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freedom of worship

In 'The Great Christmas Boycott of 1906,' Scott D. Seligman reconstructs how a seemingly local dispute in one Brooklyn school exploded into a test case for religious freedom and civic belonging. (Nebraska University Press via JTA)
November 19, 2025, 4:34 am
How at the turn of the century, American Jews really did wage a ‘war on Christmas’
A new book by historian Scott D. Seligman recalls the ‘The Great Christmas Boycott of 1906,’ when immigrants fought for the separation of church and state in public schools
By Andrew Silow-Carroll
Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman blows the shofar close to the Golden Gate of the Eastern Wall of the Temple Mount and the Old City of Jerusalem, October 1, 2022. (Courtesy)
October 8, 2022, 7:42 pm
Report: Police chief says MK’s shofar-blowing near flashpoint site could ignite war
Kobi Shabtai said to pan Simcha Rothman’s actions at Muslim cemetery as ‘pure provocation’; courts have repeatedly upheld activists’ right to perform ritual
By ToI Staff
Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman remonstrates with a police officer for arresting Temple Mount activist Emanuel Brosh at the Eastern Wall of the Temple Mount on October 2, 2022. (Courtesy Arnon Segal)
October 4, 2022, 11:09 am
Temple Mount activists, police feud over shofar-blowing near flashpoint site
Activists seek to blow ram’s horn at Eastern Wall of Jerusalem’s Old City, where Muslim cemetery lies, but face police opposition despite court rulings upholding freedom of worship
By Jeremy Sharon
Shel Lyons, a parent at Carmel River School in northern California, sued the school December 7, 2021, after it refused to allow an inflatable menorah (left) at an event centered around the school's 'holiday tree' (right). The lawsuit was quickly dismissed. (J. The Jewish News of Northern California/ via JTA)
December 21, 2021, 2:17 am
Christmas tree, huge menorah ignite latest fight over holidays in US public schools
A Jewish parent has filed and withdrawn a lawsuit against a California academy after it denied her request to bring a 6-foot-tall inflatable hanukkiah to a tree-lighting ceremony
By Gabe Stutman
Michael Weinstein, author of 'Ten Times Chai: 180 Orthodox Synagogues of New York City.' (Cathryn J. Prince/Times of Israel)
October 16, 2017, 1:52 am
A photographic guide to 180 of NY’s most beautiful historic Orthodox synagogues
Amateur photographer Michael Weinstein turns his hobby into a history with a new compilation documenting the most stunning houses of worship of the five boroughs
By Cathryn J. Prince
President Reuven Rivlin meets with leaders of Christian communities in Israel for the traditional annual reception to mark the civil New Year on December 27, 2016. (Mark Neiman/GPO)
December 27, 2016, 6:26 pm
Rivlin to Christian leaders: We must speak, act, pray for Syria
At annual reception, president calls on international community to build trust between Israelis and Palestinians
By ToI Staff
A group of Jewish ultra-Orthodox men discuss politics as women from the Women of the Wall pray during a service for the festival of Passover, April 24, 2016. (AFP Photo/Thoman Coex)
April 24, 2016, 3:29 pm
Women’s priestly blessing at Jerusalem’s Western Wall curtailed
Passover service goes ahead but police enforce ban on event after attorney general rules it a ‘provocation’
By Mike Smith
A member of the Women of the Wall wears a tallit (prayer shawl) as she prays holding a Torah scroll at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on March 11, 2016 (AFP/GALI TIBBON)
April 21, 2016, 10:16 pm
Women of the Wall ‘regretfully’ accepts ban on priestly blessing
Group to abide by AG’s ruling to excise blessing from Sunday ceremony, having earlier said it would go ahead
By Raoul Wootliff and ToI Staff
A member of the Women of the Wall wears a tallit (prayer shawl) as she prays holding a Torah scroll at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on March 11, 2016 (AFP/GALI TIBBON)
April 21, 2016, 7:52 pm
Women of the Wall to go ahead with priestly blessing, despite ban
Pluralistic group decries surrender ‘to pressure of extremist minority’ after attorney general says ceremony violates rules of religious site
By Raoul Wootliff and ToI Staff
President Reuven Rivlin sits with Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal and Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III at his residence in Jerusalem in honor of the upcoming New Year, on December 28, 2015. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
December 29, 2015, 1:02 am
Rivlin hosts Christian leaders ahead of New Year
Presidential reception urges tolerance, marks 50 years since ‘Nostra Aetate’ revolution in Catholic-Jewish relations
By Keren Preiskel
Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and his wife, Sara, board a plane ahead of a visit to Britain, September 9, 2015 (Avi Ohayun, PMO)
September 9, 2015, 2:10 pm
Netanyahu: Khamenei is wrong; Israel is here to stay
Clinton praises Iran nuclear pact, says it should be augmented with effort to counter Iranian proxies like Hezbollah
By Elie Leshem
Female Muslim activists, known as Murabitat, pray outside Temple Mount to protest a government decision banning them from the site during visiting hours, September 2, 2015 (Elhanan Miller/Times of Israel)
September 3, 2015, 11:27 pm
At Temple Mount gate, banned Muslim activists vent their anger
‘We don’t go to their synagogue, why do they come to al-Aqsa?’ asks a member of Murabitat, a women’s group formed to defy Jewish aspirations on Temple Mount
By Elhanan Miller
Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chairman MK David Rotem (Yisrael Beytenu), in July 2010. (photo credit: Flash90)
January 5, 2014, 1:20 pm
Coalition dispute delays bill to shutter religious councils
Yisrael Beytenu measure would transfer powers, assets of state-funded Orthodox Jewish religious councils to local elected officials
By Haviv Rettig Gur
A mikveh, or Jewish ritual bath, in a Jerusalem neighborhood. (illustrative photo credit: Uri Lenz/Flash90)
December 31, 2013, 10:55 pm
Yisrael Beytenu seeks to disband Israel’s religious councils
New bill would shift responsibility for all religious services from exclusively Orthodox bodies to elected local government
By Haviv Rettig Gur
Bonna Devora Haberman
October 24, 2012, 4:43 pm
Bonna Devora Haberman
Scaling the Western wall
The rhetoric and illusion of equality fade into oblivion when police handcuff a praying woman
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