Growing up as a child, I had an idyllic life. The oldest of (then) three boys, we were a rambunctious bunch. My mother was nurturing, singing songs to us every night as we tried to fall asleep. My father was super smart. He was a fountain of knowledge on wide range of topics, including the […]
Dear JITC- I’m confused as to whether being Jewish is a religion, a race, a cultural identity or all three. If it’s not a race, then how come Jewishness is inherited? All the best, Miranda Dear Miranda- Thanks for your question. This is a tricky topic so let’s define what things are. A race is […]
It Took A Protest At The Husband’s House To Get This Jewish Woman A Divorce With the help of a network of sympathizers including many divorced women, a divorced woman was able to finally receive good news. ORA worked to protest on her behalf in order to free her from agunah status. The New Yorker […]
The Child Victims Act went into effect last week. In January, after it passed, I wrote about how it’s good for Orthodox Jews because we have an entire Talmudic tractate dedicated to compensating damages, but we have no statute of limitations on bringing a claim against a perpetrator. We are commanded to surely pursue justice, but […]
Dear JITC- Is there a way to feel out a rabbi’s opinion on something before committing to following their psak? Best, Shterna Dear Shterna- You’ve probably heard that one is not permitted to “shop around” for a psak (ruling) that one likes; rather, one should have a rav whose positions one follows consistently. But what’s […]
As the bus rumbles down the mountain, twisting and turning towards Jerusalem, I listen to the tour guide as he unfolds the story of how my nation, my people reclaimed our land. Deep emotions bubble up from within, from a place I cannot name. Soulful, gentle music plays as we continue through the tunnel that […]
