Dear Jew in the City, Do Sephardic Jews have their own language like Yiddish? Sincerely, Sara They sure do. It’s commonly called Ladino. (It’s also known by a few other names, but we’ll come to that.) Ladino started among Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century. Originally a dialect of Old […]
Dear Jew in the City, Is kashrut only about spiritual health, or physical health too? Thank you, Liat _ Dear Liat, Thanks for your question. I think this is something we may have discussed in the past, but even if it is, it bears repeating. One of my nine (to date) books – all of […]
Dear Jew in the City, In light of the increasing danger and hatred of Jews around the world, the Three Weeks and Tisha B’Av seem more relevant than ever. Is there anything extra we can do this year for our hostages, soldiers and the safety of our nation? Thank you, Meira Dear Meira, Thanks for […]
Dear Jew in the City, On one hand the Torah tells us we’re not supposed to speak lashon hara (evil speech), on the other hand, the Torah commands us to not stand idly by our neighbors blood (lo ta’amod al dam rei’echa). If we think someone is dangerous, how do we know when to remain […]
Dear Jew in the City, When the Three Weeks approach, I used to become fearful and extra cautious. Do we believe that we’re less protected during this time? While I recognize the customs that make things more solemn, I want to carry on and enjoy life as much as possible. Is it wrong to seek […]
Dear Jew in the City, Are there specific circumstances under which the mitzvah of freeing hostages takes precedence over other mitzvot? Sincerely, Aaron Dear Aaron, Thanks for your question. You want to know if the mitzvah of freeing hostages ever takes priority? It almost always takes priority! The story of pidyon shvuyim (the mitzvah of […]
