Last week The New Yorker wrote an article about what happens to children when one parent leaves a Hasidic community. Despite our expertise in this space (with our program Makom) and our unusual perspective, neither our staff nor our members were approached to comment on this topic. The article’s tag line, “The irreconcilable differences between […]

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 […]

On Your Mark with Allison Josephs Too many people never saw Torah’s beauty. Allison Josephs helps them discover it. Allison Josephs launched Jew in the City and its initiative, Makom, an outreach organization that works to reverse negative associations of frum Jews. The Unlikely Journey of a 16-Year-Old Baseball Player Who Broke Racial and Religious […]

In 2002, when my husband and I were first married, we moved to Israel for a couple years to learn in yeshiva and seminary. I was working in Jewish outreach at the time and some people in Jerusalem had launched a TV station dedicated to Jewish outreach. Since I my childhood dream was to be […]