A ban on an Orthodox synagogue in suburban Longmeadow was declared by the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada. The congregation is B’nai Jacob Synagogue. The ban strips the synagogue of its sanctity and forbids its use for services and other religious events by the Orthodox communities of Springfield and Longmeadow.
The rabbinic body charged the synagogue and its ritual committee with alleged severing of “the historic character of the synagogue” and with “deviating from the standards of Orthodox Judaism.” It also charged that the congregation had brought “false accusations” against its former rabbi, who had served the synagogue 25 years. The statement did not name the rabbi.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.