When I was studying in Israel after high school, my roommate and I had some interesting late-night conversations. One of our favorite recurring themes was a debate that, as we discovered, showed up long before our gap year – for instance, in the following Talmudic passage: Rabbi Tarfon and the Elders were reclining in the […]
One of the hardest times in the Jewish calendar is the period of the three weeks, culminating in the fast of Tisha B’Av. It’s a time when we do things to actively reduce our joy, as we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple. But as we try to connect, it can often be quite […]
Orthodox Judaism is backwards. Antisemitism isn’t that big of a deal. Jews aren’t a minority. These are just some of the things the secular media guides me to say almost every time I’m approached for a story. Over the years, because of this, I’ve become extremely hesitant to work with them, even if they promised […]
I get a New York Times alert as I turn on my phone after Shabbat and my stomach drops, immediately thinking the worst. Normally, I’m escorted out of Shabbat with a new sense of calm. I just spent 25 hours away from my phone. Instead of being constantly plugged in, I re-ignited my connection with […]
What does Father’s Day mean to you? Perhaps it’s a celebration of someone special in your life. Or perhaps it’s a painful reminder of a relationship that isn’t what it should be, or a relationship that is no longer or a dream yet to be. And sometimes it’s just complicated. My father passed away suddenly […]
Dear Jew in the City, Were the Jews forced to accept the Torah? It was literally held over our heads and could seem to be given in such a way where we had no choice but to accept it. Sincerely, Simon Dear Simon, Thanks for your question. Let’s explain it. Exodus 19:17 says that […]
