of the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast in Ottawa suggests that there is still a hunger for unity, moral clarity, and courage.

|ByALBERT VEKSLER/THE MEDIA LINE
A member of the IDF’s Netzah Yehuda Battalion is seen at the Western Wall, last year.

Netzach Yehuda's CNN altercation: Why religion is driving Israel toward extremism - opinion

After a tumultuous journey of deconstructing my past, I am now a vocal critic of both hardline religion and the contradictions inherent in trying to create a democratic nation-state.

|BySHALOM TZVI SHOR

From DC to Jerusalem: Larry Liss’s journey as a chef and culinary artist

A southern-born chef brings creativity and flavor to Jerusalem through home-cooked meals and culinary adventures.

MARCH 8, 2026ByALAN ROSENBAUM
Larry Liss.

Iran: You are so not invited to my sons’ bar mitzvah

Twin bnei mitzvah, Persian palace dreams, and Iranian missiles lead to an unforgettable Shabbat Zachor.

MARCH 7, 2026ByJUDITH SEGALOFF
Bar Mitzvah boys the day before all the excitement begins.

From Shushan to Tehran: Purim’s story repeats itself - opinion

Again and again, the pattern returns: a decree of destruction, a sudden fall, a people still standing.

MARCH 7, 2026ByJONATHAN LIEBERMAN
People celebrate Purim in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem.

In the kitchen with Henny: Easy Purim, Passover dinners using what’s already in your kitchen

From Purim treats to Passover prep, turn leftovers and pantry staples into nourishing, stress-free dinners.

MARCH 7, 2026ByHENNY SHOR
Henny Shor

Echoes of Egypt: Haggadah that brings ancient Egypt to your seder

Experience a Haggadah that brings 3,000 years of Egyptian imagery to life.

MARCH 7, 2026ByMICHAEL BERNSTEIN
Close-up of the Merenptah Stele, mentioning Israel on line 27.

Shabbat under fire: Navigating Jewish law, missile alerts in Israel during war - opinion

Jerusalem residents faced a Shabbat like no other amid incoming missiles from Iran.

MARCH 7, 2026ByBRIAN BLUM
Smartphone shows a missile alert, in Mishmar David, Feb. 28.

Parashat Ki Tisa: Fear and the choice of courage

From the golden calf to today, fear tests us, but faith and courage show the way forward.

MARCH 6, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN
Taking cover in Tel Aviv, March 1.

Parashat Ki Tisa: Sin of the golden calf and the test of patience

Impatience at Sinai led to the golden calf, teaching that true faith and redemption demand patience, not glittering shortcuts.

MARCH 6, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
Impatience has led to many people losing their own private Garden of Eden.

Purim 2026: The hidden miracle of Jewish survival across generations - opinion

Purim reminds us that Jewish continuity is a miracle, sustained by belief, identity, and unwavering strength.

MARCH 3, 2026ByMENACHEM SPIEGEL
19th-century Megillat Esther linked to Gaza's Jewish community up for auction in Jerusalem.

The Book of Esther: How letters preserved Jewish identity across empires and exile - opinion

How the Book of Esther uses letters to safeguard Jewish identity and language during exile and empire.

MARCH 3, 2026ByMOSHE TARAGIN
Reading ‘Megillat Esther’ in Safed: Hebrew returned because the people it spoke for had returned.