Dear Jew in the City- Why do we ask God to remember us on Rosh Hashanah? It’s not like God forgets things. Thanks, Eitan Dear Eitan- Thanks for your question, though my reply will probably have less to do with Rosh Hashana than you were expecting. It has more to do with grammar. Obviously, we […]

A number of friends have mentioned that they are dreading Rosh Hashanah. Their general sense of overwhelm has made preparing for the holiday—spiritually or physically—exhausting. Looking back at this past year depresses them. Cynicism leads them to expect 5781 will be worse than 5780. It doesn’t help that due to the novel coronavirus, a lot […]

As Israel’s Olympic skeleton athlete and current head of development for the Israeli bobsled and skeleton team, I often explain that Skeleton is perhaps the most dangerous of Olympic sports. If you have lived a life without any fear and want to go experience a taste, you need only go from the top of a […]

Dear JITC- The Yom Kippur prayers perplex me. What if we didn’t do the aveira we apologize for, and what if know that we’re going to do it again? Thanks, B.B. Dear B.B.- Thanks for your question. The first part doesn’t really bother me too much for two reasons. The first reason is because it’s […]

Avinu, Malkeinu, one of the most famous High Holiday prayers, beseeches the Almighty – with whom we refer to in two ways – Father and King – to inscribe us in the Book of Life. Our Father our King inscribe us in the book of good life.  Our Father our King inscribe us in the book of […]

Dear Jew in the City- I was raised to see Rosh Hashana as a terrifying time of year, that I would be judged by God in (aka Who Will Live and Who Will Die). I’ve obviously made a lot of mistakes, but I’ve met people who approach the holiday in a more positive way. What’s […]