31 May
From the Archive, Jewish World

From 2001 | The Gay Orthodox Underground

In 2001 Moment published an article about the underground gay community among Orthodox Jews. This piece by Naomi Grossman remains relevant today, as the tensions represented in the article continue to make headlines. Whether exemplified by Yeshiva University's banning of its LGBT student organization or hardline anti-gay activist Avi Maoz's role in the current Israeli government, the friction between Orthodox Judaism and LGBTQ+ Jews is ongoing. Hopefully this piece will provide some context on the history of this discordant relationship and some insights on its future. To see this article in its original context, click here. “Jonathan” and “David” are observant Jews. They belong to the same Orthodox synagogue in New York City. From time to time, other synagogue members invite them to Shabbat lunch. Periodically, Jonathan and David host a fam- ily for Shabbat in the Manhattan...

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14 Dec
Latest, Religion

Bridging the Gender Gap in Prayer – Sort Of

By Lily Hoffman Simon The patriarchal tradition of Orthodox Judaism is being challenged all over the world. The recent controversy surrounding the ordainment of Sara Hurwitz as the first female Orthodox rabba (see Moment’s cover story) indicates the extent of this gender revolution. One recent development in the struggle is the birth of what are known as partnership minyans, which bring together males and females for synagogue services. Yet despite its progressive nature, its gender-equitable approach reinforces the presence of gender equality in orthodox circles. A minyan in Jewish tradition refers to the number of Jewish adults necessary to conduct Jewish ritual, such as prayer or service. Traditionally, this quorum is set at 10 Jewish males of Bar-Mitzvah age. While Reform congregations and many Conservative ones tend to include women in this count, Orthodox Judaism has continued to restrict women...

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25 Jun
Latest, Misc

Jailhouse Hora

By Michelle Albert These days, to have a truly memorable bar mitzvah, it has to be somewhere special. Like jail. According to the New York Times, New York City's Department of Investigation is pursuing an inquiry into how an inmate held in a jail in Lower Manhattan could have arranged a bar mitzvah party for his son last year. The party, held in the gymnasium of the Manhattan Detention Complex, featuring Orthodox singer Yaakov Shwekey as the night's entertainment, boasted 60 guests and lasted six hours. It seems a good time was had by all. The problem, according to the City, is that the party featured real silverware, including metal knives (not allowed in jail), and that the guests brought their cellphones with them (also not allowed). The city is also flummoxed at how Tuvia Stern, the inmate...

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24 Nov
Latest

Orthodox Jews Were Not Affected By "Obama Bad For Israel" Rhetoric

By Benjamin Schuman-Stoler According to data based on precincts "with High-Concentration Of Orthodox Jewish Voters," Orthodox Jews were not only unafraid of Barack Obama, some communities voted for him in larger numbers than they did for John Kerry in 2004. Shmuel Rosner blogs (and has a nice chart) about the data , compiled by The Public Policy office of the Orthodox Union, at JPost. He gives four explanations for the data: Like many Americans, Orthodox Jews thought it was time for the GOP to get its butt kicked. The economy has a profound impact on Orthodox families with a lot of children and a lot of expenses. Bush was rewarded in 2004 for his friendship toward Israel. McCain wasn't. Sarah Palin was a downer to Jews, some Orthodox included. Either way, we know that the rumors and the rhetoric swirling around Obama...

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