Dear Jew in the City- Is the self-improvement thing during sefirah kind of made up? What do all the middos mean or where do they come from? All the best, TZ Dear TZ- Sefirah is an unusual… I was going to say holiday but it’s not exactly a holiday, is it? It’s something we do […]

Orthodox Family Speaks Out About Opioid Abuse in the Religious Community The opiate epidemic raging across the country has seeped into nearly every community, and the Orthodox population is not immune. Community leaders say the drug problem is growing. Applications to kosher drug rehab are soaring, Narcan is being carried by Hatzalah ambulances, which serve […]

“Orthodox Jewish nerd” may have been an insult in the past, but as “nerd” has become cool and “geek” has become chic, there is now a growing community of observant Jews who are proudly embracing this trend. How many Orthodox Jews reside in the world of fandom? No one knows exactly, but the Facebook group “Orthodox […]

“Intimacy education pioneer” and “cutting edge medical expert” are not words most people associate with Hasidic Jews, but then again, Rabbi Yitzchak Melber, originally from Monsey, is not your average Hasid. Raised Skverer, Rabbi Melber, who now resides in Israel, became a Chasan teacher when he was first married and discovered something troubling. There were many […]

Dear Jew in the City- I understand that Jewish law requires modest dress and behavior but does it require looking unattractive too? I sometimes hear people say that a woman can only look beautiful in private. Are there Torah sources to back this up? All the best, Ashley Dear Ashley- Thanks for your question. I […]

Anne Frank House Banned Orthodox Jewish Employee From Wearing His Skullcap at Work A Jewish employee at Anne Frank House could not believe his ears when his bosses banned him from wearing a skullcap at work. Barry Vingerling turned up for work on his first day at the museum in Amsterdam and was told to […]