John Pizzi emerged as one of the hottest rising stars in the entertainment industry and has appeared on America’s Got Talent as well as comedy clubs all over the U.S. where he opens for celebrities like Joy Behar and Weird Al. Besides being a sought-after ventriloquist and magician, John is a good friend to the […]

When Rebecca Blum walked across the graduation stage at Hofstra University this spring, donning her cap and gown, the diploma she carried bore the weight of everything it took to get there: years of healing her relationship with Judaism, and the slow, courageous process of making it through college.  Rebecca grew up in New Square, […]

Tu B’Shvat is an all year long celebration when you’re working farmland, as Hasidic Jew Yisroel Bass does at the Yiddish Farm in Upstate New York. The farm was founded in order to “expand the role of the Yiddish language, serve as a bridge between Yiddish speakers of various backgrounds, and to promote environmental stewardship […]

Yesterday, a woman collapsed on a plane from New York to Fort Lauderdale and a Hasidic Jewish man was the one to step in and help save her. In the article though, there was no mention of the fact that he was Hasidic. He was called “a man” in one outlet and “a man wearing […]

I am regularly accused of being an apologist for the Orthodox community by those who have left observance and are angry, while simultaneously accused of being too negative by community insiders who don’t want to discuss the problems. I hope my analysis will not disappoint either group. I’ve always tried to approach issues with nuance, […]

Dear Jew in the City, Why do Orthodox Jews wear big fur hats? Sincerely, Suzanne Dear Suzanne, Thanks for your question. I’m sure you are familiar with the children’s riddle, “Why do firemen wear red suspenders?” The answer, “To keep their pants up,” only addresses why firemen wear suspenders. The question one should have asked […]