A barmitzvah with liver (not chopped)

A man has celebrated the barmitzvah of his liver.

Toronto academic Frank Bialystok underwent a liver transplant in 1998.

Thirteen years later, he decided to mark the organ's birthday with a traditional Jewish coming of age ceremony.

More..

Elstree eruv one step closer

The end looks finally in sight for the long-awaited Elstree eruv following the unanimous approval by Hertsmere Borough Council planners of a revised application.

An eruv trust representative said the decision would "bring closure to all planning related matters within 30 days".

The hope is that the religious boundary, covering most of the Elstree and Borehamwood residential areas, could be operational by the end of autumn. Only a small number of the eruv poles require modification or re-siting.

More..

Shtetl show for Leeds children

Leeds is opening a Jewish educational centre where children can take a walk through time into a 19th century eastern European shtetl.

The Jewish Heritage Centre for Children, due to open in October, is the brainchild of Leeds Lubavitch education director Shoshana Angyalfi and her project co-ordinator Ruth Bell, who gave the JC a sneak preview of the museum.

More..

Top lawyer questioned by police

A top Jewish lawyer has been interviewed by police investigating the alleged theft of £158,000 of his former chambers' funds.

David Friesner, who has represented Premier League footballers and was one of Manchester's most highly regarded barristers, was questioned under caution over the missing money. He has not been arrested or charged.

Mr Friesner, of Salford, denies any wrongdoing. His solicitor, Ian Lewis, said he would continue to aid police.

More..

Kosher phones ring the changes

Kosher phones — adapted to prevent access to the Internet — have finally arrived in London with the blessing of the strictly Orthodox rabbinate.

Rose Communications, a company in Stamford Hill, north London, is inviting customers to trade in their old mobiles free for the new handsets, which can also be modified to exclude the text messaging service.

Although kosher phones have been available in Israel for several years, it took the efforts of a local non-profit organisation, Hakol Kol — meaning “voice only” — to introduce them to London.

More..

New 'roadmap' provides hope for divorce solution

A major initiative was launched this week to resolve one of the most problematic issues in Jewish law — the plight of the agunah, the “chained woman”, unable to remarry because her husband has denied her a get, a religious bill of divorce.

An academic team from Manchester University is today publishing a “roadmap” towards possible solutions after a five-year investigation.

Professor Bernard Jackson, a specialist in Jewish law and director of the university’s Agunah Research Unit, warned: “There is no single magic bullet to solve the problem.”

More..

How a TV documentary helped one woman get a divorce

A couple who came before the Manchester Beth Din speak anonymously in the documentary about the problems that led to the husband refusing to give his wife a get.

The 49-year-old wife, who has three children from her first marriage, claimed that her husband had become abusive when she told him she wanted a divorce and that he would give her a get only if she paid his court fees.

“The final dissolution took just a year. We gained our civil divorce in 1998. But it’s taken 11 years for the get, which was received in April at the Manchester Beth Din.

More..

Is it ethical to ‘hijack’ an Internet connection?

We look at piggy-backing - using someone else's wireless web connection without their knowledge

In 2005, a West London man, Gregory Straszkiewicz, was fined £500 and given a 12-month conditional discharge for "hijacking a broadband connection". Using a laptop while sitting in his car, Straszkiewicz had connected to the Internet by piggy-backing on the wireless network of a local resident.

More..

Agunah solution?

Secret discussions to help women who are refused a get (a religious divorce) by their husband have reportedly been taking place at Manchester University.

According to Ha'aretz, a group of top rabbis and scholars gathered at the University Centre for Jewish Studies last month. In secret proceedings, it was suggested that a clause should be added to the ketubah - the marriage contract - which would make it possible to annul the marriage if a spouse is not granted a get.

More..

How rabbis take on the software pirates

Is it permitted to copy software for personal use?

More..