Dear Jew in the City- What is a kesubah (or Ketubah) exactly and why is it good for women? Sincerely, Aspiring Bride Dear Bride- Thanks for your question. The kesubah (“ketubah” in Sephardic pronunciation) is usually translated as “marriage contract.” Basically, it’s a prenuptial agreement that outlines a husband’s obligations towards his wife. Husbands and […]
Dear JITC- All my life I’ve heard the Jews referred to as “The Chosen People.” It feels really offensive to think that we are better than non-Jews. Aren’t all men (and women) created equal? Sincerely, Nikki Dear Nikki- Let’s assume that you work in an office. The boss calls a meeting for all the sales […]
Dear Jew in the City- I came from the secular world and the hyper-sexualization is so disturbing. Women are treated like objects, sex is ubiquitous, taking away the boundaries of private and public. I am proud to be raising my kids in a sheltered environment. But at the same time, I don’t want them to […]
Dear Jew in the City- Is the self-improvement thing during sefirah kind of made up? What do all the middos mean or where do they come from? All the best, TZ Dear TZ- Sefirah is an unusual… I was going to say holiday but it’s not exactly a holiday, is it? It’s something we do […]
Dear Jew in the City- I understand that Jewish law requires modest dress and behavior but does it require looking unattractive too? I sometimes hear people say that a woman can only look beautiful in private. Are there Torah sources to back this up? All the best, Ashley Dear Ashley- Thanks for your question. I […]
Not every part of the Torah easily comports with science and reason. Not every part of Jewish law is simple to understand in modern times. Perhaps that is why in our age of increasing skepticism Hashem granted us something as miraculous as the State of Israel. The challenges in Judaism don’t go away, but modern […]
