February 25, 2015
4:46 am

New Square, an all-Hasidic village in Rockland County, is one of many Orthodox hamlets in the area whose rapid growth has helped fuel Hasidic political power. (Uriel Heilman/JTA)

In Rockland, non-Orthodox struggle to rebrand Judaism

While liberal Jews insist the fight is not about ‘us vs. them,’ a new coalition pushes back against ultra-Orthodox dominance

By Uriel Heilman

February 20, 2015
4:43 am

Rabbi Rachel Timoner, associate rabbi of the Leo Baeck Temple in Los Angeles, tapped to take over the pulpit at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, NY. (photo credit: Courtesy Leo Baeck Temple/JTA)

Rabbi to repair the world with new Brooklyn congregation

LGBT advocate Rachel Timoner has proven track record of taking on the impossible, and getting it done

By Uriel Heilman

February 12, 2015
10:42 pm

Brian Williams’ punishment: Does it fit the crime?

The PR pros say NBC’s decision to give the anchor who got caught lying a six month timeout was the smart move

By Uriel Heilman

February 8, 2015
3:53 am

Who is who in the World Zionist Congress elections (123RF/via JTA)

A guide to US parties in the World Zionist Congress elections

The organization founded by Theodor Herzl in 1897 still wields a lot of power in the established Jewish state. How to vote, and who is running

By Uriel Heilman

February 6, 2015
1:46 pm

Israeli army veteran Yinon Cohen, 31, surprised his ski instructors at Challenge Aspen with his determination to ski unaided except for his prosthetic legs. (photo credit: JTA/Nina Zale)

At Aspen, wounded IDF vets learn to ski — and overcome obstacles

Golshim L’Chaim program brings a dozen Israelis, including terror victims, to the slopes every year, accommodating medical needs and boosting their spirits

By Uriel Heilman

February 5, 2015
3:54 pm

Brandeis President Frederick Lawrence. (Brandeis University/JTA)

Amid freedom of speech scandal, Brandeis head steps down

But insiders say it was his lackluster fundraising that made Frederick Lawrence leave the leading ‘Jewish’ liberal arts school

By Uriel Heilman

January 23, 2015
1:28 pm

New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver outside federal courthouse after his arraignment on bribery and corruption charges, Jan. 22, 2015 (Photo credit: Yana Paskova/Getty Images/JTA)

Silver’s arrest a 2nd strike for NY Orthodox power brokers

State Assembly speaker is deeply connected to Met Council on Jewish Poverty’s William Rapfogel, convicted of corruption in 2013

By Uriel Heilman

January 13, 2015
3:21 am

The crowd outside the kosher supermarket Hyper Cacher as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pays his respect to the victims of last week’s terrorist attacks, Jan. 12, 2015 in Paris (Photo credit: Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images/JTA)

Embattled French Jews have mixed feelings about Israel’s aliya calls

Dispute between Israeli, Diaspora Jews stems from divergent views about the viability of Jewish life abroad

By Uriel Heilman

January 10, 2015
11:02 pm

Rabbi Shulim Greenberg's organization, Chesed 24/7, receives a truckload of pomegranates each year donated from Pom Wonderful, the nation's largest pomegranate juice producer. (Uriel Heilman/JTA)

Hasidic help and healing through… pomegranate juice

New York volunteer health organization spreads Judaism’s 613 commandments, one juice bottle at a time

By Uriel Heilman

January 8, 2015
2:32 am

The JCC building in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park is one of two JCC buildings in the Detroit area; the other is in West Bloomfield. (Photo credit: JTA/Aaron Tobin)

Amid $6m deficit, Detroit-area JCC may close

With annual losses of $1 million, building expected to be shut down

By Uriel Heilman

December 31, 2014
6:17 pm

Orthodox girls at school (illustrative photo credit: Yossi Zamir/Flash90)

Orthodox Union wants public funds for NY’s private Jewish schools

Lowering tuition bills and breaking women’s glass ceilings are themes at OU’s annual conference

By Uriel Heilman

December 30, 2014
2:27 am

Professional poker player Ari Engel says he doesn't gamble. (YouTube screenshot)

For this son of an Orthodox rabbi, poker is not gambling

Ari Engel keeps kosher and often wears his kipah, but when it comes to defining games of chance, he’s a very liberal Jew

By Uriel Heilman

December 20, 2014
3:30 am

People stand outside the Little Havana restaurant Versailles, as they absorb the news that Alan Gross was released from a Cuban prison and that US President Barack Obama wants to change the United States Cuba policy, Dec. 17, 2014 in Miami. (photo credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

For Cuban Jews, US rapprochement with Castro a cause for concern

Older generation of emigres object to warming ties between Washington, Havana, but younger Cuban Jews in US eager to visit

By Uriel Heilman

December 19, 2014
2:01 am

Illustrative photo of an interfaith wedding ceremony (photo credit: Rebecca Wilson/Creative Commons/JTA)

Prominent Conservative rabbi considers breaking intermarriage ban

Wesley Gardenswartz proposes performing interfaith weddings before backing down, promises not to sever ties with movement

By Uriel Heilman

December 18, 2014
6:13 am

Yashar Lachayal's Leon Blankrot, in black, handing out aid packages with cold-weather gear to an all-Druze Israeli army unit, Nov. 28, 2014. (Courtesy Yashar Lachayal/JTA)

Rules of engagement vary for Americans aiding IDF soldiers

Diaspora Jews use a yiddishe kopf to work around laws that bar sending combat equipment to foreign armies

By Uriel Heilman

Writer: Uriel Heilman

In Rockland, non-Orthodox struggle to rebrand Judaism

While liberal Jews insist the fight is not about ‘us vs. them,’ a new coalition pushes back against ultra-Orthodox dominance

Rabbi to repair the world with new Brooklyn congregation

LGBT advocate Rachel Timoner has proven track record of taking on the impossible, and getting it done

Brian Williams’ punishment: Does it fit the crime?

The PR pros say NBC’s decision to give the anchor who got caught lying a six month timeout was the smart move

A guide to US parties in the World Zionist Congress elections

The organization founded by Theodor Herzl in 1897 still wields a lot of power in the established Jewish state. How to vote, and who is running

At Aspen, wounded IDF vets learn to ski — and overcome obstacles

Golshim L’Chaim program brings a dozen Israelis, including terror victims, to the slopes every year, accommodating medical needs and boosting their spirits

Amid freedom of speech scandal, Brandeis head steps down

But insiders say it was his lackluster fundraising that made Frederick Lawrence leave the leading ‘Jewish’ liberal arts school

Silver’s arrest a 2nd strike for NY Orthodox power brokers

State Assembly speaker is deeply connected to Met Council on Jewish Poverty’s William Rapfogel, convicted of corruption in 2013

Embattled French Jews have mixed feelings about Israel’s aliya calls

Dispute between Israeli, Diaspora Jews stems from divergent views about the viability of Jewish life abroad

Hasidic help and healing through… pomegranate juice

New York volunteer health organization spreads Judaism’s 613 commandments, one juice bottle at a time

Amid $6m deficit, Detroit-area JCC may close

With annual losses of $1 million, building expected to be shut down

Orthodox Union wants public funds for NY’s private Jewish schools

Lowering tuition bills and breaking women’s glass ceilings are themes at OU’s annual conference

For this son of an Orthodox rabbi, poker is not gambling

Ari Engel keeps kosher and often wears his kipah, but when it comes to defining games of chance, he’s a very liberal Jew

For Cuban Jews, US rapprochement with Castro a cause for concern

Older generation of emigres object to warming ties between Washington, Havana, but younger Cuban Jews in US eager to visit

Prominent Conservative rabbi considers breaking intermarriage ban

Wesley Gardenswartz proposes performing interfaith weddings before backing down, promises not to sever ties with movement

Rules of engagement vary for Americans aiding IDF soldiers

Diaspora Jews use a yiddishe kopf to work around laws that bar sending combat equipment to foreign armies

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