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From the archives
Growing up as a Reform Jew in Southern Connecticut, I knew very little about the Orthodox Jewish community, let alone Hasidim. I knew that theirs was a separate kind of Judaism. I knew that many religious Jews wouldn’t even consider me a Jew. At least this is what my father would tell me. (Though in […]
Kids are often told to dream big when they grow up. Then, once they reach their adolescent years, suddenly they are told to be realistic. Shosh Berkowitz, found a way to combine her childhood dreams with a practical plan, to becoming an animator. Berkowitz, originally from Indiana, came to New York to study computer animation […]
One of the hardest times in the Jewish calendar is the period of the three weeks, culminating in the fast of Tisha B’Av. It’s a time when we do things to actively reduce our joy, as we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple. But as we try to connect, it can often be quite […]
Dear Jew in the City- Why do we read the book of Koheles on Sukkos? Sincerely, Ariella Dear Ariella- Thanks for your question. Tanach, the Jewish Bible, includes five megillos (scrolls), which are read on various occasions. The most famous (and obvious) of these is the book of Esther, which tells the story of Purim […]
Popular videos
In a world obsessed with devices, it occurred to me that we are living in an age where silence dominates many situations. Silence between couples, silence between families, silence everywhere you turn as people tap, tap, tap on their devices. What an isolating existence. But what if there was an antidote to silence? What if […]
Big Bang Theory star, Mayim Bialik, asks Jew in the City can science and religion work together in a Jewish framework? While there are some Orthodox Jews who believe in a literal account of the creation story, many of us hold that the events must be understood another way. RAMBAM, also known as Maimonides, stated […]
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You’ve never had nachos like this before!
When Orthodox Jewish All Star Estee Ackerman was an 11-years-old, she sat out her final match at the 2012 U.S. National Table Tennis Championships because the game was scheduled for Shabbos, and they wouldn’t accommodate her. She made international news from that decision. Throughout her career, including missing out on Olympics trials, Estee has always […]
