Dear Jew in the City- How can there be many “right” ways to live a Jewish life? There seems to be only one way, living within the parameters set by the Torah. And if there is variation in the levels of observance within those parameters why is it acceptable to choose anything other than the […]
Hi JITC- The idea that there’s a halacha that we don’t have to return lost money to a non-Jew has always bothered me. Maybe I could see it making sense if we are in a society where non-Jews are anti-Semitic. But does this also apply when non-Jews treat us nicely? Thank you, David Dear David- […]
Dear JITC- I once spoke to an Orthodox Jew who told me that he didn’t have to report abuse because there is no source for molestation being prohibited in the Torah. Why isn’t it sourced explicitly? How do we understand that it is indeed wrong according to Judaism? Best, J.A. Dear J.A.- Wow. There […]
While there are numerous challenges when it comes to Orthodox Judaism comporting with modern mores, one of the most common issues that people struggle with is the prohibition of women being witnesses in Jewish courts. There is no official reason given for this limitation, it is simply based on verses in Devarim 16:6 and 19:15, […]
Building Bridges: An Interview with Allison Josephs Allison Josephs’ website Jew in the City is all about celebrating the intersection of Orthodox Judaism and the realities and conundrums of everyday life. Browsing through this beautiful site, one encounters articles that range from the light-hearted (for instance, a recent post was titled “Why Judaism believes in […]
Dear Jew in the City- Why do a lot of Orthodox Jewish men have beards? Sincerely, Steve Dear Steve- Thanks for your question, which we intentionally arranged to answer following last week’s question, which was on payes (sidelocks). As we mentioned there, Leviticus 19:27 contains two prohibitions, not to round the corners of the head […]
