The qualities that foster independence are often the qualities that keep us apart from each other. Fostering our own personality, our individuality often creates divisiveness. So how do we create unity? How do we build community from individuals? We are currently experiencing this. It is no secret that leading up to October 7, Israel was incredibly fractured and divided. It was an ugly and tense scene. Tragically the brutalities of October 7 happened and it brought the country together. But we don’t need a war to bring us together. Interestingly, the structure of building community is built ri ..read more

No matter where in the world you found yourself on Saturday night, you can now bear witness to an open miracle. 99% accuracy is not supposed to be possible when defending against over 300 projectiles. The hand of God was with us and all of our allies that night. Sitting in my Jerusalem bomb shelter at 2 am as the missiles exploded over my head, having spent the previous few hours incredibly worried, and realizing that Iran was not going to succeed in doing the damage that it had planned, massive relief washed over me. After understanding that everything was going to be okay, I began to realize ..read more

It was fall of 1995. I was riveted to the television, eagerly awaiting the verdict of the Trial of the Century, the murder trial of legendary football Hall of Famer OJ Simpson. Everything inside of me screamed, justice would be served, the evidence against him was overwhelming. And then the stunning results; OJ acquitted of all murder counts. I thought to myself, how could this be? The bloody glove, the DNA evidence, the motive, the means, and so much more? How could a jury be so naïve? And then, just when I thought OK, it was just a jury, but most of the country will see the obvious truth, th ..read more

We’re going to put the fun in cleaning! Except there is no fun in cleaning. So try these hacks to make it a bit easier!   The post Top 3 Pesach Cleaning Hacks appeared first on Jew in the City ..read more

Dear Jew in the City, How will we celebrate Pesach after Moshiach comes? Sincerely, Isaac   Dear Isaac, Thanks for your question, though I wonder exactly what prompts it. I have two hypotheses, which I’ll address separately. It could be that you’re asking whether Pesach will still be a holiday when Moshiach comes. This is something we addressed a while back, though not regarding Pesach specifically. There is an idea – let’s tentatively call it a misconception – that the holidays will mostly be abolished in the Messianic era. The exception is Purim, because the Megillah says “these days ..read more

Jews and Hindus may seem like worlds apart but the similarities between both cultures may surprise you. Rabbi Abramowitz recently tackled this question on the site, speaking about many similarities between our patriarchs, matriarchs and other notable people from the Torah and their gods.  One of those points is about Avraham. In Genesis 17:5 he is told he will become the father of a multitude of nations. Braham, the Hindu creator god is referred to as the father of all. Avraham’s wife, Sarah, is described as being very beautiful and didn’t have a child until she was 90 years old. Brahma’s ..read more

Curb Your Enthusiasm just aired its series finale this week, which gives me an opportunity to discuss a question that’s been on my mind for some time: is Larry David’s representation good for the Jews? Let’s start off by stating the positive – the man is hilarious and a comedic genius. I never watched the show regularly. I catch it on airplanes and clips on social media. Larry has a knack for giving language to annoyances everyone feels. He says the petty things out loud that most of us would never have the guts to say, but sometimes wish we could. And he ties his storylines together in clever ..read more

Dear Jew in the City, Why does Hashem need our prayers, especially when He already knows what we want and need? Why is prayer so important? Sincerely, Rachel   Dear Rachel, Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, you’ve got things backwards. God is complete and perfect; we’ve got nothing to offer Him that He “needs.” Sure, He wants us to learn Torah, to perform mitzvos, and yes, to pray, but that’s for our benefit, not His. The question one must ask is: Since God is perfect and His existence requires nothing else, why did He create the universe? The answer: So that He could bestow His go ..read more

Dear Jew in the City, Is there an obligation from a Jewish law perspective to defend the land of Israel in battle? If so, why is there a large group that refuses to fight? Sincerely, Edith   Dear Edith, Thanks for your question, which is more timely than you may realize. (In fact, it’s so timely that the answer is subject to change very soon!)  The first thing to understand is that Israel, while the only Jewish-majority nation in the world, is not a theocracy. While many wish it were, many more are glad that it’s not. This is easily illustrated by comments made in 2019 by Knesset mem ..read more

While Judaism is a rich and beautiful religion, made up of so many different cultures, races and backgrounds, so many still struggle to find their place. Unfortunately, kids who are brought up in homes where they’re not given space to learn and find their own path can feel stifled. Sometimes, they just don’t know anything else. Sometimes, there’s a traumatic event that can cause a shift and force things to look into Judaism and G-d in a new light. That was Kayla Haber Goldstein’s experience. She grew up as a Haredi Jew in Israel, the daughter of a big rabbi and never questioned anything about ..read more