Dear Jew in the City, Why is Sukkot the holiday of happiness over other holidays? Best, Raphael   Dear Raphael, Thanks for your question. Let’s assume you were jaded and cynical. I know that doesn’t apply to anyone here, but if you were jaded and cynical, you might think, “Well, when the Rabbis composed the […]

Sukkot is the harvest holiday that commemorates the booths that the Children of Israel sat in during their exodus from Egypt. It is a time of gathering and enjoying time with family and friends, something tech giant Meta knows a few things about. This year, they’re merging technology with the holiday and encouraging the public […]

The Jewish holiday of Sukkot is called z’man simchaseinu, (the time of our happiness), and as millions of Jews around the world have been rejoicing this week with festive meals, prayers, concerts, and family outings, some antisemites tried to dampen the mood. On Wednesday night, a modern Orthodox shul in LA was left shocked when […]

Secure attachment (something only 60% of Americans were raised with) is a term I was vaguely familiar with, but have learned about in more depth through my work in Makom. Our go to book at Makom was recommended by our Director of Member Services, Ben Madsen, PsyM and is called “The Emotionally Absent Mother: How To Recognize and […]

Hi JITC- Can I cover my sukkah if it rains? I heard there is something called schlach? Thanks, Aidel Dear Aidel- Thanks for your question. You’ve created a portmanteau of two words. Schach is a mass noun (i.e., a thing whose discrete components are not counted); the roof of your succah is made from schach. […]

lim·i·nal (ˈlimənl/) adj. 1. 
of or relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process. 2. 
occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold. limen noun (plural limens or limina |ˈlimənə|) psychology a threshold below which a stimulus is not perceived or distinguished from another. ORIGIN -mid 17th century: […]