Dear Jew in the City- Why do we read the book of Koheles on Sukkos? Sincerely, Ariella Dear Ariella- Thanks for your question. Tanach, the Jewish Bible, includes five megillos (scrolls), which are read on various occasions. The most famous (and obvious) of these is the book of Esther, which tells the story of Purim […]

Dear JITC- The Yom Kippur prayers perplex me. What if we didn’t do the aveira we apologize for, and what if know that we’re going to do it again? Thanks, B.B. Dear B.B.- Thanks for your question. The first part doesn’t really bother me too much for two reasons. The first reason is because it’s […]

Dear Jew in the City- What’s the meaning of blowing the shofar and why are there different shofar sounds? Sincerely, Jessica P. Dear Jessica- Very often, to answer a question, I’ll take a roundabout path to ultimately arrive at the answer. In this case, the response is much more straightforward. The shofar has a lot […]

Dear Jew in the City- I heard that when Moshiach comes, bacon and pork will be kosher. Is this true? Sincerely, MM Dear MM- Thanks for your question. Long story short, no. Now, short story long. I know exactly what you’re talking about and I’ll explain it. The first thing you need to know is […]

Dear JITC- I’m confused as to whether being Jewish is a religion, a race, a cultural identity or all three. If it’s not a race, then how come Jewishness is inherited? All the best, Miranda Dear Miranda- Thanks for your question. This is a tricky topic so let’s define what things are. A race is […]

Dear JITC- Is there a way to feel out a rabbi’s opinion on something before committing to following their psak? Best, Shterna Dear Shterna- You’ve probably heard that one is not permitted to “shop around” for a psak (ruling) that one likes; rather, one should have a rav whose positions one follows consistently. But what’s […]