You have good intentions but sadly absolutely no understanding of the national religious outlook..I would be happy to talk to you about ,while their are extremists in every area of life..if you truly understand the outlook your article would have been maybe 5 lines..if this bad mouthing is therapeutic may Hashem forgive you again I am available to help

Since no one knows why the Hester head refused this is all speculation. Perhaps if the author had turned to a garin or via Bnei Akiva he would have received a positive answer.

I don't know who Masua Sagiv may be, but reading his article (that he was surely paid for) I feel ashamed because he counts himself as a National-Religious, he is at best a case of what is called in Hebrew "jazara be'Sheila", he is far apart from the national-religious movement and it is his right, same as it's not his right too pretend to talk in our name.

I am not in the kipa sruga camp (because I do not wear the uniform) but I share many of its values. And while the first time i heard such dribble I was in college and Rabin was just assassinated. To claim the National Religious is just about land (now, then, in the future, in the past) is nonsense. Just like the Left, the Haredim, the "reform" the National Religious have a focus on things they think are of overriding importance. This does not mean nor has it ever kept them from discussing current events, disgusting behaviors in their own bubble, or kept them from criticizing even their own revered leaders. In fact I heard more criticism over misbehavior of NR rabbis from the NR than I had from the secular Left of its own leaders and their poor behavior. but what can I say? We all have a bone to pick. However integration is not something you find in Israel. Rather to conform is more important. The Left demand you be Lefter. The Right seems to compete on who is Righter. The NR seems to be Left on social issues (mistake) and Right on national issues (at least that) and as ignorant about the Reform and Karaites as Haredim about sexuality.

As far as I understand, all of Israelis has the Freedom to Follow or nor Follow HASHEM according to His or Hers Heart, as also HASHEM demands. Where the Spirit of HASHEM is there is Freedom. So nr 1-2-3-4- seems to have the Points. Arn.Sweden.

when are we gona realize that without gd in our lives we have nothing to live for?!?! the redemtion is on the way, and then we will all see the truth!

no depth, limited perception, and child-like conclusions, about as good as journalism gets these days.

Well, in that case, your religion is remarkably empty. I think I already knew that.

But I want to highlight that anyone who thinks making our synagogues like "reform temples" will make for more Jews praying there and committing themselves to God than exist now in central Israel on holidays is delusional. Make them reform, and noone will go. The religious will leave. The now secular will now feel even more justified in shopping.

and regrets leaving Israel maybe

From Magen David Adom, volunteering on ambulances, to youth groups for troubled children to old age homes, we have it covered. There are always local kids coming to our door to collect money and food for the needy- and we always give. There are always charity collectors from outside as well, collecting for their own needs and for others- because they know that we "settlers" always give- generously and happily, to the best of our financial abilities.

Please, let me know if there is somewhere I can go were there's a spare seat on chagim. Modiin shuls overflow. New shuls, mostly national religious but other groups as well, are being built all the time. The municipality cant keep up and private funds need to be found. I dont know where you live, but our shuls, lives and land are full.

...towards becoming a noted authority on the subject of mediocre causes. Gads, they breed in Israel like flies around Gaza. Sagiv; a Commando in the cause of Seinfeldism.

There are two sides to every story and this article only presents one of them. As already said, no one knows why the Yeshiva turned down the synagogue. There may have been a very good valid reason. The author of this piece has however, decided to use their access to the press to write a one-sided piece slurring an entire group of people. I think he does his cause more harm then good BTW the opposition to women singing is a law that is not only written for Hareidi!

maybe you dont recognise it, but seems your comments give this article a real good proof :((

....I don't think the situation is quite as bleak as the writer of this article would like us to think....I don't know where this writer grew up or lives now, but I live in what would be considered a "national religious" (I hate labels, hence the quotes) community. While it is true, there are hypocrites who will buy the most expensive etrog and go to every single demonstration for Greater Israel, and then cheat employees out of money, to say that the NR movement doesn't care about how people treat each other is an exaggeration. There are plenty of shiurim given all over my community in all the different shuls (at different night during the week) on how one is supposed to behave towards his fellow man (all different topics). It's just that the demonstrations against more "land for peace" deals seem to get the most attention in the media. Also, Rosh Hashana is a family holiday, so maybe it is important for those yeshiva students to daven in their family shul. Perhaps, start asking if yeshiva students can join in prayers for Shabbat....

Sagiv is simply trying to delegitimize his opponents. Any rational person knows that Israel cannot survive without Judea and Samaria. This is not only rational and has been proven by simulations and exercises, but the reality of the past 20 years with the failed Oslo experiment. The National Religious and their non-religious Zionist allies like myself care about the land because it ensures Jewish survival. The only people who are irrational are the fanatical Left lie Sagiv who want to surrender the land based on a messianic belief in "yihyeh beseder".

i prefer my "empty" mind :P

Not sure what the point of the article was other than further attempt to undermine both the right and observnace beyond modern Orthodox. The two extremes the author use to "prove" whatever point it was he was trying to show make article silly.

May Ha'Shem bless you and cause His countenance to shine upon you.

The author laments that the religious community is too devoted to settling Judea and Samaria. This is exactly as it should be. Massively settling our biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria is a top priority for Israel. The author errs badly in saying this devotion to settling Judea and Samaria alienates the religious from the rest of Israel. The vast majority of Israel agrees and that is why right wing patriotic governments are consistently elected. It is the anti-Judea/Samaria left which is out of touch with and alienated from Israel.

Read your own posts...carefully. You prove his point.

You show that it is not everywhere the same as the author relates. Thank you.

Isaiah 11 21st Century King James Version (KJ21) Isaiah 11 And there shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD" 3and shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD; and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears. Comment - Do He as vers nr 3 says know the hearts of Men as HASHEN does, or do He Jude according to His Eyes and Ears. And How about You Yourself in regard to all of this ?. Arn.Sweden.

A bunch of talkbacks disagreeing with an article, by no means is any "proof" whatsoever of the "truth" of the article. This meme shows up all over the Internet ("All you people who disagree with me, just prove that I am right!") but it is a total fallacy. Disagreement with any article has nothing to do with the truth or falsehood of any article, however a bunch of talkbacks that provide refutations and rebuttals to an article will prove it to be FALSE, not true.

The waning of one synagogue's population base is sad, but it is just a reflection of shifting demographics. Other neighborhoods have growing NR populations and growing places of worship. Do not blame anybody. The Yeshivat Hesder I am sure takes pride in organizing its own services. This is part of their identity. I understand why they would not want to get absorbed into the local prayer service. However, they might have asked for volunteers to go help out at the synagogue.