Religious Jewish fathers don’t get a very positive portrayal in the media. On the side of fiction, there’s Tevye, from Fiddler on the Roof, who is strict and expects his family to obey him. There’s Shulem from Shtisel, who tries to limit his son Akiva and his dreams of being an artist. And then there’s […]
Dear Jew in the City, Do Orthodox Jews Have Arranged Marriages? Does Jewish law allow this? Thank you, Alex Dear Alex – First, another question: What does “arranged marriage” mean? For that matter, what does “allowed” mean? Let’s assume “arranged marriage” doesn’t just mean a blind date. Does it mean two sets of parents agree […]
Orthodox and Haredi Hasidic Jews Are Scapegoats in the Coronavirus Crisis. The ‘Othering’ Goes Back Decades. Orthodox and Hasidic Jews in a New York suburb say the coronavirus has led to increased hatred toward their community. While community leaders have gone above and beyond to spread social distancing messaging, all Jews are being blamed for […]
While Netflix’s “Unorthodox” highlighted, Esty Shapiro, a woman who wasn’t allowed to sing in public – due to the laws of Kol Isha (learn more about this challenging law here), there are many Orthodox Jewish women from less insular communities (and less dysfunctional situations) who love singing and performing for other women. Some have even […]
Thousands of Orthodox Jewish New Yorkers Donate Plasma to Fight Coronavirus Thousands of Orthodox Jewish New Yorkers who have recovered from the coronavirus are now stepping up to donate potentially life-saving blood plasma to help fight the illness, according to a new report. More than half of donors to Mount Sinai hospital system’s plasma collection […]
“Where can I show my friend/neighbor/relative a positive portrayal of Orthodox Jews?” several people have asked us over the last few weeks, since “Unorthodox” became one of the most popular shows on Netflix. “Jew in the City.” I tell them. “That is what our organization was created for.” No, we have not made a documentary […]
