Dear Jew in the City- Do we have the concept of soulmates in Judaism? Can you have more than one? Thank you, Annie Dear Annie- Thanks for your question. We do indeed have such a concept in Judaism; most people refer to it using the Yiddish word “bashert” (meaning one’s “destined” mate). And it shouldn’t […]

Dear Jew in the City- I know how to solve the Israeli/Palestinian crisis – make Israel a 51st state of the United States. Let them leave behind that land to the Palestinians and we’ll get them some land here. Could that work? – M.S. Dear M.S. – Thanks for your question. No, that wouldn’t work. […]

Dear JITC- I saw in Shtisel the topic of surrogacy came up. It wasn’t very favorable. Is this across Orthodoxy or just in more right-wing circles? Thanks, G.S. Dear G.S.- Thanks for your question. I’ve never seen Shtisel (and I have no intentions to) but I assume you are referring to gestational surrogacy, in which […]

Dear Jew in the City- What does it mean that every soul was at Har Sinai but there are more Jews today then there were then? Thank you, Shanie Dear Shanie- Thanks for your question. You seem to understand that midrash to suggest that all the souls were there bodily but I don’t think that’s […]

Dear JITC- Why do Orthodox Jews rock when they pray? Thanks, Shawn Dear Shawn- Yes, Orthodox Jews rock. We rock so hard. The swaying to which you refer is called shuckeling, from the Yiddish word shuckelen meaning to shake. While a widespread – though not universal – practice (it’s not the practice of Sefardim, for example), its […]

Dear Jew in the City- What language do Orthodox Jews speak? Sincerely, Madison Dear Madison- Thanks for your question but it’s a little like asking what language Catholics speak. (I doubt very much you’d expect all Catholics to speak Latin!)  Hebrew is the traditional language of the Jewish people – that’s the language in which […]