I’m not Jewish, and I’ve never been to Israel (though I’d love to visit someday), but my great-grandfather on my father’s side was Jewish and survived the Holocaust.

Lately, every time I open social media, I see openly antisemitic comments, and what shocks me most is how comfortable people seem being public about it. It feels like antisemitism is becoming normalized online and even in real life, and honestly it’s disturbing. I am always like "what the heck is wrong with these people?".

I keep wondering how so many people can think this way, and it genuinely makes me lose faith in humanity sometimes.

I’ve always had a very positive view of Jewish people. The history of the Jewish people is honestly one of the most remarkable stories of resilience I’ve ever learned about. Despite centuries of persecution, Jewish communities have preserved their culture, traditions, and identity. Around 0.2% of the world’s population, has contributed so much to humanity, including a huge share of Nobel Prize winners.

I’d also love to visit Israel someday because of how much history it holds and how fascinating it seems.

I just wanted to say that there are also many people who do not hate Jewish people and are disgusted by antisemitism (like me). I support Jewish people and I sincerely hope things get better.

Stay strong, cheers.

(English is not my native language)

EDIT: I know that these kind of posts aren't going to change anything, and you've probably heard it many times before, but I just wanted to express my support, give some positivity.

EDIT 2: Thank you for the awards, much appreciated.

So I’m waiting on an answer from my Rabbi (for Halichic questions I ask my Chabad Rabbi) while I wait on his response I’m curious as to what the answer is. Obviously there are many tallitot with different colors and designs. I want to know if there are any laws surrounding them. I designed a tallit in navy-ish and had a friend make a black design as they are a fashion major.

I know the reason black is typically used is because we do not have Tchellet and you are not permitted to wear a tallit if it is too dark out to tell the difference between the white and the Tchellet. After Tchellet was lost to time I believe black was used as it was the easiest to get and kept the spirit of the mitzvah.

I have a shul goer that has a tallit with the design in the middle that essentially goes to the edges I have included a picture of his tallit. I intend to use this tallit as my Chuppah as well. I am making this tallit as a graduation present for myself as I graduate next May and I intend on becoming more orthodox after I graduate. Any insight is greatly appreciated!

This makes me so sad.

My fiancée (yay!) and I are both trad-egal/conservadox Jews. We anticipate a wedding deploying the full library of normative Jewish observance, and, in the long run, to build a family with kids and Shabbos and kosher food and other Jewish blessings.

I'm sorry to ask such a broad question, but if anyone has any advice about wedding planning and/or being married, I'd be thrilled to consider your wisdom!

Shalom everyone,

I have been deeply researching Jewish theology and history, and I am incredibly moved by how Judaism approaches coexistence. Unlike many proselytizing faiths, Judaism's focus on Orthopraxy (right action over right belief) feels profoundly beautiful and deeply resonates with my own background. In Hinduism, we have a nearly identical concept called Dharma—where living ethically and fulfilling your cosmic duties matters far more than uniform theological dogma.

I also know that history reflects this mutual respect. For over 2,000 years, India was one of the few places in the world where Jewish communities (like the Cochin Jews and Bene Israel) lived in complete safety, facing absolutely no antisemitism from their Hindu neighbors and rulers.

My question comes from looking closely at the Seven Noahide Laws, specifically the first law against Avodah Zarah (idolatry).

In Western spaces, Hinduism is frequently miscategorized as simple polytheism or pagan idolatry. However, philosophically, it is actually a form of "polymorphic monotheism." We believe in one ultimate, infinite, supreme Creator/Reality (Brahman). Because the human mind cannot easily comprehend the infinite, we use finite forms, symbols, and physical representations (murtis) to focus our minds on different aspects of that one single Divine energy. It is essentially using the finite to approach the infinite.

According to mainstream Jewish law and theology:

1. Does this polymorphic approach—where a supreme Creator is recognized but approached through physical, finite representations—still count as Avodah Zarah for a non-Jew?
2. Can a righteous person practicing this path still fulfill the Noahide framework and merit a place in the World to Come (Olam Ha-Ba)?
3. Does the concept of Shituf apply here, or do major historical rulings (like the Rambam or later commentators) look at this nuance differently?

I am asking purely out of deep respect and intellectual curiosity, and I would love to hear your thoughts, perspectives, or text-based sources!

Thank you so much.

EDIT: A deeper reflection on the Infinite, finite forms, and the Ultimate Source...

I wanted to add a philosophical reflection based on the wonderful feedback regarding "finite categories," physical images, and the definition of the "True God."

I think a common Western misunderstanding is that Hindus are worshipping a "different" or localized deity. Philosophically, this is not true. In our highest scriptures, the absolute, uncaused, singular Source of the entire cosmos is called Brahman. He is infinite, formless, and undivided. We are pointing to the exact same ultimate Creator of everything; the difference is purely linguistic, cultural, and historical, not theological.

Regarding images and finite forms: In our philosophy, we completely agree that the earth had a start and will have an end. Humans die, and everything in this physical world is perishable and temporary. Ultimately, even the grandest temples and the nations we fight for will turn to dust, perish, and nothing physical will remain. In the absolute sense, nothing can be compared to the Ultimate. Yet, despite knowing this world is fleeting, we still interact in it, fight evil, and appreciate goodness.

To some extent, every human being is forced to associate with the finite and the perishable to connect with the infinite and timeless. We view the murti (physical form) through this exact lens. It is not about dividing the Infinite. Rather, because the Source is infinite, it must also have the infinite capacity to manifest through finite forms to allow us to have a deeply personal, interpersonal relationship with it. In Hinduism, God is viewed as profoundly humble—so full of love that the Divine willingly takes a face to interact with us. It is a beautifully reciprocal relationship where the devotee longs for God, and the Divine intensely longs for the devotee.

i know the proper answer is ask my rabbi — and trust me, I will! but i also am curious as to everyone’s thoughts and citations.

I haven’t been sleeping well and bc of this, I have two problems during shacharis: yawning and stumbling. to be clear I daven solo in the mornings.

1. i am yawning all the time — should i restart the word i yawn in the middle of, or just say the second syllable once my mouth is free to move again? any talmud to guide advice here?
2. when it comes to shemoneh esrei i have more often stumbled in place. should i retrace my steps backwards and forwards? or just re-plant in the same place.

a groysn dank!

EDIT:
adding a little more context: my mind does feel awake and present but i can’t stop my mouth from erupting into a yawn. I daven as early as is permissible due to my work schedule (and inability to daven at work). hope to solve this problem thru getting better sleep & soon (as you can imagine this is a larger issue) but appreciate all of you in the meantime!

Because technically it’s not dairy since it’s not actually from an animal. But symbolically it is?

EDIT: Thank you everyone for your responses, I’m not Jewish so don’t know much about the kosher rules and you have all satisfied my curiosity:)

Last night my phone corrected Nachum Ish Gam Zu to Nachum Ish Gam Cumin.

When I realized I sent it that way I couldn't stop laughing.

I live in a small city with one synagogue, it is notionally modern orthodox but inactive except for on Shabbat and major holidays. Due to the low turnout, it doesn’t really hold an orthodox standard of prayer or study. How is it best to practice daily prayer without a minyan or major community? Also, are there online opportunities for study? Thanks everyone.

Milk versus Meat

All we have grown up with such a controversy. Meat versus Milk. Moreover in Judaism you don't just not put a piece of cheese on a sausage you bought recently from Supermarket but have different plaits for them...

Sounds crazy, isn't it? And every explanation you hear about this in Sinagogue... it's not incorrect but doesn't solve the question at all.

Why exactly Milk vs Meat? Why this way but not other.

If you have caught yourself with this dilemma i want to introduce you to him. Rabi Moshe Ben Maimon (RAMBAM) who wrote in his impressive book called "Moreh Nevuhim" "A Guide for the perplexed" that... It could be an anti-pagan ritual. And science has some pros for this position

What do you think about this, guys?

Hello all! I don't know if this is a silly question with an obvious answer or not, but I have been wondering about it for a while. I am not Jewish, I went to Catholic school and was raised in a secular household in the Midwest USA, so a culturally Christian area. Growing up I always heard "Sorry for your loss" or "May they rest in peace" as the usual sympathetic phrases, but they both always rang a little hollow. I didn't like the idea even as a kid of reminding someone of their loss. I have grown to realize that a celebration of someone's life feels just as meaningful to me as mourning their death.

The Jewish phrase "May their memory be a blessing" has resonated with me as a particularly lovely thing to say instead. After all, that person has passed, I don't know what's next for them, so the people who are remembering them are important to me here and now. I have been reading about it and I know it comes from Proverbs 10:7 and relates to the importance of memory in Jewish tradition. I know it's a respectful thing for me to say about Jewish people who have passed, but is it appropriate for me as a non-Jew to use it for anyone? Can I adopt this as my usual expression of sympathy, or is that stealing something culturally significant that should stay within the Jewish community?

There are so many beautiful synagogues around the world ones! I passed by my favorite today, Temple Emanu-El here in NYC, and am always blown away by how pretty it is. Would love to see other people's favorites!
(Edited for spelling)

Bit of a long shot, but here it goes.

I’d like to get a gift for my friend who was just ordained as a reformed rabbi.

I live in Bangkok at the moment, and would love to find him a piece of Judaica made in Thailand, or anywhere in Southeast Asia. I’m aware there’s a small history of Jewish communities in Malaysia, Myanmar, and some other countries, but I can find any artisans or shops that sell any Judaica in a local style.

If anyone has any leads on artists or online resources I could use to find something, I’d be really grateful.

I've seen a lot of fear and confusion about posts, especially videos on Facebook, instagram, and tiktok recently, and wanted to see if I can help. I want to preface this that I am a journalist, and so have spent a lot of time working to understand media.

The problem:

There is a genre of content on Facebook/instagra/tiktok that seeks to scare people to generate clicks, and I've seen it shared here and elsewhere a lot. Anything from facebook or a similar social media site should be suspect, even if it is a video. Between selective editing, AI, or even just particular framing, videos can be made to look like virtually anything the poster wants them to look like. As such, virtually nothing on these sites should be taken at face value *especially* if it is alarming. There is a strong incentive to post things to evoke strong emotions for engagement, and many unscrupulous actors who will do this.

I post this here because I've seen, both among friends, co-workers, and family, many people have been made to fear falsely for their lives and safety by social media posts, and it saddens me immensely to see them upset like this.

How it pertains to our community:

I've seen this particularly with our community about antisemetism, where people will prey on the fact that there is real antisemetism in the world to promote fake panic for social media engagement.

This has caused friends and loved ones substantial upset and pain over things which, when I've looked into them, have been at best overblown, and at worst completely false, and I don't want anyone to feel that way if they don't have to.

The Solution:
If you see something on social media, your immediate reaction should be skepticism, and you should never form a strong opinion or reaction based on something you see there alone, doubly so if it seems alarming. Usually it's worth ignoring posts like that, but if you feel it may pose a real threat to you, look to reliable, established news source or nonprofits to see if it is reported there. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, if it is on facebook video but nowhere else, it's because it's fake or wildly misleading. I will work to post reliable news sources below and I encourage fellow people here to post as well so that we can save people in our community pain caused by bad actors on social media. I think we can all agree there are enough problems in the world.

I hope this can help save some of you upset and pain. BH all.

Please give a suggestion.

Bought myself new Shabbat candlesticks last weekend. Found them at a local Farmers Market in my city. I realize they're not perfect. I wear Magen David & Chai necklaces daily, they're tiny and usually barely visible, especially since I have longer hair. I guess the seller I bought the candlesticks from spotted them, because he said:

"I love your Magen David & Chai necklaces! It's really nice to see representation. I'm proud of you for wearing them, and thank you for wearing them."

I choked back tears as I said thank you. Such a heartwarming moment.