Dear Jew in the City, I know that there is a mitzvah to tell the story of our Exodus during Pesach, but why then? Why don’t we have to tell the story of getting the Torah or the story of sitting in succahs? Why is this the holiday we have to tell stories on? Sincerely, […]

Dear Jew in the City- With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, I got to wondering about rabbit’s feet, four-leaf clovers and their seemingly Jewish counterparts of hamsas, blue-glass eye beads, red strings and the like. What is the Jewish view of luck and tokens of good fortune? Thank you, Nathan   Dear Nathan- Thanks for your […]

Dear Jew in the City- I was raised to boo Haman and celebrate our victory, but all these people were killed including women and children. What do I do with that? Thank you, E.B.   Dear E.B.- Thanks for your question but I’m not clear on what you’re asking. From context, it would seem that […]

Dear Jew in the City- I was raised to not be allowed to ask questions at my yeshiva, Is asking questions considered to be a bad thing in Judaism? Sincerely, Koby Dear Koby- I wish you had asked this question around Passover because nowhere is the ethos of asking questions more apparent: Maggid, the main […]

Dear Jew in the City- I was raised to believe that eating traif was the same thing as watching a movie. How are mitzvos, minhagim and chumras weighed, in other words, how do I make sense of what is really required of me from the Torah, the rabbis or just by my particular community? Thank […]

Hi Jew in the City- In my family, my father lights the menorah alone, but in my friends’ family, everyone lights their own menorah. Who should light it? Sincerely, Meira   Dear Meira- Thanks for your question. The prevalent practice among Sefardic Jews is for one menorah to be lit; the prevalent practice among Ashkenazim […]