The First English Edition of the Talmud Revisited
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Teenage Supervision, Submitted by Yaakov Bieler, Jackbieler@Aol
Proposed Resolutions for Adoption at the 48th Annual Convention of The Rabbinical Council of America April 29th - May 1st 2007 Museum of Jewish Heritage Battery Place, New York, NY Concluding with Parallel Yemei Iyyun at The Wilf Campus, Yeshiva University The Orthodox Union The Center for Jewish History Rabbi Daniel Cohen, Convention Chairman Rabbi Barry Freundel, Resolutions Committee Chairman On Friday, April 20, 2007, members of the RCA’s Executive Committee were invited to a conference call to be held on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 in order to define the scope of convention resolutions, as per its authority under Article 7, Section 2 of the RCA constitution, “The Resolutions Committee shall prepare and present resolutions to the annual meeting in accordance with the procedures adopted by the Executive Committee.” At that meeting, the Executive Committee unanimously approved the following procedure: “Convention resolutions shall not address the day to day governance of the RCA, which has historically been the responsibility of the officers and the Executive Committee.” Of the many resolutions submitted for possible adoption by the membership at the convention, only resolutions in accordance with the Executive Committee’s procedure are included in this packet, as follows (in no particular order): 1) Supervision of Teenagers, submitted by Yaakov Bieler, p. 2 2) Commendation of Rabbi Naftali Hollander, submitted by Menachem Raab, p. 2 3) Environmental Movement, submitted by Barry Kornblau, p. 2 4) Global Warming, submitted by Barry Kornblau, p. 3 5) Jordanian Construction of Temple Mount Minaret, submitted by Zushe Winner, p. 3 6) Plight of Jews of Gush Katif, submitted by Yehoshua S. -
TRANSGENDER JEWS and HALAKHAH1 Rabbi Leonard A
TRANSGENDER JEWS AND HALAKHAH1 Rabbi Leonard A. Sharzer MD This teshuvah was adopted by the CJLS on June 7, 2017, by a vote of 11 in favor, 8 abstaining. Members voting in favor: Rabbis Aaron Alexander, Pamela Barmash, Elliot Dorff, Susan Grossman, Reuven Hammer, Jan Kaufman, Gail Labovitz, Amy Levin, Daniel Nevins, Avram Reisner, and Iscah Waldman. Members abstaining: Rabbis Noah Bickart, Baruch Frydman- Kohl, Joshua Heller, David Hoffman, Jeremy Kalmanofsky, Jonathan Lubliner, Micah Peltz, and Paul Plotkin. שאלות 1. What are the appropriate rituals for conversion to Judaism of transgender individuals? 2. What are the appropriate rituals for solemnizing a marriage in which one or both parties are transgender? 3. How is the marriage of a transgender person (which was entered into before transition) to be dissolved (after transition). 4. Are there any requirements for continuing a marriage entered into before transition after one of the partners transitions? 5. Are hormonal therapy and gender confirming surgery permissible for people with gender dysphoria? 6. Are trans men permitted to become pregnant? 7. How must healthcare professionals interact with transgender people? 8. Who should prepare the body of a transgender person for burial? 9. Are preoperative2 trans men obligated for tohorat ha-mishpahah? 10. Are preoperative trans women obligated for brit milah? 11. At what point in the process of transition is the person recognized as the new gender? 12. Is a ritual necessary to effect the transition of a trans person? The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly provides guidance in matters of halkhhah for the Conservative movement. -
Jewish Law 2011
JEWISH LAW Syllabus Spring 2011 Professor Sherman L. Cohn Wednesday, 5:45-7:45 Professor Barry Freundel McDonough Room 492 Professor David Saperstein This course will examine from several perspectives the structure, concepts, methodologies, and development of substantive Jewish Law. It will compare Jewish and American Law, and explore the roots of Anglo-American law and politics in the Bible and later Jewish law. The course will examine the insights that Jewish law provides on contemporary legal issues. Each year, the particular issues examined are subject to change depending on controversies then current in society that make such issues interesting to examine, but generally include methods of conflict resolution, evidence, economic justice, privacy, bio-ethics, environment, and family law. Primary source material in translation will be used. A paper is required. Students will be expected to prepare brief discussions on the contrasts and similarities in American Law with the issues of Jewish law discussed. Syllabus Note: While this syllabus sets forth the thrust and the substance of the Seminar, it is subject to possible alteration as the seminar discussion proceeds. General Assignment: For those who do not have a background in Jewish history, Chaim Potok, Wanderings: A History of the Jews, Max Dimont, God, Jews and History, are the best of the shorter, popular books on the topic. It is highly recommended that students in the seminar read one of these books, if possible, as close to the start of the seminar as is feasible. Other good short works are: Ben Sasson, H.H. (ed.), A History of the Jewish People; Sachar, A.L., A History of the Jews; Roth, Cecil, A History of the Jews. -
Convention Program
Convention Program The 48th Annual Convention of The Rabbinical Council of America April 29th - May 1st 2007 Museum of Jewish Heritage Battery Place, New York, NY Concluding with Parallel Yemei Iyyun at The Wilf Campus, Yeshiva University The Orthodox Union The Center for Jewish History Rabbi Daniel Cohen Chairman Convention Program Tearoom: Sunday/Monday 2.00pm – 5.00pm in the Events Hall Time Sunday Events Sunday 1-3pm RCA Executive Committee Meeting Sunday 2pm Convention Registration Sunday 3pm Opening Keynote Plenary Welcoming Remarks Rabbi Daniel Cohen, Convention Committee Chairman The Rabbi’s Pivotal Leadership Role in Energizing the Future of American Jewish Life Richard Joel, Yeshiva University Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, Orthodox Union Edmond J. Safra Hall Sunday 4 PM Talmud Torah Track Leadership Track Networking Track Part 1 Prophetic Leadership: Guided Workshop: Forget the Lone Ranger: Yirmiyahu as a Man of Emet in a Finding Your Leadership Style Best Networking Practices Within World of Sheker and Maximizing your Personal and Beyond the Synagogue. Rabbi Hayyim Angel, Power within your Shul Chairman: Rabbi David Gottlieb, Cong. Shearith Israel, NY Dr. David Schnall, Shomrei Emunah, Baltimore MD Azrieli Graduate School of Rabbi Reuven Spolter, Jewish Education and Young Israel of Oak Park Administration Rabbi Kalman Topp, YI of Woodmere Shomron Yehudah Chevron Sunday 5 PM Talmud Torah Track Leadership Track Networking Track Part 2 Communication or An IDF Officer’s Leadership Best Networking Practices Excommunication?: An Analysis Insights as Related to the Rabbi Eli Weinstock, of Two Rabbinic Policies Contemporary Rabbinate Cong. Kehilath Jeshurun, NY. Prof. Yaakov Elman, Rabbi Binny Friedman, Rabbi Ari Perl, Congregation Bernard Revel Graduate School Isralight Shaare Tefilla, Dallas TX Rabbi Chaim Marder, Hebrew Institute, White Plains, NY Shomron Yehudah Chevron Sunday 6 PM Mincha Edmond J. -
Synagogue Trends a Newsletter for the Leadership of Orthodox Union Member Synagogues
SYNAGOGUE TRENDS A NEWSLETTER FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF ORTHODOX UNION MEMBER SYNAGOGUES VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 FALL/WINTER 1997/98 how Me The Money! by David J. Schnall, Ph.D. We’ve heard it over and more likely to give, to give more, Mandell I. Ganchrow, M.D. again: “IYM AIN KEMACH, AIN TORAH.” and to give more often. The reasons President, Orthodox Union It is a truism that barely needs rein- are at the same time obvious and Marcel Weber forcement We all favor expanding subtle. On the one hand: Chairman, Board of Directors our shul’s structure and its activities. Dr. Marcos Katz People of deep religious faith and Chairman, Board of Governors From a new youth wing to the values see charity as one among leaky roof to the rabbi’s next con- Rabbi Raphael B. Butler many divine obligations and Executive Vice President tract, we face a myriad of worthy responsibilities. In Jewish thought, Stephen J. Savitsky causes, all deserving attention and TZEDAKAH goes along with DAVENING, Chairman, Synagogue Services Commission priority. Like it or not, being an offi- KASHRUT, SHABBAT, TALMUD TORAH and Michael C. Wimpfheimer cer and a community leader, means all the rest — as part of an integrat- Chairman, Synagogue Membership Committee seeking new and more creative ed, holistic, constellation of values. Rabbi Moshe D. Krupka ways to develop financial resources, So it’s no surprise that those who National Director, Synagogue Services while holding and reinforcing the take it the most seriously are more Dr. David J. Schnall existing base of support. -
Why I Left My Old Home and What I Have Accomplished in America
Chapter 4 Why I Left My Old Home and What I Have Accomplished in America Aaron Domnitz (Aba Beitani) b. 1884,Romanovo, Belarus To U.S.: 1906;settled in Baltimore, Md. The autobiography of Aaron Domnitz is the purest example of the maskil type in this collection. A deeply pious and zealous student of Gemara as a child and youth, he was drawn to the study of Hebrew literature and secular subjects as a yeshiva student. Influenced by the revolutionary fervor sur- rounding him, Domnitz romanticized workers and industrial labor but lasted only a brief time in the “shop” when he arrived in the United States. Domnitz describes his experiences as a member of the literary and intellectual circle known as “Di Yunge,” the Young Ones, while living in the Bronx in the first decades of the twentieth century. An ideal informant, the writer has a knack for keen observation, evoking his surroundings with a sharp eye and close detail, always placing the phenomena he describes vividly in their historical contexts. Introduction I want to make use of the autobiographical form, so I will skip many, many things that have occurred in my life. I will record only those details of my childhood that have in my consciousness some connection with my later urge to travel somewhere. Ruminating over my past has renewed in my memory several details that at one time made a strong impression on me, and I portray them here. These too would be interesting for a histo- rian who might sometime ruminate over old documents and want to form 124 Why I Left My Old Home and What I Have Accomplished in America 125 a complete picture of the people who took part in the great Jewish immi- gration at the beginning of the century. -
Putting the Silent Partner Back Into Partnership Minyanim Rabbi Dr
Putting the Silent Partner Back Into Partnership Minyanim Rabbi Dr. Barry Freundel Introduction Over the last few years a new phenomenon has appeared on the Jewish scene. This phenomenon referred to as “Partnership Minyanim”, claims to be Orthodox and/or halakhic, and to offer increased opportunities for women to participate in services.1 Specifically, women are allowed to serve as prayer leader (in some venues a woman is always asked to lead) for Kabbalat Shabbat—but not for Maariv on Friday night. On Shabbat morning a women may serve as Hazan(it)for Pesukei Dezmira but not for Shaharit and Musaf. So too, a girl may be asked to conclude the Shabbat morning services beginning with Ein Kelokeinu. Finally, women are given aliyot and read Torah at these services (in some places this is allowed only after the third aliyah).2 There are some of these groups that follow somewhat different structures.3 The title of this article reflects a fundamental concern about how this new development has come to the community. Partnership Minyanim exist in many areas; Jerusalem, New York, Washington, DC, Boston, Chicago and elsewhere.4 Yet there has, to the best of my 1 For a description and definition see the homepage of Congregation Kol Sason online at http://www.kolsasson.org/index.html and http://www.jofa.org/Resources/Partnership_Minyanim/ for The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) description of these services. 2 This is based on Responsa R. Meir of Rothenberg (1215-1293) 4:108, a source that in my opinion does not apply to the question of women regularly receiving aliyot in a mixed setting, today. -
We Need to Talk: a Review of Public Discourse and Survivor Experiences of Safety, Respect, and Equity in Jewish Workplaces and Communal Spaces 2
We Need to Talk: A Review of Public Discourse and Survivor Experiences of Safety, Respect, and Equity in Jewish Workplaces and Communal Spaces 2 About the Safety Respect Equity (SRE) Coalition Acknowledgments This research was conducted by Dr. Guila Benchimol and Marie Huber on behalf There are a number of people without whom of the Safety Respect Equity (SRE) Coalition. The SRE Coalition was founded in this report would not have been possible. Firstly, February 2018 after informal conversations about #MeToo in Jewish spaces the SRE Coalition would like to acknowledge evolved into a gathering of movement builders, experts, and field practitioners. and thank the individuals, victims, and survivors The goal was to set a vision for how the Jewish community could address who took the time to share their stories and safety, respect, and equity within its workplaces and communal spaces and lend experiences with us so that we could learn from voice and action to the international #MeToo movement. Today, more than 100 them. Thank you to Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, organizations and individuals make up the SRE Coalition as an organized Jewish Guila Benchimol, and Carly Straus for conducting alliance committed to creating lasting change within Jewish institutions. The Coalition is focused on three main objectives: a focus group, survey, and interviews with these individuals. SRE also acknowledges and thanks Leading Edge, Dr. Judith Rosenbaum and Jewish Leadership Commitment Women’s Archive (JWA), The Good People A broad cross-section of organizational and communal influencers widely Fund, Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York embrace and prioritize efforts to change organizational norms and behaviors and ensure safe, respectful, and equitable workplaces. -
A Journal of Jewish Responsibility
that this is the standard. Certainly, in dealing with Sh'ma theoretical illnesses, there is no need to have a sufficient number of dialysis machines and respira- tors for the entire population. Such an undertaking a journal of Jewish responsibility would bankrupt society, could probably not be 22/434 MAY 15,1992 achieved, and would cause many other deaths, as society would, of necessity, cut back on other, non- medical, but important life and death safety and security concerns. Instead, a reasonable number of beds and amount of machinery, based on appropri- ate actuarial expectations of need must be provided. If as a result of unforeseen happenstance the system is temporarily unable to cope with a particular problem, the society cannot be held culpable. While this conclusion may seem harsh, no responsible Judaism and the health care crisis society could or should act otherwise. In halachic Barry Freundel terms that which is not Bifaneinu (before us) in the present reality cannot determine public policy or ; The elections of 1991 were unique in that medical else we will wind up harming real flesh and blood I care has never been so prominent an electoral issue. people with real flesh and blood needs out of fear of I The senatorial contest in Pennsylvania turned, possible events, the vast majority of which will never r significantly, on fears that adequate affordable occur. medical care is becoming progressively less available in this country, and, that therefore a national health Facing Reality with Jewish Idealism , insurance program is a desideratum, if not a neces- More to the point, even situations that are Bifaneinu, sity. -
Forgetting Decency at Yeshiva University Commuters Distressed
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF STERN COLLEGE FOR WOMEN AND SY SYMS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS The Yeshiva University OBSERVER WWW.YUOBSERVER.ORG VOLUME LXII ISSUE V JANUARY 2017/ TEVET 5777 Forgetting Decency at Yeshiva University Mindy Schwartz Managing Editor Ben Shapiro ended his widely attended speech at Yeshiva illness,” a view that was met with robust applause and cheers admittedly hostile actions towards him on CNN Headline news University on Monday night, December 5th, with a bold from the audience. constituted “deeply unladylike behavior?” More troubling still, statement: “I preach decency... If you act like a mentsch you where was this decency when many of the students in Lamport should be treated like a mentsch.” Shapiro’s claim of “mental illness” directly contradicts the laughed and clapped in response to his boast and his clever positions of the American Medical Association, the American witticism? Sitting in the audience, I felt utterly dumbfounded. Psychological Association, the American Medical Student Association, the American Public Health Association, the Kira Paley rightly pointed out Shapiro’s hypocrisy during the Decency? American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American ‘Q&A’ portion of the event. She asked, “At the end of the Academy of Pediatrics, all of whom believe that at least some speech you talked about how you preach decency...but you Ben Shapiro preaches a lot of things, but my big takeaway transgender people do possess a medical need for hormonal were clearly making jokes at the expense of transgender people. from his sermon: hypocrisy, both in his philosophy and—more and or surgical treatment. -
Niddah 2.0: Jewish Menstrual Purity in the Internet Age
Niddah 2.0: Jewish Menstrual Purity in the Internet Age Master‘s Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Brandeis University Department of Near Eastern and Jewish Studies Professor Sylvia Barack Fishman, Advisor Professor Ellen Smith, Advisor In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Master‘s Degree by Ariella Sara Lis February 2011 Copyright by Ariella Sara Lis © 2011 Acknowledgments I would like to thank my advisors, Professor Sylvia Barack Fishman and Professor Ellen Smith for their patience, support, wisdom, and guidance throughout this project. I would also like to thank my parents, Lisa and Hannan Lis for listening to my complaints, concerns, and moments of less than calm nerves throughout the writing and research process. I would also like to thank Meredith Butler, close friend and fellow NEJS grad student for reminding me that yes – I can do this, and yes, what I have to say is quite valuable. Finally, I would like to thank my fiancé Tzvi Moshe Raviv, who found the time to support me, read my many drafts, listen to my ideas, cope with my increasing stress level, and even ask me to marry him. iii ABSTRACT Niddah 2.0: Jewish Menstrual Purity in the Internet Age A thesis presented to the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Brandeis University Waltham, Massachusetts By Ariella Sara Lis This thesis analyzes web based tools created by the Orthodox Jewish community to support women in their observance of Jewish menstrual purity ritual practice (JMPR). JMPR is a ritual derived from the Israelite Temple cult conditions of purity. -
The Philosophy of Don Hasdai Crescas
Hl~ ILLINOI S UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Brittle Books Project, 2009. 296 W56p Ri _ _ r THE PHILOSOPHY OF DON HASDAJ CRESCAS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS SALES AGENTS NEW YORK: LEMCKE & BUECHNER 30-32 EAST 20TH STREET LONDON : HUMPHREY MILFORD AMEN CORNER, E.C. SHANGHAI : EDWARD EVANS & SONS, LTD. 30 NORTH SZECHUEN ROAD COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ORIENTAL STUDIES VOL. XVII THE PHILOSOPHY OF DON HASDAI CRESCAS BY MEYER WAXMAN SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, IN THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Qltu Pork COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS 1920 All rights reserved PRINTED IN ENGLAND AT THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS NOTE A PECULIAR interest attaches to Hasdai Crescas. He swam against the current of the philosophical exposition of his day. He was bold enough to oppose the speculative reasoning of Aristotle, the man who held nearly all the philosophers in his grip during so many centuries; and, above all, he dared to criticize the introduction of Aristotelian views into the religious philosophy of his own people, even though these views were dressed in Jewish garb by the master hand of Maimonides. The current passed him by; it could not overwhelm him. In the following pages Dr. Meyer Waxman has given us a detailed and a very interesting exposition of Crescas's philosophic system; and he has added to this a comparison of Crescas's views, not only with those of Maimonides, but also with those of Spinoza. We have thus lined up for us the three greatest minds that speculative Jewish theology produced during the Middle Ages; and the means are afforded us to estimate the value of their dip into the Unknown.