US figure skater Alysa Liu, made a remarkable comeback, winning an Olympic gold medal last week after taking two years off from her sport. Fans noticed the joy that was infused into her routine. Her story isn’t just inspirational for the regular reasons. It is also bizarrely connected to the Makom branch of our organization, […]

Dear Jew in the City, Why do Jews kiss the door? Sincerely, Puzzled Dear Puzzled, Thanks for your question. I’m going to answer it but before I do, I’m going to tell you a story. Many years ago, when the interwebs were in their infancy, people got their information from a thing called newspapers. (Imagine […]

Dear Jew in the City, What is the Torah view on Jewish people getting an autopsy? Sincerely, Mark   Dear Mark, Hmm. Interesting question. And honestly, we’re all surprised that this hasn’t come up before! The answer starts with condemned criminals. You see, the Torah commands that an executed felon has to be buried on […]

Dear Jew in the City, Is it a problem for Jews to celebrate the Gregorian New Year? Sincerely, Brad   Dear Brad, Thanks for your very interesting question. The Torah prohibits us from copying other nations’ practices (Leviticus 18:3), which means that we’re not allowed to observe the holidays of other religions. This can be […]

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, […]

Dear Jew in the City, Is the Lev Tahor cult actually Jewish? Best, Max Dear Max, Thanks for your question. You know, had you asked “Is Lev Tahor a cult,” I might have balked at answering (I have an aversion to lawsuits), but I didn’t say it’s a cult, you did. And so do lots […]