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The New York mayoral race brought renewed attention to the question of the state of secular education in Haredi yeshivas. While Yaffed has been fighting for a decade to end educational neglect in Haredi schools, some mayoral candidates claimed that yeshivas provide an adequate education and that the state should not interfere.  Joe Kolman, a […]

If you have come here for spoilers on My UnOrthodox Life, you’ll be disappointed because I haven’t watched it. But this post isn’t about My UnOrthodox Life per se, but about the reaction from Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox leaders, writers, and influencers to the show. Some of those writers and commentators hadn’t watched the show either.

Dr. Shalom Klein is a highly regarded community activist and entrepreneur who hosts the popular “Get Down to Business” radio show in Chicago. Dr. Klein has done extensive work researching education in Haredi communities and providing supplemental opportunities for ultra-Orthodox students. Dr. Klein spoke with Hannah Miller about his unique career path, what motivates him,

Recent events over the last few months have rekindled interest in the controversy over secular education and yeshivas. To anyone coming across the story for the first time, the prerequisites for understanding the issue may seem a daunting task. Even for those familiar with the broad outlines of the debate, certain details about the law

Anita Altman has been the board chair of Yaffed for the last 4 years. On a recent UnEducated podcast, Anita spoke to Hannah Miller about her childhood, her long career, and how a chance encounter with Naftuli Moster profoundly affected her life. “I’m a daughter of the Bronx. I grew up in Hunts Point, once

For over a decade, Yaffed has been focused on improving the education of Hasidic boys. Throughout this time, we have often been asked, “What about the girls? Don’t you care about their education as well?”  The simple answer to this question is that we care about the education of all Hasidic and ultra-Orthodox kids. But,

Abby Stein has made a name for herself well beyond the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Brooklyn that she grew up in. As the first openly transgender woman raised in the Hasidic community, and a direct descendant of Hasidic Judaism’s founder, the Baal Shem Tov, Abby has a particularly unique perspective of the Haredi world. Her activism

To people on the outside, the religious Jewish world can appear monolithic. Black hats and long beards have come to represent a way of life that follows specific rules very separate from those within secular society. But the truth is, there are many different levels of observance and affiliations within the religious Jewish community. To

Last week, during the Jewish holiday of Purim, several Hasidic children in Lakewood, New Jersey and Williamsburg, Brooklyn were spotted in Afro wigs and blackface. Apologies were issued In response to both the Lakewood and Williamsburg incidents. But, while apologies were necessary, they aren’t nearly enough. Offensive costumes and other overt displays of racism will

As we approach the one-year mark of the coronavirus pandemic that continues to ravage the world, we would like to reflect on how Yaffed addressed the unique challenges that Hasidic families in New York face.  Early March 2020 Since most Hasidic households speak exclusively Yiddish and internet access is rare, many ultra-Orthodox families did not