WJacob Shmuel "Shmuley" Boteach is an American Orthodox Jewish rabbi, author, and TV host. Boteach is the author of 31 books, including the best seller Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy, and Kosher Jesus. For two seasons he hosted the prime time television series Shalom in the Home, which was one of TLC's highest-rated shows. His outspokenness has earned him praise and criticism. The Washington Post referred to him as "the most famous rabbi in America," Newsweek named him one of the 10 most influential rabbis in the United States, and The Jerusalem Post named him one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.
WWendy Elsa Greengross was a British general practitioner and broadcaster. The Independent called her "a pioneering counsellor and one of the leading figures in fighting for equal rights for the disabled and the elderly".
WThe subject of homosexuality and Judaism dates back to the Torah. The book of Vayikra (Leviticus) is traditionally regarded as classifying sexual intercourse between males as a to'eivah that can be subject to capital punishment by the currently non-existent Sanhedrin under halakha.
WJewish Institute for Global Awareness (JIFGA), known before 2015 as Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH), was a Jewish non-profit organization which offered conversion therapy to persons who sought sexual orientation change. JONAH described itself as "dedicated to educating the world-wide Jewish community about the social, cultural and emotional factors which lead to same-sex attractions". JONAH's leaders disagree with the consensus of mainstream science and the world's major mental health organizations who say that non-heterosexual sexual orientation is not a disorder.
WMarriage in Judaism is the documentation of a cleansing between a Jewish man and a Jewish woman in which God is involved. A marriage was ended either because of a divorce document given by the man to his wife, or by the death of either party. Certain details, primarily as protections for the wife, were added in Talmudic times.
WMikveh or mikvah is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity.
WMitpaḥat, also called a tichel, is the headscarf worn by many married Orthodox Jewish women in compliance with the code of modesty known as ṣniut, which requires married women to cover their hair. Mitpaḥot can range from a plain scarf of any material worn over the hair to elaborate head coverings using multiple fabrics and tying techniques.
WIn Judaism, ritual washing, or ablution, takes two main forms. Tevilah (טְבִילָה) is a full body immersion in a mikveh, and netilat yadayim is the washing of the hands with a cup.
WSacred Sperm is a 2014 Israeli documentary film directed by Ori Gruder, exploring the taboo of masturbation in Judaism. The TV version of the film world premiered at the 22nd Raindance Film Festival in October 2014 and was nominated in the short documentary film category at the end of 2014 Ophir Awards. The theatrical long version of the movie premiered at the 30th Santa Barbara Film Festival in February 2015. The Eastern Europe Premier was at the 55th Kraków International Film Festival mid 2015. This movie won the Accolade Global Film Competition - Award of Excellence at December 2014 and took the first prize Best Documentary at the 18th Religion Today Int' film festival in Italy at October 2015 and has been screened at more than 30 film festivals worldwide. The educational channel of Sweden screened the film during 2015 and it was chosen to be in the 10th most popular films of the year. Since the TV version became online In Israel itself already more than half a million viewers watched it through Hot, ynet and VOD options.
WSheitel is a wig or half-wig worn by some married Orthodox Jewish women in order to obey the requirement of Jewish law to cover their hair. Some Hasidic groups encourage sheitels, while others avoid them.
WThe Song of Songs, also Song of Solomon, Canticle of Canticles, or Canticles, is one of the megillot (scrolls) found in the last section of the Tanakh, known as the Ketuvim. It is unique within the Hebrew Bible: it shows no interest in Law or Covenant or the God of Israel, nor does it teach or explore wisdom like Proverbs or Ecclesiastes ; instead, it celebrates sexual love, giving "the voices of two lovers, praising each other, yearning for each other, proffering invitations to enjoy". The two are in harmony, each desiring the other and rejoicing in sexual intimacy; the women of Jerusalem form a chorus to the lovers, functioning as an audience whose participation in the lovers' erotic encounters facilitates the participation of the reader.
WThe Song of Songs - in German Das Hohelied Salomos - is the title of a completely preserved expressionist picture cycle from the year 1923.
WTamar is a figure described in 2 Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. In the biblical narrative, she is the daughter of King David, and sister of Absalom. In 2 Samuel 13, she is raped by her half-brother Amnon.
WThe Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations is an umbrella organisation of Haredi Jewish communities in London, and has an estimated membership of over 6,000. It was founded in 1926, with the stated mission "to protect traditional Judaism", and has an affiliation of over a hundred synagogues and educational institutions. It caters for all aspects of Haredi Jewish life in London, and operates mainly in the suburbs of Stamford Hill, Golders Green, Hendon, and Edgware.
WIn Jewish religious law (halakha), the laws of yichud prohibit seclusion in a locked, private area of a man and a woman not permitted sexual intercourse with one another. Such seclusion is prohibited out of fear that sexual intercourse or other, lesser acts may occur. A person who is present in order to prevent yichud is called a shomer.