There were 200 synagogues in Latvia before World War II. Peitav-Shul is the only synagogue building to have survived both the Nazi and the Soviet occupations of Riga. The bright blue interior, built in 1905, is decorated with Egyptian and Assyrian-Babylonian geometric patterns. The Aron Kodesh (the Holy Ark), where the Torah scrolls are kept, faces Jerusalem. A marble pulpit faces the congregation.
Read More(REVIEW) Erwin Blumenfeld was the perfect fashion photographer. The Museum of the Art and History of Judaism in Paris is showcasing this work in over 180 photographs with the temporary exhibit “The Trials and Tribulations of Erwin Blumenfeld, 1930-1950.” It spans Blumenfeld’s most active and influential period.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Hanukkah, the Jewish “festival of lights,” commemorates a story of a miracle, when oil meant to last for one day lasted for eight. Today, Jews light the menorah, a candelabra with eight candles – and one “helper” candle, called a shamas – to remember the Hanukkah oil, which kept the Jerusalem temple’s everlasting lamp burning brightly.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Fifty years ago, on June 3, 1972, as Sally J. Priesand became the first woman ordained a rabbi by a Jewish seminary, her 35 male classmates spontaneously rose to their feet to acknowledge her historic feat.
Read MorePassover is a time for the Jewish community to reflect on the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and hosting a Seder is one way families and communities come together to celebrate this biblical event. OneTable and Haggadot.com have joined forces this year to provide people with the tools needed to host their own unique Seder.
Read More(OPINION) The many cases of anti-Catholic vandalism have been documented by me here in recent years. Also well-documented has been the number of professionals in the mainstream media who keep overlooking such criminal activities.These incidents just keep happening, yet they continue to be given little to no mainstream news coverage.
Read More(OPINION) Ongoing fights about the First Amendment and religious liberty are likely to prove the most newsworthy, but two other themes deserve attention as well.
Read MoreA collection by the Sassoon family, called the Rothschilds of the East, is going on the auction block at Sotheby’s on Dec. 17. The Sassoon family left Ottoman-controlled Baghdad and built their wealth trading opium and textiles from Bombay, Rangoon, Hong Kong, Singapore and London.
Read MorePope Pius XII’s role during World War II is still in dispute, but evidence from the Vatican archives opened this year shows the German pope played a key role in saving thousands of Jewish lives in Palestine during World War I.
Read More(OPINION) Surveys show that many young people among the Millennial and Gen Z generation have very little knowledge pertaining to the Holocaust. Some even believe that Jews brought on the Holocaust.
Read MoreAmericans cast their votes Tuesday to decide between giving President Trump another four-year term or whether to elect challenger Joe Biden.
Read MoreRecent days have seen a wide range of religious liberty issues brought to the forefront of American discussions. From college campuses to metropolitan archdioceses to one of the biggest social media platforms on earth, the role and appropriateness of religion and religious practice is being challenged daily.
Read MoreHalloween came to America in the early 19th Century, but gained popularity when the Irish immigrated to America during the Potato Famine. They brought along their Halloween traditions of dressing up and trick-or-treating. Today, the holiday has evolved quite a bit.
Read MoreIn a new study released by the AJC, a global Jewish advocacy group, researchers found that many Non-Orthodox Jews in America are leaning towards voting for Biden. This includes Conservative, Reformed and Secular Jewish Americans.
Read MorePopular pilgrimage destinations like Jerusalem and Rome have seen a massive drop in religious travelers, especially during Passover, Easter and this past summer.
Read More(REVIEW) Norman Lebrecht’s Genius & Anxiety: How Jews Changed the World, 1847-1947 paints a complex portrait of Jewish figures and their relationships to each other. He points out that their brilliance and influence was the result of their collective anxiety.
Read MoreIn a letter from prominent Orthodox Jews, leaders explain that their utmost law must be the Torah — not common law from partisan leaders today. As politics continue to become more partisan, how will Jews stay fixed on the ideals of the Torah, not certain political leaders?
Read More(ANALYSIS) This week, city officials in Charlotte began removing stones around one of four monuments in the U.S. to the most prominent Jew of the Confederacy. In today’s political climate, it remains to be seen whether protesters will draw attention to Judah Benjamin or whether he will rest in relative obscurity among U.S. historical figures. As of now, the few monuments to his legacy still stand.
Read More(OPINION) As the national debate surrounding law-enforcement practices and the Black Lives Matter movement continues, journalists need to go beyond covering the obvious.
Read MoreThis week, St. Louis residents started a petition to remove a statue of the former French King St. Louis IX, deeming him anti-Semitic and Islamophobic. In response, local Catholics have formed a group to defend the canonized saint from vandalism or removal, while others are asking Pope Francis to “decanonize” the saint.
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