Is quinoa kosher for Passover?
Quinoa, a grain-like crop grown in South America, is not one of the grains considered chametz (wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, or their derivatives). Some medieval Ashkenazi rabbis ruled that kitniyot (legumes) could not be eaten during Passover because they could be confused with chametz products. Some authorities consider quinoa to be kitniyot, while others do not.
Why do Jews put small stones on tombstones when visiting the cemetery?
The earliest graves may have been covered by a mound of stones.
How do I bring Jewish values into a secular holiday like Halloween?
Just because Halloween is non-religious does not mean that we should check our Jewishness at the door. Rather, we have the opportunity to bring Jewish values to heart for that festival evening.
What is the Reform Jewish perspective on abortion?
Due to our fundamental belief in the sanctity of life and the Jewish value of kavod ha’briyot, respect for human dignity, Reform Judaism holds that abortion is both a medical and spiritual decision that should be made by the individual within whose body the fetus is growing.
Is it true that you cannot be buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have a tattoo?
While the Jewish community might still be divided over tattoos, the prohibition against burying a tattooed person in a Jewish cemetery is a myth. Caring for the body after death is also a mitzvah, and we don't exclude people in our communities from that care simply because of markings on the skin.
I have a Jewish mother and a Christian father. What am I?
As you may know from watching the news, the issue of who is a Jew is a hotly debated one nowadays. There is no simple answer.
What Does Judaism Say About the Treatment of Animals?
I'm Jewish and my wife isn't. Every year, we go to my in-laws to celebrate Christmas with them. Will it be too confusing to my daughter?
There are many opportunities to share in the beauty of different faith traditions that may exist within one family. There is no reason why sharing your in-laws traditions would end up being confusing to your daughter.
If our baby is circumcised in the hospital, can the ceremony of a bris still be held?
If our baby is a little boy and we want to have him circumcised in the hospital can the ceremony of a bris still be held or would we have a baby naming?
We are expecting a child in a few weeks. Is there something for girls that is equivalent to the bris ceremony for boys?
Traditionally, a brit milah is the ceremony whereby a Jewish boy is brought into the covenant. For a girl, there was a naming which took place in the synagogue, usually done by the father or grandfather coming to the synagogue and having a blessing said on behalf of the baby, who usually wasn't present.