Jewish Life

HomeJewish Life
02 Sep 0Comments 0Likes

Virtual Kaddish?

Note: The following correspondence via our website has been anonymised (as usual) and expanded for informational purposes. Dear Rabbi Simon, I wanted to find out if you offer virtual shacharit services during the week. I’ll be vacationing in Switzerland this coming week and am looking for a virtual minyan so that I can say Kaddish for my dad. I live…

02 Sep 0Comments 0Likes

Interfaith Jamboree?

Dear Rabbi Simon, I was asked to sing some chazonus at an interfaith event by Kings College JSoc next term. The issue is complicated/exacerbated by the fact that the event is in the Kings College London chapel (see here for information about the venue). I heard that [a certain rabbi involved in Jewish student life] thought it would be fine,…

17 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Summertime, Summertime

BBQ Question #1 Dear Rabbi Simon I hope you can help. We’ve been invited to a BBQ at a home – they’re not strictly kosher – but I’m sure they only use kosher meat. Can we eat the meat – ensuring no non-kosher sauces etc are added? Many thanks, Barbara Hi Barb Under the circumstances, I would say that if…

12 Aug 0Comments 0Likes

Solar Eclipse

Dear Rabbi Simon, What is the most appropriate berachah (if any) upon observing a full solar eclipse? Happening on Wednesday in London at 7:12pm! Many thanks, Sol Dear Sol Thank you for the timely question. As the solar eclipse was regarded, in antiquity, as an ominous indicator, the Sages did not formulate a berakhah upon observing it. (Cf the historical…

28 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Love the Proselyte

Dear Rabbi Simon Here is an awkward one: I have a friend who converted to Judaism through non-Orthodox channels (not in the UK). He subsequently moved to Israel, where he lives in a community in the area known as Yehuda and Shomron, ie the Administered Territories (or what the UN calls the West Bank). He loves the Land of Israel…

15 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Special Kadish for Siyum?

Dear Rabbi Simon, Looking ahead to the siyum at Se’udah Shelishit this week, do we say the special kaddish designated for a siyum? I heard that when the Siyum takes place on Shabbos, the expanded kaddish is replaced by the regular Kaddish D’Rabbanan. Is this correct? Sam *** Dear Sam, Thank you for your question. There are indeed different minhagim…

17 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

New Tallit

Dear Rabbi Simon, Quick question. I bought a new Tallis for Shabbat use. Should I recite the shehechiyanu blessing (on acquiring or wearing a new garment) on Shabbos when I use for first time? Many thanks, Baruch Hi Baruch Thank you for your question. Since the blessing of שהחיינו is on the new garment rather than the mitzvah per se,…

10 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Kosher Bread Machine

Hi Rabbi Simon, A neighbour gave us an old bread machine, and I was wondering if we can use it.  Can it be kashered or do we need to give it away? Thanks Chani Dear Chani, Thank you for your question. Second-hand breadmakers cannot be reliably koshered due to the Teflon coating and other considerations. Best to move it on.…

03 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Tevillah Question

Hi Rabbi Simon, If you buy a glass bottle of water and want to reuse it afterwards for holding other drinks is that OK or does it need tevillah (immersion in a mikveh, as required for glass and metal utensils generally)? Thanks, Mikki Dear Mikki, Thank you for your question. There is no need for tevillah, as the bottle was…

27 May 0Comments 0Likes

Jews and Alcohol

Hi Rabbi Simon, Is it kosher to drink alcohol? Many thanks, Winston Hi Winston Thank you for your question. Drinking alcohol per se is “kosher”, in the sense that it is not forbidden to do so, and indeed many Jewish rituals involve (moderate) wine consumption. Moreover, wine (and to a lesser extent other alcoholic beverages) is discussed extensively in rabbinic…

Questions & Answers
this week

Questions and Answers

Ask the Rabbi: Quinoa on Pesach
Dear Rabbi Simon,
Where do you stand on quinoa (and the kitniyot ban) for Pesach?
Many thanks,
Tzippy
***
Dear Tzippy,
In line with other American authorities, I am in favour of quinoa. Although I reject completely the voices (mostly from Israel) seeking to abolish the ban on kitniyot entirely, IMO we do not need to include in the prohibition pseudo-grains that were unknown in the Old World until modern times. Best to buy with a Pesach hechsher though, to be free of any possible wheat contamination.
Rabbi Rashi Simon
Events / Calendar

Upcoming Events

Mon, 09/21 Whole day
Yom Kippur