Rochelle Shoretz – Jew in the City Orthodox Jewish All Star (2012) passed away this past Shabbos at age 42 after a long and tenacious battle with breast cancer. She was a friend and mentor to me and countless others. To hear the entirety of our tribute to her, listen to “Jew in the City […]
Editor’s Note: This article has been edited since it was originally published on May 27 to include feedback and updated statistics we heard from Orthodox women who are involved in the agunah crisis in Israel in a more intimate way than the author has been involved. While the author has had overall positive dealings with the […]
Allison Josephs’ (aka Jew in the City’s) family – especially her father – freaked out when she started to become more observant in her teens. At a recent Torah dedication, her father explains what motivated him and her mom (at almost 50 years old) to join her. (Both of her sisters became Orthodox too.)
Dear Jew in the City, Why does Orthodox Judaism consider some changes – like Maimonides’ approach, kabbalah, or the Chasidic movement as “kosher,” but things like the Karaites’ philosophy and other non-Orthodox movements throughout history as non-acceptable changes? Thank you, Wondering in L.A. Dear Wondering in L.A. Thanks for your question. It reminds me […]
Sit in judgment of others, as our sages teach “Don’t judge another man until you have stood in his place.” (Ethics of the Fathers) When they do that judging in public, as the Talmud says, “He who publicly shames his neighbor is as though he shed blood.” When they commit acts of fraud, as the […]
Worrying doesn’t just run in the women of my family – it does marathons. And after hearing about a child abuse case in a pre-school California in the early 80’s, my mother was terrified of all the horrible ways my sisters and I could be kidnapped, killed, and molested (though not necessarily in that order). […]
