I hate selfies. They almost always look ridiculous, and if you figure out how not to look ridiculous, chances are, you spent way too long trying. 2015 was the year of the selfie – the year that more people died from taking selfies than shark attacks, to be exact. (Cue Jaws music as unsuspecting person falls […]

Dear Jew in the City, How do I raise my kids to be respectful of Christmas yet not have Christmas-envy? People always seem to go to one extreme or the other, but I’d like to give over a nuanced perspective to my children. Sincerely, Holiday Cheer Dear Cheer, That’s a great question. I’m no parenting expert, […]

Recently, as I daven (pray), there is something that continues to leap out at me. Each time I say a bracha (blessing), I think about the fact that it begins by addressing God in the second-person, Baruch ATAH (Blessed are YOU). As I utter those first two words I am speaking to God, rather than about Him, […]

Netanyahu Appoints Rabbi Drukman’s Student as Next Mossad Chief – “With Cohen’s appointment, three of Israel’s top security officials — the heads of Mossad, the Shabak chief, and police commissioner — are now observant Jews.” Orthodox Jews Grapple With How to Talk About Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse – More than 1,000 ultra-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews from around the world […]

Last week in Israel, there was a gathering of Charedi rabbis who banned college for women outside of of the “Beis Yaakov” system. Being that I am neither Charedi, nor Israeli, this news did not feel very impactful to me. The Orthodox rabbis that I go to (I’d describe them as “centrist” or “right-wing Modern […]

As Chanukah shines on and you begin to have latke ennui or at least latke leftovers, here’s a fun way to mix things up. Whip up a batch of loaded “potato skins” latkes. Loaded potato skins are a throwback from my non-kosher days: crispy potato skins topped with melted cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour […]