Judaism

Jewish leaders defend Raphael Warnock after Loeffler attacks

ATLANTA — In the hours after a gunman in Pittsburgh opened fire at the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the phone rang in Atlanta for Rabbi Peter Berg, the leader of The Temple, Atlanta’s oldest Jewish congregation.It was the Rev. Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church.“Raphael was the first to call,” Berg said. “(He said that) during this horrific moment of anti-Semitism in our country, he and the Ebenezer family are with us.”The pastor offering Berg comfort in 2018 is now running as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler in an increasingly ugly figh...

Orthodox Jewish synagogue fined over secret pandemic wedding

New York (AFP) - An Orthodox Jewish synagogue has been fined by New York authorities after thousands gathered to attend a secretly organized indoor wedding that violated coronavirus restrictions.The Hasidic place of worship was fined $15,000 over the November 8 event, which was organized without the knowledge of city officials, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.It is the latest example of tensions between officials and Orthodox communities over social distancing measures imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19, which ravaged Orthodox neighborhoods in the spring.Last month, an area in Brooklyn w...

In Brooklyn, Orthodox Jews defiant in face of virus shutdown

New York (AFP) - In an Orthodox Jewish area of Brooklyn on Friday, community members vowed to defy government attempts to restrict their worship over rising coronavirus concerns as they marked a religious holiday.Borough Park saw angry protests by Hasidic Jews this week after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he was partially shutting down the neighborhood to stem a second wave of Covid-19.The controversy turned political with right-wing figures stoking the demonstrations and Orthodox Jews claiming they are being targeted by the Democratic governor for their support of President Donald ...