Dear Jew in the City- I understand that Jewish law requires modest dress and behavior but does it require looking unattractive too? I sometimes hear people say that a woman can only look beautiful in private. Are there Torah sources to back this up? All the best, Ashley Dear Ashley- Thanks for your question. I […]

Hi JITC- What are your thoughts on “being sheltered (from the “non-Jewish world)”? Is it a good thing or a bad thing? What’s the halacha? Thanks! B Dear B- I’m afraid that this is an area that leaves the realm of halacha and enters that of meta-halacha. You may be familiar with a famous quote […]

Dear Jew in the City, I know that there is a mitzvah to tell the story of our Exodus during Pesach, but why then? Why don’t we have to tell the story of getting the Torah or the story of sitting in succahs? Why is this the holiday we have to tell stories on? Sincerely, […]

Dear Jew in the City- With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, I got to wondering about rabbit’s feet, four-leaf clovers and their seemingly Jewish counterparts of hamsas, blue-glass eye beads, red strings and the like. What is the Jewish view of luck and tokens of good fortune? Thank you, Nathan   Dear Nathan- Thanks for your […]

Dear Jew in the City- I was raised to boo Haman and celebrate our victory, but all these people were killed including women and children. What do I do with that? Thank you, E.B.   Dear E.B.- Thanks for your question but I’m not clear on what you’re asking. From context, it would seem that […]

Dear Jew in the City- I was raised to not be allowed to ask questions at my yeshiva, Is asking questions considered to be a bad thing in Judaism? Sincerely, Koby Dear Koby- I wish you had asked this question around Passover because nowhere is the ethos of asking questions more apparent: Maggid, the main […]