Jewish Power– Before he responded to Joseph's invitation to transplant the entire Jewish family to Egypt and avoid the suffering of the hunger years, Jacob went to Be'er Sheba to ask for God's permission to leave the Holy Land. The following passage…More »
People of the Book– Judaism is in that every single Jew is commanded to know the Torah. The first sentence that a Jewish child is taught is Torah tziva lanu Moshe, morasha kehilat Yaakov ― "Torah was commanded to us through Moses and it…More »
All Jews Equal– I often get the feeling that Jewish groups are judgmental of one another, as if to say that one type of Jew is better than another. This causes division and dissension. How can we prevent this from snowballing any further?More »
Ashkenazi-Sephardic Marriage & Children– If my father is Sephardic and my mother is Ashkenazi, am I Sephardic? Also, if I am considered Sephardic and I marry an Ashkenazi man, am I still Sephardic?More »
Ashkenazi vs Sephardic Jews: Their Differences & Origins– What are the main differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews? Can you explain to me something about the difference between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewry? What exactly do those terms mean and what are the general differences between the two groups?More »
Ba’al Teshuva, Convert – Which Customs to Follow?– My parents are Jewish but I grew up with almost no observance in my home. In fact, I would have to go back several generations to find religious ancestors. I began becoming religious as an adult and I have generally…More »
Why be Jewish?– I'm just out of college and struggling to forge my identity. I have strong Jewish feelings, but am meeting some really nice non-Jewish women and am having trouble articulating why Judaism is so central to my identity. Can you tell…More »
Assimilation – Causes and Solutions– I am doing research for a Jewish studies course in my university. Today, with "Jewish continuity" such a priority (as it is in every generation), can you answer the question: What has been the secret of success for Jewish communities…More »
Eternal Nation– I have been reading a lot lately about the possibility that the Jewish people as they have been known for the past 3,000 years will not be the same, because of so many Jews intermarrying and not identifying with Judaism…More »
Are Religious People Happy?– I grew up Orthodox but fell out of practice in my early 20s. In the few years since then I have dabbled with several other religious beliefs or just secular living, and I never really felt fulfilled. At this point,…More »
Married at Different Levels of Observance– My husband and I have been married for two years, happily. I am Orthodox and he is not. He has learned how to make Kiddush and say Grace After Meals (with transliteration), and happily accompanies me to peoples' homes for…More »
Blessing for New Rabbi– I am the cantor's wife and I make the candle blessing before Rosh Hashana. We have a new young rabbi. Do you have a suggestion for a prayer or greeting that would include our new rabbi for me to say…More »
Descent From King David Today– Is there any way to research if you’re a descendant of King David? I feel I really relate to him in so many ways!More »
Jewish Leadership Qualities– We are having elections coming up for our synagogue youth group, and I was asked to make a short presentation about “what makes a good Jewish leader.” This has me stumped, and I couldn’t find anything online. Please help.More »
Golem– I recently visited Israel and stayed at the home of distant cousins. We were playing basketball and one kid said to another: "Don't just stand there like a golem - do something!" I'd heard about the idea of a Golem…More »
Irrational Anti-Semitism– I recently saw that a full-page advertisement honoring four Israeli women (Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch, and some others) was rejected by the editors at Ms. magazine. Why the double-standard of hatred against the Jews?More »
Being Conspicuously Jewish– Please help me understand why Jews continue to identify themselves publicly. With all the violence towards Jews for thousands of years shouldn't we stop making ourselves a target?More »
A Convert's Soul– I have read that someone who becomes a Jew through conversion has a Jewish soul already – and the conversion is just correcting a mistaken birth. Can you give me some insight on this?More »
Adoption– We are looking to adopt a Jewish child, preferably a baby (as yet unborn). Can you help us find one in Israel, possibly an out-of-wedlock situation. It would be a real mitzvah for all concerned. We have excellent references within…More »
Chosen People Racist?– What’s behind the whole concept of the Jews as the Chosen People? Isn’t this idea racist?More »
Concerned Parents– Our son is planning to intermarry. We are very upset, and feel strongly that he is making a mistake. In the meantime, he has given us an ultimatum: Either accept her, or I don’t want to have anything to do…More »
Eating Veal– I was in the kosher meat market the other day and they were selling veal. I don't understand how veal can be kosher, given the horrific conditions in which veal is raised. Please explain.More »
Have Her Convert?– I’ve been dating a young woman for the past two years and we are starting to think about marriage. The problem is that she is not Jewish. I would want her to convert, but in a way where there would…More »
Defining the Moment of Death– It is my understanding that in order for someone to be a candidate to donate their organs, they need to be declared "brain dead" by two to three physicians, one of whom, I believe, must be a neurologist. Only after…More »
Hitler's Level of Accountability– I have been wondering about the status of someone like Hitler who did not actually kill the 6 million with his own hands, but ordered it done by his emissaries. Does murder by his agents put him into the category…More »
Hitler's Pope– I have heard many Jews blame the Holocaust partly on the silence of the Pope (and Catholics in general). Wasn't this silence just an effort to preserve their own lives in the face of the inevitable destruction by Hitler? Remember…More »
Baal Teshuva Under Attack– I recently became a baal teshuva and on my first trip back home, my friends and family started peppering me with questions: Why do I do this, and why do I do that? I'm really new to this, and I…More »
Environmentalism– I am looking for Torah sources that speak about nature, respect for life and animals, sustainability, etc. Do we as Jews have a responsibility to nature and to preserve the other species of life on this planet? I am particularly…More »
Family Friction– I am a new Baal Teshuvah and have been struggling with my family's acceptance of my new way of life. After the March of the Living, I realized that I wanted to take my interests in Judaism further than ever…More »
You Know More Hebrew Words Than You Think
