Nov 21, 2006

And still, we fight.

I stand firmly behind the belief that the Jews' biggest enemy is the Jews. The internal fight and question of "who is a Jew" is the blemish we should be most worried about. Diaspora versus Israel. Orthodox versus Reform. Sephardim versus Ashkenazim. A Jew is a Jew is a Jew. How can the Jewish community expect to stand tall in the face of adversity when we're so busy locking our neighbor outside in the cold? HOW is this acceptable behavior? So many prominent characters in Torah were converts! Some of the greatest Jewish thinkers were converts! Embrace! I refuse to feel like a stranger in the midst of my fellow Jews! Moses was a stranger in the midst when Sarah died and he was embraced by the people and allowed to create a burial spot for himself and his family. He was a stranger! We've been strangers so many times before, have we not? How can it be acceptable to drive Jews out of the homes of Jews because of a WORD. Ger. Ach.

I'm ... disappointed. Frustrated at my people, if I can be permitted by the Orthodox Israeli rabbinate to call them that, of course. This blemish can be found here.

2 comments:

Jessica said...

Wow...I hadn't seen this piece of news yet. I have to think it won't pass because Israel won't risk it's relationship with Diaspora Jews, ya know?

This whole issue frustrates me and makes me so sad. Do you ever read postsecret? A week or so ago, someone sent in a yellow star of David and had written on it (and I'm paraphrasing here) "When people ask if I converted, I say now because I don't want them to think I'm a fake." It just makes me so sad - as you have pointed out - that the Jewish community has so much infighting on who is and who is not Jewish. Like who wouldn't want to embrace a convert - someone has studied, who loves the religion, who practices it avidly - into the fold?

Keep us updated on the outcome (I must admit I don't read haaretz as regularly as I should).

lxr23g56 said...

Hey thanks for posting on this topic, I hadn’t read the article until you pointed it out. While in general I agree with you I am also sympathetic to some of the concerns related to immigration abuse in Israel.

I guess this is an example of how complicated things can become when Church and State are not clearly separated.

Thanks again

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