Some Jews are commanded NOT TO FAST. Thus, the local Orthodox shul, Beth Jacob Congregation in Oakland, has sent out this reminder to their members several times in the last couple weeks. Location for Medically Required Food and Nursing Mothers: While the holiest day of the year involves five forms of physical restriction (see below for…
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(A recent letter for my Mixed and Matched column in the J weekly.) Dear Dawn In the past you have said that a Jew shouldn’t make the High Holiday services the very first Jewish service that their non-Jewish partner experiences. But last year my observant Christian boyfriend loved Yom Kippur. He said he likes it…
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I stumbled upon an email dated Sept. 5, 2006 from my beloved friend, Rosanne. Dear Dawn, Your message for the High Holy Days touched me in many ways. My kids have often teased me as I point out the beauty of nature in the little way you talked about. And each day it is important…
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Dear Dawn: You wrote previously about a couple where one partner is Jewish and the other claims to be an atheist. But the atheist still had “warm” feelings for his church. My boyfriend is a true atheist and dislikes all religion. He doesn’t have any warm memories of community or shared holidays. He thinks religion is just…
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I am Jewish, and my husband was Catholic but no longer identifies with any religion. I care strongly about raising our children Jewish, and my husband supports me. Now, with three children, we find this decision to have an increasing impact on our time-strapped lives — what with weekly classes, each child’s class Shabbat, parent…
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Autumn is days away. That means school starts, people put orange leaf wreaths on their doors, Halloween costumes appear in the stores. Fall always seems like a particularly cozy season. I see a lot of people starting to find indoor activities. In My Other Life, I Craft Many of us have jobs and volunteer-jobs and…
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