Two simple stories. Two small acts of kindness performed by Orthodox Jews that wouldn’t be newsworthy if we didn’t bother to tell them. The first story happened earlier this week when a man was collecting charity for the wedding fund of a poor bride. The man was going from door to door in the “ultra-Orthodox” neighborhood […]
Did you hear the one about the Orthodox man in the plastic bag? How about the one with the Orthodox woman who sued the makeup company over foundation that didn’t last all of Shabbos? Likely, you heard both, as these two stories spread throughout the Internet like wildfire over the last few weeks. Although I […]
Sometimes, life comes full circle in the most unexpected ways. The circle in this story began almost thirty years ago at Mt. Sinai hospital in the city where my father was training to become a doctor. While there, my father – a very secular Jew – treated many Satmar Chasidim. He couldn’t stand them, and […]
There have been several articles written recently in the mainstream media about the poor secular education in parts of the Orthodox Jewish world, particularly in certain Hasidic circles. In one piece, a man from a Hasidic community (who is no longer religious), describes how his secular education was lacking so greatly he was unable to make a […]
United States Senator Joseph Lieberman, Billboard Top 10 Recording Artist Alex Clare, NYtimes best-selling author Faye Kellerman, professional boxer Dmitriy Salita, basketball star Tamir Goodman, former HBO senior writer/producer Jamie Geller, YouTube a capella sensation The Maccabeats, former U.S. Supreme Court law clerk and founder of non-profit breast cancer support group Rochelle Shoretz, comedian Mendy Pellin, […]
“I’d like to be more religious, but having a career is very important to me. If I became Orthodox, I wouldn’t be allowed to work,” Rachel explained to me over the phone. “Really?” I responded. “Which commandment in the Torah states, ‘thou shall not work if you’re a woman?’” Rachel, of course, had no source to […]
