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 […]
Dear JITC- There’s a woman in my community who I used to be pretty friendly with. Then something changed. She’s not mean to me, but she seems to be keeping her distance even as I try to continue to reach out to her. As we approach the High Holidays, I’m thinking about making amends with […]
Dear JITC- How do we deal with blowing a shofar during a pandemic that spreads through viral droplets? Thank you, Ryan Dear Ryan- I’m glad you asked this question because it’s something that has concerned me literally for months. Unfortunately, the reason it concerned me was because, as you say, blowing a shofar spreads droplets […]
Dear Jew in the City- Elul is supposed to be a time of introspection, but so many of us have already been introspective during this giant time out. What does that mean practically to search one’s heart and come close to God right now? -Chana Dear Chana, I have to be honest that, when I […]
Hi JITC- I have heard some people say that when it comes to making a mistake, “impact not intention” is what counts. But is this a Jewish idea? -Sharon Dear Sharon- Thanks for your question. I think this goes to the greater question of the complicated interplay between actions and intentions. Do results count without […]
Dear Jew in the City- When did the Jewish community stop owning slaves? Is this something that petered out on its own or was there a point in history that it officially ended? Did the slave owners who owned slaves in the US follow halacha? Thanks, E.B. Dear E.B.- That’s a very interesting question. Let’s […]
