I grew up in western Michigan, which was largely populated by Dutch immigrants who all seemed to have perfectly shiny, straight, white blonde hair. It was the total opposite of my frizzy, brown “Jewish” looking hair. Our town had very few Jews living in it, so my family was always in the minority. This was […]
Dear Jew in the City- How can there be many “right” ways to live a Jewish life? There seems to be only one way, living within the parameters set by the Torah. And if there is variation in the levels of observance within those parameters why is it acceptable to choose anything other than the […]
Orthodox Community Confronts Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment within a community is a difficult topic no matter the context, but within religious communities it’s a topic that isn’t commonly discussed. Dr. Linda Freedman, a psychotherapist, spoke at New Toco Shul on Feb. 14, 2018 with the hopes of shedding light on the value of these conversations. […]
Dear Jew in the City- Thanks a million for your video, “Jewish Women…Dirrty?” which explains a lot. However, after watching it, I still have a question, which maybe you can answer for me. A friend of mine (an observant Orthodox Jew) told me, that during the time of the month that she and her husband don’t touch, they literally […]
When we first moved to Cleveland, people warned me about the cold, snowy winters. I was undaunted, having spent much of my childhood in Des Moines, Iowa, where snow is abundant. But to my dismay, those first winters were miserable. I was cold. My feet were always chilly or wet. My fingers were numb. My […]
It was the lowest point in my life: I was in the middle of a messy divorce, on the brink of bankruptcy, and everyone was against me. I blamed God. In a fit of anger, I tore the mezuzot from my doorposts, took them to the barbecue outside, poured lighter fluid on them, and watched […]
