Dear Jew in the City, Do Sephardic Jews have their own language like Yiddish? Sincerely, Sara They sure do. It’s commonly called Ladino. (It’s also known by a few other names, but we’ll come to that.) Ladino started among Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th century. Originally a dialect of Old […]

Dear JITC- What prophecies are we supposed to be seeing during the times of Moshiach that we may be seeing right now? Thanks, MM Dear MM- Thanks for your question, though I don’t love it and you’re probably not going to love my answer. The reason I don’t love your question is because it presupposes […]

Dear Jew in the City- What’s the difference between Hasidic vs. Orthodox Jews? What about the Jews on Shtisel vs. Hasidic Jews? Thanks, Michael Dear Michael- Thanks for your question. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I haven’t seen (and have no plans to see) Shtisel, so I can’t address that. But I can address […]

Dear Jew in the City, Are there any laws that tell people not to talk about their intimate lives? What are the exceptions? Sincerely, Hannah   Dear Hannah, There are indeed such laws, and you’ve probably heard of them. Collectively, such laws are referred to as “tzniyus.” “Hey!” I hear you say. “Tzniyus refers to the […]

Dear Jew in the City, Are Jews allowed to get drunk? Sincerely, Eva   Dear Eva, Thanks for your question. It’s funny; normally we’re asked about whether there’s truly an obligation to get drunk on Purim. We’re never asked about whether this is permitted on a regular Thursday night or whatever. That’s probably a question that should […]

You may be aware that religious Jews do not work on Shabbat. You may also be aware that religious Jews do not do a whole slew of things on Shabbat, such as igniting a fire or even turning on lights. You are certainly aware that turning on the lights isn’t a whole lot of work. […]