Dear Jew in the City- How do you balance Kibud Av v’Em when you’ve chosen a different path within Judaism than your family? Sincerely, B.T. Dear B.T.- No joke, this is literally the first “Ask Rabbi Jack” question I ever received, though I received it from the parent. Decades ago, on my very first day […]
I perch my son on the counter. I spritz some mousse onto his peyos, and holding it, deftly twist it into a perfect curl. It’s his first day of cheder (pre-school), and I’m so emotional. I insert a crisp bill into the tzedakah box, and with tears sparkling on my lashes I pray. “Please, Hashem help […]
Her children took different paths, and she loves them all unconditionally! Again and again in the media and at Makom, we hear of the parents who disown their kids for leaving Judaism or even choosing a different Jewish path. We never hear from the parents who do whatever they can to show their kids they […]
I was about 11 years old when my mother mentioned puberty for the first time. I don’t remember the details, because she didn’t share much, but she let me know what a period was and told me that I should let her know when I get it, so she can help me. A few months […]
Makom member, Nechuma Schweitzer, has seen both sides – how Orthodox Judaism can be painful and abusive and how much love and healing is possible when you are connected to healthy approaches and people. She joins me to discuss her perspective and experience as it relates to “Unorthodox.”
I was turning the pages of a popular Jewish periodical when I got to the book review section. I inhaled deeply and thought, here we go again. The review focused on a new memoir about the author’s rejection of his Jewish religious upbringing, and how he found happiness at last in a life liberated from […]
