I'm not surprised, and I'm pleased to see it.

No compromises, nada,

Why all these people study the unhealthy teachings of kabbalah, that seems to be more a christian influenced invention of the 15th century than a jewish holy book. ideas as reincarnation, two power as god and devil are not jewish and against the basic jewish believes. stop selling kabbalah as the jewish teaching.

# 4, Stewart: whakoff has NO relevance. You must be newish. Several weeks ago 'Yakov' said he was born Catholic, "converted" to 'Humanistic jJdiasm', then started his own church with his husband and 5 adopted children, is an unemployed 60ish actor, blah blah, and always more illogical solopisitc blah blah from that one . . . best some be ignored entirely

see www.jewsfortangaroa.com

I heard he was born in Disneyland so he must be Goofy!!!

Apparently this isn't the real Yaakov Sullivan who's probably still spewing his anti-Israeli bile on the pages of Ha'aretz. However, I have to admit I find this ersatz Yaakov somewhat more amusing.

Born Catholic nonsense. I was born a man was baptised a RC, but I will end my earthly life a jew. Nobody is born catholic if it was true then they would not demand infant baptism.

Am I correct in saying that the priests in Hawaii are known as "Kahuna"? Sounds like Cohen to me. Can anyone enlighten me?

BTW, the catholic League chat is just around the corner.. I'm sure after 'confession' they will welcome you, your husband , lovers and imaginary children w/ you.

I thought he was dopey.

I bet this guy is not full blood Moari I am from Austalia and I have never seen anything in Moari culture that even display remnants of Judaism the Pashtun in Afganistan and other groups certainly do. Reform Jews bah humbug guy does not even know what real Judaim is yet.

Many single jewish men ended up in New Zealand during the 19th C and married maori women, particularly in the northern part of the island. They have many proud descendants. Perhaps these people are some of them? Incidentally, the maoris arrived in new zealand one thousand years ago, not thousands, and their language is not related to hawiian.

That they help rugby grow in Israel! Go Nivcharot Israel rugby!

If the Maoris really want to learn about Judaism, they can spend a whole lot less money. They only need to go online and get the Torah portion so they can study it. If they really want to study it, it's not expensive and it's a one time, get a copy of Torah to go with the weekly portion. You can get the most of your studies by sitting down with a group and going over the portion together.

I was born a female and from what’s left of the looks of it, that’s how I’ll die. On the way from there to here and not counting the ones on which I, myself, put the hex, I’ve been banished, excommunicated and thrown out by every religion that made the mistake of assuming that it could save me, improve me and/or at least keep me away from the good people. I’ve been sprinkled, I’ve been dunked, I’ve been chanted at, circled by people waving who knows what kind of - probably illegal - plants, and prayed over by small and large groups; all to no avail. I know what I should be, but occasionally having had a bit of trouble with only 10, trying to comply with 613 would be a disaster of such proportions I’d have to live to be 650 years old for the penance and that on the assumption that I were a saint for 550 of those years. So, I'm counting on God’s sense of humor and the correctness of the general consensus that even I was created in some semblance of His image, that I'm just as special and unique as everybody else, and I simply hope for the best.

...THAT THESE GUYS ARE 'CONVERTING' TO JUDAISM VIA REFORM?...THAT THESE GUYS ARE VIDEO-CONFERENCING EACH SUNDAY WITH THE KABBALAH CENTER, AS IF THAT IS SOME KIND OF PORTAL TO JUDAISM? GIVE ME A BREAK. THE REFORM AND THE KABBALAH FREAKS WHO PICK POCKETS ARE NOT - AND I REPEAT, NOT - REPRESENTATIVE OF REAL JUDAISM, THANK G-D. IF THESE MAORIS THINK THIS IS THE WAY TO GO, SO BE IT, FACT IS, NONE OF THEM ARE REALLY JEWISH ANYWAY!

OF JEWISH MEN AND MAORI WOMEN, THEY ARE STILL NOT JEWISH

Not very encouraging talkbacks guys - they claim to be a lost tribe and who are you to say they are wrong? Reform Judaism may not be even close to orthodox but you cannot say a reform Jew is not a Jew.

not only is their language closely related to Hawai'ian but a lot of it is mutually intelligible.

Maori traversed thousands of miles of ocean without modern navigation equipment to get to New Zealand from elsewhere in Polynesia. We got lost for 40 years just getting from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael. Doesn't sound like the same people to me!!

That's funny Sarah, I actually said words similiar to this when interviewed by an Israeli camera crew on the 31.12.99. I also doubted that my ancestors who navigated great oceans to discover a new land could be this group of people who for 40 years got lost in a dessert and couldn't even find the boarder to cross. I'm afraid this article has somewhat taken alot of libertties in reporting this story as I was never actually interviewed for this.

To blame your mother for your religious identity is to take no responsibility and an abdication of mind. We are all born babies into a family regardless. There are many more Jews who now practice other religions and profess them, are they stilll Jews then, according to this logic they are? A child raised as a Jew by a Jewish parent and who practices Judaism including a person who converts to Judaism is a Jew. Anyone who discrimnates against them is a 'Jew hater', because you hate the very thing they have embraced and love, Judaism.

Converts to Judaism are Jews. Those Maori at Awataha Marae actually have no intennt on referring to themselves as Jews, in fact they're all proud of being Maori. Thsy study Kaballah because they can relate to it in its similiarties to Maori spirituality. The fact that you are so easy to judge and condemn says more about your prejudices and small mindedness. These people have extended their hand in friendship to the Israeli Ambassador in a country where Israel and Jews have had a hard time of late and all you can do is criticise them, shame on.

You're right Yitzchak, I also have Sefardi and I have Ashkenasi blood in me as well. I am also of Tainui and Mamari waka and descend from Te Rarawa and Tainui tribes. I am not the only one here who has mixed blood nor anywhere in the article did it claim that we were only of Maori descent, but its amazing how that seems to matter to you. Reform Judaism is an authentic expression of Judaism, it does not deny the authenticity of Orthodoxy or other expressions of Judaism and it has no fear of those who are ignorant of it. When last in Jerusalem I met alot of non-Reform Jews, they were mainly Messianic, I'm assuming you must be one of them, afterall you'd probably wish we were like you, ignorant and judgemental, oh btw, if I sound judgemental of you, congratualtions I'm becoming just like you, NOT!

Ouch that must have hurt, giving birth to a catholic ? Is that like a breach birth or is the mother not involved at all because it has to be a virgin? Were you born saying the lords prayer, genuflexing or swinging rosaries? I;ve never been at the birth of a catholic before, does anyone have a video of these so I can compare it to how a baby is born? How does one die a catholic? I guess with all the child molestation going on in that religion, their children don't stand much of a chance, perhaps that's what it takes to die a catholic. Good luck in that department.

According to legend and the famous Edgar Cayce, there was a legendary advanced race of people who lived on a huge landmass in the south seas, who "reincarnated" into the Jewish race. They allegedly mostly died of Earth Changes, 20,000 years ago in a deluvian appocolypse much like the story of Noah and also the legendary land of "Atlantis", which the Lemurians allegedly preceded. Before anyone passes judgement, "Reincarnation" is part of certain Orthodox Jewish cannon. Grandchildren are named with the first letter or the whole name of the dearly departed grandparent or relative with hopes that the soul of the dead relative will live in the body of the new child. So, it's part of our Jewish lore already, the Lemurians/Maoris aren't a big stretch.