how arrogant for someone else to tell me if I am a jew or not. I never realized a 'test' was required. frankly, I am tired of those who suggest some 'racial/religious' purity to qualify as jew particularly if somewhere, someway along the way there was a maternal shicksa and a lifetime later I'm told I'm not jewish. there aren't enough of us as it is.

"The corruption of Judaism, as a religion of universal values, through its politicization by Zionism and by the replacement of dedication to Israel for dedication to God and the moral law, is what has alienated so many young Americans who, searching for spiritual meaning in life, have found little in the organized Jewish community." Allan Brownfield, "Issues of the American Council for Judaism", Spring 1997

My mother's father was the real Jew, dark ethnic and direct from the motherland. My mother's mother looks Jewish, yet was not, they married and raised us children Lutheran. I found my Jewishness in a flash of knowledge descending from on hight like a mystical event that has never stopped affecting me. I have always considered myself Jewish, and upon visiting Israel for a long duration I realized I am more Jewish than many Israelis. Yet all of us distant, branched, converted, whatever are held together by a Spirit that never left of our predecessors offspring, we are One, however many.

you will not find three generations of jews that have only a zionist or a cultural attachement to judaism. Judaism is practical, "hands on", it can't live for long based on ideas or thoughts.

It is so important for it to be available-and now more than ever. The problem is more acute in the Galut, where this could prove quite expensive. It is also something that needs to begin early. The earlier it is taught, the better chance to keep it alive. As for adults, there are a number of resources on the net to help in this regard. Here, it's more of a question of whether or not someone wants to learn. If he/she does, then it will be sought. Still, I don't think it a bad idea for the Jewish Agency to go out and about on the ground to reach out this segment of the community. As for Israel, there should be something available for this segment in community centers to help reacquaint them with what they missed in school. Maybe when it is taught in an adult manner can they better appreciate Judaism for what it is-and for the positive impact it can have in their lives.

in religion or on beliefe is not to dhange under any pressure and the worst to be changed under promisses of money or better properties or better life .. as iam not a jew i will not changed my beliefe under any presure or promiss .. did jews do that through their very long history of believing on one god .. iam suspect ... and many times they thought they were distroyed becouse of their judism .. realy it is not but i think it is becouse they were out of their real beliefe ..

when you let someone with a fifth grade education (or the equivalent) write articles. This really didn't make much sense. So the goal is Jewish survival and you're going to ensure this by throwing all Jewish concepts out the window as long as it has a "Jewish purpose?" Secular conversions--whatever that means--I'm sure will ensure Jewish "survival."

If you dilute a glass of wine with big amount of water,do not be surprised it does not taste ....WINE

good point

"In my view, an assimilated Jew is a type of gentile. Perhaps even worse." Worse than a gentile? Is that even possible???????????? I didn't think there was ANYTHING worse than a gentile!

And you are an Ashekenazi Jew I presume? Not exactly the Hebrew of the Torah are you? You are a hypocrite and if you are not a Sephardic Hebrew, you are a fake Jew, just like Jesus said - from the synagogue of Satan.

What a disgusting article. I was born a Jew and am tired of nasty people like this making our race look like a bunch of bigots.

The abhorrent anti-gentilism that pervades Jewish society has neither gone unnoticed nor will it go unpunished.

nice job smoothing over the fact that the "jews" , the Fake ones like the zionists at least, still believe all others are sub-human....lol...hmmm, now i have find out where we go to whine Anti-Gentile-ism!!!!!!

How is it that the loudest advocates for "Multiculturalism" in countries like mine are almost always Jewish, but when it comes to Israel, even the Nazis start to look inclusive? Is it that "Chosen" thing (again)?

22. is right but the various gentiles should also have the right to live according to their cultures and not have Jews trying to force Gentile cultures and tribes (or races) to destroy themselves by multicultural demands and race mixing. G-d made the people of the earth and set the bounds of their habitations. Remember the disaster of Babel. Stop trying to be smarter than G-d.

irrespective of where you live and what kind of Jew any of you are, for you all will sense that people everywhere simply aren't going to bother with arcane inter Jew disputes as to who is a Jew, and you will all find it either imperative or expedient wherever you are in the diaspora to be less Jewish and more like us . . . perhaps for some generations.

How much more racist can a comment such as "...In my view, an assimilated Jew is a type of gentile. Perhaps even worse..." be? No wonder you're in the position in which you find yourself...

"In my view, an assimilated Jew is a type of gentile. Perhaps even worse." This is what passes for journalism in the fundamentalist theocracy of Israel. What delicious and unapologetic racism!

shadoil - "the land was promised to us by G-d" What a load of rubbish. I can write a book that says God promised me the French Riviera, it wouldn't make it so, it would just reveal a delusional mind.