Dear Jew in the City, What is the connection between the Rosh Hashana segulot and eating those foods? Does eating them really do anything or is it symbolic? Sincerely, David   Dear David, Oh, boy. This is one of those posts that isn’t going to be very popular with some people. For those who are […]

All eyes are on former Jew in the City All-Star Jacob Lew this morning, who was just appointed as the next US Ambassador to Israel. Under the Obama administration, he served as secretary of the treasury as well as chief of staff. He also served as director of the Office of Management and Budget under […]

Dear Jew in the City, What is tashlich? Does it really have to be done by a pond with ducks? Do we really have to throw bread in the water? Sincerely, Noah   Thanks for your question, Noah. Tashlich is a prayer typically recited on Rosh Hashana afternoon, intended to help guide us in the […]

Dear Jew in the City, What does it really mean to do teshuvah and how do we do it properly? Sincerely, Noah Dear Noah, Thanks for your very timely question. Taking a page from the sage Hillel, I’ll explain teshuvah “on one foot.” When my oldest child was young, he had a toy car that […]

“I’m really glad I’m a part of this.” In Adam Sandler’s new Netflix film, You’re So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah, for me the line that summed up the essence of the film, was when protagonist Stacy Friedman declared at the end, “I’m really glad I’m a part of this.” What is the “this?” When […]

When it comes to a Jewish burial, things move quickly. When a person dies, the family or community try to bury the person the same day so the neshama can rest peacefully as soon as possible.  Death is never something that can be predicted — obviously. While sometimes a person is sick and the family knows […]