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Is the Orthodox Halacha in the USA different than it is in Israel?

Is the Orthodox Halacha in the USA different than it is in Israel?

07/06/2023 12:03

The Halacha is the Halacha is the Halacha!

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Civil Marriage – are we getting closer?

Civil Marriage – are we getting closer?

18/02/2022 00:02

In Israel, there has been increased attention on marriage rights in general and civil marriage in particular. A significant part of Hiddush’s work is focused on these very issues. This month alone, two Knesset committees have held hearings on the matter.

Depicting Israel's leadership as antisemitic villains

Depicting Israel's leadership as antisemitic villains

Uri Regev 16/02/2022 00:39

The Haredi politicians and media are still focused on posturing as innocent victims that are picked upon by antisemitic Jewish politicians like Avigdor Liberman, crooks like PM Naftali Bennett, and heretics bent on destroying Judaism like the Reform Movement, which masterminds many recent moves aimed at bullying “Torah-true” Jews.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any lower…

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any lower…

Uri Regev 06/01/2022 12:22

Since Hiddush last newsletter, Israel was exposed to two new records in rudeness and hatefulness of expressions by Knesset members’, one from the Chairman of the Agudat Israel faction, Former Minister MK Rabbi Yaakov Litzman, and his colleague MK Rabbi Moshe Abutbul of Shas. The other was on the part of former Minister MK David Amsalem [Likud]. Litzman's statement from the Knesset podium was an expression of the growing frustration of the ultra-Orthodox leadership with the Government's policies and the presence and influence of MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv, Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.

Haredi leaders employing extortion by threats

Haredi leaders employing extortion by threats

05/01/2022 11:54

On Tuesday, Hiddush filed a complaint against senior rabbis in ultra-Orthodox Judaism following their declaration that city rabbis who dare to act in accordance with the law after the adoption of a kashrut reform in the Knesset and certify food as kosher outside their city limits will have their kashrut certification banned everywhere, including in their own cities, and they will be considered as " having departed from the congregation of God and transgressing against the will of God." The declaration is signed by Rabbi Shalom Cohen, the spiritual leader of the Shas movement and Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, the leaders of the ultra-Orthodox-Lithuanian community.

IDF forcing soldiers to keep kosher for Passover

IDF forcing soldiers to keep kosher for Passover

25/11/2021 23:45

Next week, Hiddush will submit a petition to the Supreme Court against the IDF, demanding that it change its regulations regarding its policy on chametz on Passover in army bases.

Assault religious freedom, assault democracy

Assault religious freedom, assault democracy

Uri Regev 25/11/2021 00:45

Half of Israel was up in arms earlier this week, when a tape from a political meeting held by Likud MK Dudi Amsalem leaked to the media. When you read the following selection of his outbursts, you will understand why the media and public reaction was so harsh.

Extremism and outright deceit

Extremism and outright deceit

11/11/2021 21:44

A picture is worth a thousand words. This photo, which was posted by the Women of the Wall, show the Chairwoman of WOW Anat Hoffman and its former director Lesley Sachs sitting on the ground and protecting the Torah scroll, which they intended on bringing into the women’s section of the Kotel so that their fellow worshippers could read from the Torah during this Rosh Chodesh service, which they have been holding, without fail, for over thirty years.

The Haredi vitriol: An ongoing saga

The Haredi vitriol: An ongoing saga

Uri Regev 14/10/2021 23:32

In the last newsletter, we wrote about “the obsession that characterizes the attitude of the ultra-Orthodox parties towards the non-Orthodox denominations in particular, and to freedom of religion and Jewish pluralism in general.”

“Reform” as a generic invective

“Reform” as a generic invective

01/10/2021 00:45

On the eve of Sukkot, the cover of the Shas party’s newspaper “HaDerekh” featured an interview with the party leader, Rabbi Aryeh Deri as the lead article. The first item, in order and in importance, they chose to highlight was the delegitimization of the "Reformers" (i.e. Reform Jews).

Hiddush fighting for female appointees on religious councils

Hiddush fighting for female appointees on religious councils

Uri Regev 30/09/2021 23:25

For many years, Hiddush has led the legal battle for women’s representation on Israel’s Religious Councils. Yesterday, we appeared before the Supreme Court in a hearing regarding the petition we filed on our behalf and on behalf of Israel’s leading women's organizations [Israel Women's Network, Naamat, Rackman Center for the Advancement of Women, and Itach - Women Lawyers for Social Justice], challenging the State’s non-compliance with the obligation to appoint women for the role of “Appointees”.

Hiddush battling for civil burial in Court

Hiddush battling for civil burial in Court

30/09/2021 22:58

Today in court there was good news and bad news. On the one hand, the Justices of the Supreme Court that heard the petition praised Hiddush’s initiative, which prompted the Ministry of Religious Services to speed up its handling of the issue. On the other hand, the court considered the petition too broad and encouraged Hiddush to file separate and concrete petitions in relation to localities.

Will Jewish leadership continue looking the other way?

Will Jewish leadership continue looking the other way?

Uri Regev 04/08/2021 18:02

The world media, from Washington DC to Burkina Faso, French Guinea and the Arab world covered the phenomenon of the most prominent athlete in Israel today, who won a gold medal for the State of Israel and sweeping praise from the heads of state; but is not allowed by his country to marry his girlfriend because it placed the control of marriage in Israel in the hands of the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate.

Contrary to Orthodox politicians - Public for marriage freedom

Contrary to Orthodox politicians - Public for marriage freedom

28/07/2021 23:02

Last week, on the Jewish calendar, we marked Tu b’Av (the 15th day of the month of Av), which can be likened to Valentine’s Day in the USA. Hiddush commissioned a special survey on marriage freedom in commemoration of the holiday, which was well covered in the Hebrew and English media.

Initiatives of the new government: “antisemitism”

Initiatives of the new government: “antisemitism”

Uri Regev 27/07/2021 21:53

The main issue on the agenda this week was a series of reforms of the kashrut system. The Minister of Religious Services, Matan Kahana, is trying to promote them, intending to increase competition in the provision of kosher supervision services, while preserving the Orthodox monopoly over kashrut certification.

The Ultra-Orthodox Reform Paranoia

The Ultra-Orthodox Reform Paranoia

15/07/2021 22:54

In recent months, the phenomenon of ultra-Orthodox attacks against Reform Judaism has escalated, especially due to the participation of Rabbi Gilad Kariv (the foremost Israeli Reform leader) in the new ruling coalition.

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