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What is Teshuva And How Do You Properly Do It?

Dear Jew in the City, What does it really mean to do teshuvah and how do we do it properly? Sincerely, Noah Dear Noah, Thanks for your very timely question. Taking a page from the sage Hillel, I’ll explain teshuvah “on one foot.” When my oldest child was young, he had a toy car that […]

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What Is The Meaning Of The Shema Prayer?

Dear Jew in the City, I saw that the Shema was trending recently. Can you tell me a little bit about this prayer? Sincerely, Jonah Thanks for your question, Jonah. There’s a lot to say about Shema. For starters, did you know that it’s a mitzvah? I don’t mean that it’s a mitzvah to recite […]

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What Exhausting Pesach Prep Can Teach Us About Personal Growth

“Ma, there’s a fire!” is not what I wanted to hear as I was preparing for Passover by self-cleaning the oven. This was followed shortly by an explosion as the oven’s glass door shattered, leaving glass and burn marks all over the kitchen. Thankfully no one was hurt (except the flooring, which bears the marks […]

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Are Jews Allowed To Pray On The Temple Mount?

Dear Jew in the City, Are Jews allowed to pray on the Temple Mount? Sincerely, AJ Dear AJ, Thanks for your question. The answer is both halachic and political. Before we get to the question of praying on the Temple Mount, let’s first address whether Jews may even ascend the Temple Mount. Short answer: it’s […]

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Hallel On Seder Night Is Different From All Other Hallels

Kadesh, urchatz, karpas…tzafun, barech, Hallel, nirtzah. Kiddush, washing, karpas…afikomen, grace after meals, Hallel… Many of us have been singing the steps of the seder for as long as we can remember – which is great if we want to remember what to do, but not so great if we want to think about why we […]

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