Dear JITC- Is there a problem with trick-or-treating according to Judaism? If so, why? Thanks, Jamie Dear Jamie- Thanks for your question. There are two types of holidays: religious and secular. Despite the commercialization decried by those who observe it, I think that most people would have no trouble recognizing Christmas as a religious holiday. […]

I don’t get up-in-arms about cultural appropriation. I think sometimes a style from another culture can be worn by someone because they truly admire it. I also know that dressing up as a Hasidic Jew does not have the same negative history that blackface does for African Americans. And yet, when it is done, it […]

Hey Jew in the City- Was the Golem real? Have any been attempted since the Maharal? What’s the source for this? Thanks, Frankie Dear Frankie- Thanks for your question. This is one of those areas where I feel that, for many people, I’m not the right person to answer their question. On the other hand, for […]

Hi JITC- What are your thoughts on “being sheltered (from the “non-Jewish world)”? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? What’s the halacha? Thanks! B Dear B- I’m afraid that this is an area that leaves the realm of halacha and enters that of meta-halacha. You may be familiar with a famous quote […]

Hi Jew in the City- What’s the Jewish view of the Devil? Sincerely, Elle Dear Elle- The Jewish view of the Devil? That’s easy: there’s no such thing. Now, if you had asked me about Satan, it would be another story. You see, Judaism does have a concept of Satan but he’s no Devil. He’s […]

Dear Jew in the City, With Halloween coming up, I was wondering what the Jewish view on witchcraft and magic is. Is it mentioned anywhere in Jewish texts? Do you need to believe in it to be an observant Jew? The ancients might have believed in it, but we now know that magic is a […]