Dear Jew in the City- I was raised to believe that eating traif was the same thing as watching a movie. How are mitzvos, minhagim and chumras weighed, in other words, how do I make sense of what is really required of me from the Torah, the rabbis or just by my particular community? Thank […]
Mayim Bialik and I have shared a special friendship and study partnership over the last many years and have collaborated on several projects at JITC, but it was super fun to sit down with her recently (28 min video interview below) to discuss something amazing she created – her new book “Girling Up” (which spent five and […]
Chanukah and miracles. The words go together like latkes and oil. Ask most people and they can tell you about the two pivotal miracles that took place on the holiday of Chanukah: the miracle of the few over the many and the miracle of the oil which lasted eight days. What is interesting about the […]
Dear Jew in the City- This week Americans will show their thanks by getting together and eating Turkey and stuffing. Are there any Jewish customs or rituals for expressing gratitude? Thanks, Adam Dear Adam- Thanks for your question. There is an important characteristic in Judaism called hakaras hatov, acknowledging the good. It is stressed that […]
Dan Brown Can’t Cite Me to Disprove God The fictional me—and perhaps Mr. Brown too—might hope to put these holdouts back on their heels. But disputes like this never answer the most important question: Do we need to keep learning about God? For my part, in light of everything I know, I am certain that […]
Houston is in recovery mode. It’s just beginning and it’s going to be a long and arduous journey. Driving through the streets in areas that have been hit hard is breath stopping. There are no words to describe what it’s like seeing people’s whole lives laid out in huge piles on their front lawns. House […]
