Dear Jew in the City- What’s the history of Selichos? Why did it come about? Best, Mark Dear Mark- Thanks for your question. As far as the liturgy goes, Selichos are fairly contemporary. By that I mean that they are measured in mere centuries, rather than millennia. Some of the prayers we recite, like Shema, […]

Growing up in Israel was frightening. I was not sheltered like some of my friends. When there was a shooting or explosion, I knew the details. I would overhear my mother sobbing on the phone with her sister. When she got off the phone, she asked me to come to her. She was wisely aware […]

Dear Jew in the City, I visited the site of the Nova Music Festival. What does Judaism say about visiting the site of a massacre? Is this kind of tourism allowed? I’m looking for an example to compare and contrast. Thank you, Arya – Dear Arya, Thanks for your question. To be honest, I couldn’t […]

Dear Jew in the City, Why does Hashem need our prayers, especially when He already knows what we want and need? Why is prayer so important? Sincerely, Rachel   Dear Rachel, Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, you’ve got things backwards. God is complete and perfect; we’ve got nothing to offer Him that He “needs.” Sure, […]

We are not supposed to ask to be tested according to Jewish tradition. We learn this from King David who erred by asking for a test. It’s uncomfortable to see good coming out of unimaginable evil, but it seems to be how God created our world. We didn’t ask for October 7 – we’d give […]

Dear Jew in the City, Why does Hashem care so much about the intricate details of our practice, i.e. all the halachot of Shabbat, kashrut, etc.? Sincerely, Yuval Dear Yuval, Thanks for your question. You want to talk about an intricate detail? Let’s talk about commas. A comma is a tiny thing. Certainly, the inclusion […]