Dear JITC- Someone close to me recently died and I never got to say goodbye. Does Judaism believe that the dead know what’s going on in this world? Thank you, Talia Dear Talia- Thanks for your question. I am not the final arbiter of what Judaism believes; I can only tell you things as I […]
My fourth child was born 6 weeks early, but otherwise healthy. Or so we thought. In the moments after delivery, the OBGYN and neonatologist exclaimed over the baby’s umbilical cord. Part of it was a normal tube, but part of it looked like a thick, flat pancake. “Is that a problem?” I asked. “Doesn’t seem […]
Dear Jew in the City- Why don’t Jews believe in Jesus? Who was he according to Jewish texts? Sincerely, Katie Dear Katie- Thanks for your question, though it’s the kind of question I hate to answer. The reason I hate to answer is because I don’t like to be misconstrued as “picking a fight” with […]
Dear Jew in the City- At the end of his life, Yishmael did teshuva. According to Jewish sources, will there ever be peace between Jews and Arabs? Sincerely, Steve Dear Steve- There’s a lot to unpack here so let’s start with Yishmael. When Avraham and Sarah didn’t have children, Sarah suggested that Avraham conceive with […]
In November 1995, I was a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University. Secular-raised, jeans-wearing, I was trying to sort out my relationship with G-d. Though I was not “shomer shabbat” at the time, I took long walks on campus on Saturday afternoons, seeking my own personal connection with the divine. I hadn’t resolved what kind of […]
Hi JITC- What is the Torah view of Marijuana use? Is there a difference between medical and recreational use? Thanks, T.K. Dear T.K.- This past summer, my wife and I vacationed in Utah. One of the tourist destinations recommended online was the Brigham Young University Museum of Paleontology (which is really fun to say). My […]
