Dear JITC- Where does the custom of hiding the afikomen (and ransoming it, children from parents or vice versa) come from? Thanks, Lisa Dear Lisa- As you note in your question, there are different customs regarding how to play the afikomen game. In some families, the parents hide it and the children win a prize […]

Dear Jew in the City- What are the halachic requirements of attraction in a prospective marriage? Sincerely, R.G. Dear R.G.- Thanks for your question. Let’s discuss two types of “attraction” – emotional attraction (which we’ll call “love”) and physical attraction (which, for the sake of literary balance, we’ll cynically refer to as “lust”). Let’s address […]

Dear JITC- Can DNA prove Jewish Identity? Thanks, Corey Dear Corey- Thanks for your question. There are a couple of things to consider when examining such a question. The first thing to understand is that the Torah’s methodologies do not necessarily line-up with our modern assumptions. I’ll explain. When I was a kid, I heard […]

Dear JITC- When should forgiveness be granted? If someone did something really awful – how do we know the apology was sincere and not just lip service? When are we supposed to forgive if the iniquity wasn’t done to us but disgusts us? What does forgiveness look like? Is it tolerating the abuser? Allowing him […]

Dear Jew in the City- Are the mistakes of youth (teens) counted differently in Judaism? Thanks, AJ Dear AJ- Thanks for your question. In Judaism, the age of an offender is certainly taken into account, in a number of ways. The first and most obvious example is the concept of bar and bas mitzvah, that […]

Dear Jew in the City- What are the benefits of a kosher diet, strictly from a health perspective? Thanks, Shira Dear Shira- Thanks for your question. Not to be glib but, who says there are any? I’m not saying that a kosher diet doesn’t have health benefits, just that such is not necessarily the reason […]