“I live in New York,” I said to myself. “It’s the easiest place in the world to keep kosher besides some cities in Israel.” Though I was just a high school student, and most of my family was not religious, I took it upon myself to keep kosher. Being Jewish – especially being Orthodox – […]

Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Pill is a senior lecturer at Emory Law School, and senior fellow and associate director of law and Judaism at Emory’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion, where his work focuses on Jewish and Islamic law, religious liberty, and U.S. law for clergy and religious organizations. He also bakes his […]

Dear JITC- Doesn’t kosher for Passover bread defeat the purpose of Pesach? Thank you, Ron Dear Ron- To answer this question, I’d like to quote a 1973 episode of The Brady Bunch, “Greg Gets Grounded.” When Mike and Carol Brady discover that their oldest son, Greg, was driving irresponsibly, they decide to ground him as […]

Shabbat-Observant Youth Soccer Club Forms in Honor of Miami Teen’s Death Sholem Benchimol was a talented soccer player with aspirations of one day becoming a professional, but he usually couldn’t play due to Shabbat. Sholem’s career was cut short in April when the 17-year-old, known for wearing his kippah on the field, died in a […]

Dear Jew in the City- Why do Orthodox Jewish women shave their heads? Thank you, Kylie Dear Kylie- Thanks for your question. To say that Orthodox Jewish women shave their heads is a huge generalization, and not a particularly accurate one. What the majority of Orthodox women do is cover their hair. The parameters of […]

Dear JITC- Are hobbies allowed according to halacha? Thanks, Margaux Dear Margaux- Thanks for your question. I assume your starting point is the statement of the Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh Deah (246:25) that anyone who is able to engage in Torah and neglects to do so is guilty of “despising” the Torah. This is actually […]