synagogues

Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan on 24 March 2011 (Goldnpuppy/Wikimedia CC BY-SA)

June 22, 2023, 7:53 am

‘Jeopardy!’ features Michigan synagogue in clue

Grandson of Holocaust survivors gets answer wrong, but still wins; Shaarey Zedek in Southfield was once described as ‘a concrete Sinai on the shoulder of Interstate 696’

By PHILISSA CRAMER

A police officer walks at the scene after the bombing of the Copernic street synagogue, in Paris, that killed 4 people on October 3, 1980. (Remy de la Mauviniere/AP)

April 4, 2023, 9:12 am

43 years later, suspect in deadly Paris synagogue bombing goes on trial in absentia

Hassan Diab, who lives in Canada, accused of planting bomb outside premises that killed four and injured dozens on behalf of Palestinian terror group; he claims mistaken identity

By Agencies and ToI Staff

Professional wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman attends the UFC 282 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 10, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

April 1, 2023, 2:44 pm

LA synagogue hosts ‘Mitzvah Mania’ with Jewish pro wrestlers

Temple Beth Am, located in the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Pico-Robertson, is putting on a one-off show on April 2 to coincide with this weekend’s ‘WrestleMania’

By jacob gurvis

Rabbi Alberto (Baruch) Zeilicovich, seen at Eagle Beach in Aruba, recently came out of retirement to become the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Israel on the southern Caribbean island. (Dan Fellner/ JTA)

March 19, 2023, 5:44 am

Aruba’s new rabbi comes out of retirement to lead a congregation in ‘paradise’

After manning the pulpit in Medellin, Colombia, at the height of Pablo Escobar’s notorious reign, Baruch Zeilicovich feels ready for anything on the beautiful and serene island

By dan fellner

Students from the Kinneret Academic college help bring the 62-pound lioness carving from Ein Nashut to their bus on March 1, 2023, in the Golan Heights. (courtesy Mordechai Aviam)

March 8, 2023, 10:32 am

Students on northern Israel field trip stumble onto 1,500-year-old lioness carving

Lucky group from the Kinneret Academic College led by Prof. Mordechai Aviam discovers basalt sculpture that likely adorned synagogue, and a rare 1,800-year-old coin, on same day

By Melanie Lidman

A screenshot from video shared by the UAE's deputy prime minister on February 17, 2023, shows a scene from the opening ceremony at the newly opened Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi. (Twitter video screenshot: Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

February 17, 2023, 4:53 pm

Arab world’s ‘1st purpose-built synagogue in century’ opens at UAE interfaith center

UK chief rabbi affixes mezuzah during inauguration of Abu Dhabi’s Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue, which will host Shabbat prayers on Friday evening

By Agencies and ToI Staff

Illustrative: Screen capture from video of the Ukrainian city of Huliaipole, May 2022. (YouTube; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

January 31, 2023, 11:39 pm

113-year-old Ukrainian synagogue damaged by Russian shelling — local reports

Photo of building shows large hole in one of its walls; top Ukraine rabbi urges condemnation from world leaders of ‘criminal act’

By Judah Ari Gross

A family takes part in a Zoom shiva. (Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis/Getty Images via JTA)

December 20, 2022, 3:00 pm

After antisemitic Zoombombing of religious services, Ohio toughens laws

Following advocacy by Jewish groups, convictions could now bring jail time; synagogue services targeted after they went online during COVID-19 pandemic

By Ron Kampeas

A screenshot of Hassan Chokr from an Instragram live video on December 3, 2022. (Screenshot from Instragram; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

December 5, 2022, 6:52 pm

Michigan man indicted after accosting synagogue-goers while cursing Israel

Hassan Chokr charged with ‘ethnic intimidation’ for allegedly yelling antisemitic and racist threats as families dropped off kids at Temple Beth El in Bloomfield Hills

By PHILISSA CRAMER

Jews living in San Martin de los Andes have inaugurated the first-ever synagogue in their city. (Gustavo Castaign/ Courtesy Comunidad Hebrea San Martin de los Andes via JTA)

December 1, 2022, 3:38 am

Patagonia’s 1st new synagogue in decades reveals growing Argentine-Jewish community

Conservative Jews in San Martín de los Andes inaugurated their city’s first-ever synagogue, and have already doubled the number of locals and tourists coming for holiday events

By Juan Melamed

The synagogue in Anatevka outside of Kyiv, Ukraine, keeps its lights on to mark the 84h anniversary of Kristallnacht, November 9, 2022 (courtesy)

November 10, 2022, 6:00 pm

In wartime Ukraine, synagogues keep lights on to mark Kristallnacht

Communities anticipated blackouts as Russia strikes country’s energy infrastructure, but were able to quietly mark anniversary of pogrom as brutal war drags on

By Lazar Berman

Iosefin Synagogue in Timisoara, Romania, as seen on a new website opening doors to historical synagogues in Romania's Banat region. (Sebastian Puraci/Asociația Pantograf/ via JTA)

November 8, 2022, 2:38 am

Romania’s ornate and sometimes crumbling synagogues get new access via virtual tours

Through the Stories of the Synagogues website, visitors can view the beautiful houses of worship that stand where few, if any, of their previous congregants remain

By MARCEL GASCÓN BARBERÁ

Kristallnacht in Germany and a synagogue in Malmo, Sweden, participating in 'Light from the Synagogue' (public domain and Dalia Yohanan)

November 4, 2022, 2:40 pm

Israeli initiative asks synagogues to honor Kristallnacht by keeping their lights on

‘Light from the Synagogue’ organizers expect hundreds of synagogues and churches outside Israel to commemorate ‘Night of Broken Glass’ this year

By Matt Lebovic

Illustrative photo of a woman on a scale. (Photo via Shutterstock)

October 27, 2022, 4:52 am

Fat is the final frontier when it comes to full inclusion in the Jewish community

Fat Torah organization aims to end weight stigmas and fatphobia by ‘connecting with sacred text, tradition, and spirituality that fosters body liberation for people of all sizes’

By Renee Ghert-Zand

A family prays during an outdoor Yom Kippur service at Sinai Temple during the coronavirus pandemic, undated. (Getty Images via Al Seib/JTA)

September 24, 2022, 11:11 pm

As holiday season arrives and COVID fears ebb, US synagogues try for a new normal

With virus deaths falling globally, community-wide guidelines make way for a patchwork approach as the Jewish world prepares for 3rd High Holidays under pandemic concerns

By Jackie Hajdenberg