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    POP QUIZ! How Much Do You Know About Orthodox Jews?

    You've seen them around on the street, in movies and TV, and sometimes in the news, but how much do you really know about Orthodox Jews? Are you a chacham (a wise one)? A tam (a simple one)? Or a beinoni (somewhere in the middle)? Take this quiz and find out! And don't forget to check out Jew in the City for more stereotype busting!

    1. Which one is the rabbi and which one is the computer scientist?

    2. Which One is Hassidic?

    3. What's the minimum number of children Orthodox Jewish couples need to have in order to fulfill their obligation to procreate?

    4. True or False: Orthodox Jews believe in Creationism instead of scientific concepts

    5. True or False: Orthodox women are allowed to work.

    6. True or false: Orthodox Jewish women dress modestly because they're not supposed to look attractive.

    7. True or False: Orthodox Jewish law requires a husband to satisfy his wife.

    8. True or False? Orthodox Jews consider a woman "dirty" when she has a period which is why she has to immerse in a mikvah.

    9. True or False: When you see an Orthodox woman in a wig, it's because her head is shaved.

    10. True or False: Some Orthodox Jews go to college, but advanced degrees are not allowed.

    11. True or False: Orthodox Jews have sex through a hole in the sheet.

    12. True or False: Orthodox Jewish men wear their black and white get-up 24/7.

    13. True or False: Orthodox Jews don't go to the movies.

    ANSWERS - How did you do?

    1) c) Not sure. Why? Because although technically the rabbi is on the right, either one could be. Orthodox rabbis need not have beards or hats and some bearded Orthodox men with hats are not rabbis.

    2) a)The Hasidic Jew is on the left. How would you know this? The guy on the right couldn't be Hasidic because the only Hasidic Jews who wear this type of hats are Lubavitch. Lubavitch men typically have untrimmed beards, and their hats are puckered in a different way than this man's hat is. It is a VERY (and we mean VERY) slight nuance, but there is a difference and most Orthodox Jews would be able to tell the difference. We may all seem to look the same, but different Orthodox communities have many variations from one another.

    3) b) At least 2 - one girl and one boy. For more info, watch this.

    4) c) Um…A simple true or false doesn't suffice because different communities differ on this one (and many other topics!). All believe in the Torah but some believe that scientific concepts can fit into that account. Here's how the ones who do tie it together.

    5) b) True. There is no prohibition in Jewish law for Orthodox Jewish women to work and women from a wide range of communities do.

    6) b) False - Jewish modesty is not about looking unattractive. it's about keeping certain parts of oneself private, away from public consumption.

    7) a) True. A man has several obligations towards his wife in marriage according to the Jewish marriage contract including sexual satisfaction.

    8) b) False. A women's status as a "niddah" is not about physical "dirt." It is a ritualistic or spiritual status and going to the mikvah changes her spiritual status, not her physical one.

    9) b) False. Most Orthodox Jewish women who wear wigs do not shave their hair. (It is only a minority of women within certain Hasidic communities who do this due to custom.) Here are some actual reasons Orthodox women wear wigs.

    10) b) Um… This was a trick question, well because it's fun to be tricky on pop quizzes! There is more than one opinion on the college front in the Orthodox world - some think it's great, some think it's necessary, and some hate it. But anyone who believes in college would have no problem with graduate degrees. Just check out these guys - many have racked up lots of advanced degrees

    11) b) False

    12) c) Um…Yet another trick question! Not all Orthodox Jewish men wear the black and white style in the first place. Some wear khakis and colored shirts, others wear jeans and t-shirts. And even those who wear black and white do don't necessarily only wear black and white. But some do. Did we mention that there's lots of diversity within the Orthodox world?

    13) c) Um…OK, we're done being tricky, but only because this is the last question. Once again, there are a variety of opinions in the Orthodox world about consumption of secular media. Some stay away from it completely, some consume some amount of it, but don't think it's ideal, others consume certain types of it and believe that there are benefits to experiencing art (be it movies, novels, etc.), and finally some will watch a wide range of things.

    RESULTS

    12-13 correct answers: Mazel tov, you're a chacham when it comes to Orthodox Jewish laws and culture! But most people are not, so check out JewintheCity.com if you ever speak to someone who misunderstands the Orthodox community.

    7-11 correct answers: Not bad, you're a beinoni in terms of your Orthodox Jewish knowledge. But you could use some brushing up. Check out JewintheCity.com to learn more!

    0-6 correct answers: Nebuch! You have scored on the tam level when it comes to knowing about Orthodox Jews, but have no fear - there is plenty of information here to learn from, and in no time flat, you can too become a chacham!

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