Not heterodoxy and not the religion of liberalism (or conservatism, for that matter). After thousands of years of experience, this should come as no surprise.

In that case Jewishness is still FULLY in the picture and should be cultivated.

It is nobody's business to determine or even suggest what another person's identity should be. Simply, mind your own business !!!

Secular Jewish identity has many interprations as with the Ultra religious and modern Religious .There are even Utopian Internationalistists .Definetly there are considerable benevolent humanitarian passages in the Torah .

How lucky for the IAC that it was saved the money of purchasing an ad. Every time there is a "crises" another organization appears with the solution... So half the people at the Celebrate Israel festival were Israelis and half were American Jews....a shame no non-Jews were invited!! Not a word about the importance of social justice to American Jews... But don't worry, they will build their Jewish Identities around a country whose religious authorities do not recognize their synagogues as synagogues or their grandchildren as Jews. Good luck.

When you consider that practitioners of"Israelism" are the Jews most likely to become yordim.

It is different from what is called "Jewish." American Jews are cousins to Israelis, but the bond is weak. Isolated Israelis in the US may become more like their Jewish cousins, or may become more like the gentiles, but in the end they remain Israelis, apart from Jews and gentiles. The process is not different than, say, what affects Italians or Irish in the U.S..

I had to get a double dose of caffeine this morning before I could reply to this ridiculous article. Let me see if I understand. The idea is to bring American Jews back into Judaism by hanging out with the most anti-Jewish, anti-religious segment of the Israeli population? What are we to learn from the Israelis? How to be rude, obnoxious, and selfish? While American Jews are notoriously generous in helping others of all religious, secular Israelis do not share this trait. They hate everyone not like them, and live a me first, look out for number one philosophy. If you ever need help in Israel, you better hope (dare I say pray) that you run into a religious person, because a secular Israeli would not help you if it cost him one shekel.

As usual you are 100% accurate! Take care buddy

For life and death situations, I'd count on an average Israeli to jump into the fray to help, which is more important than bickering about who's first in line at the movies. In America, you might get a quarter if you beg for it, but on the other hand, people can walk on by with the "it's none of my business" mentality or participate in the bystander effect if you're having a health emergency. (The latter has also happened in Israel, but seems to be rarer.)

OK, I might be stupid for living in Israel for 37 years, but Israeliness, what the h*ll is that? Jewish, I know, Israeli, I know, but what the heck is Israeliness? Israeli means a national identity like my neighbor Ahmad who is an Israeli Arab or my co-worker Ismal, an Israeli Christian. Do they have Israeliness? Or are we referring to the religious aspect meaning Jewish?? If it is this which excludes Ahmad and Ismal, then Israeliness is nothing but foolishness with a capital 'I' !

How can you describe the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have left the country for the United States (or elsewhere) as "expats" ? The common accepted meaning for the word expatriate is someone who leaves his home country for abroad for a set period and purpose, and then retruns to reside permanantly in his home country. With some exceptions, the yordim have left Israel for good to become Americans. It is likely that most of their children will no longer be Jews in any sense. It's a shame. But face reality: As long as Israel is in a state of latent war and increasing domestic social inequality, people will leave.

I am so sick of hearing that Israelis help one another in their times of need. I've been in need of help a few times, moving from place to place on public transportation, laden like a mule with bags and barely even upright under the pressure of so much weight. My bags would twist and turn and flip over and when you have as many as I did, it's not easy to get back on track. This always seemed to happen when there were tons of people around. In America or other places where I've lived, I would have been offered help almost immediately..not here in israel! I've moved about four times in israel and I can count on like two fingers the amount of times I've been offered help. Israelis, in every aspect of life, are self absorbed and only concerned with what they can mooch off of other people. These are not midot that I want to pass on to my children. On top of it, they are rude, crude and wouldn't know the meaning of respect even if it slapped them in the face.

Enough self analysis ,we have plenty of our detractors doing that for us. We Jews know who we are and do not need to define ourselves. Those that wish to leave the tribe will go it has been happening throughout our 4000 year history. Remember the lost tribes,the Jews lost in Babylon,Egypt,Spain, Europe et al. The core is strong. Nil desperandum Hevra ! Shekoiakh

Actually, I meant Israeliness in a positive sense. But bad apples are everywhere. The more congested the world becomes, the more visible become the narcissists. But, please if you can, keep up whatever remains there from the positive.

Many Israelis abroad are wonderful people. But from my experience, in some cases they are full of pose, very eager to show off to other Israelis that they "made it". Others are even worse, whinging ceaselessly about how bad Israel is and how lucky they are to get away from it. I usually find the company of non-Israeli Jews to be nicer.

Losers who leave Israel to go to the US are not the saviors of organized Judaism in America. Galut Judaism will die because it is in the Galut. You want Judaism move home to Israel. There is no saving the exile anymore than the 80% of Jews who refused to leave in the Exodus from Egypt could be saved. Judaism can only live in Israel.

An interesting article, but some of us are old enough to remember Zionism as a scular movement in the USA and Yiddish in the Workman's Circle secular Jewish groups. The YMHA, as in 92nd Street 'Y' , was also a secular Jewish communal focal point. Secular Jewish identity seldom lasts more than two generations. Will the last secular Jews to leave the fold please turn out the light [unto the nations] ?

I can only agree with you 1000%

...with the revival of Hebrew ethnicity such as existed in the days of old, the "torah jew" racket is getting ready to lose its revenue stream. 200 years from now, there will be secular Hebrew-immersion kindergardens in every major city of the world. These rabbis had better learn how to weld or program a computer if they don't want to starve.

...outright Stalinists. & just like Stalin who married Hitler (& afterward was too stupid to believe the 18 months of warnings from his own diplomatic cables that warned of Hitlers physical preparations for Operation Barbarosa), they ACT 180 degrees out of phase with their WORDS. Yep, they now make a living by operating credit unions! Just another scamming mafia.

Think secular and you will attract 70% of the public. Think religious and you will remain with just 30%.

Check your "facts" next time instead of spewing propaganda. "Not religious" to "Not so religious" = 41% Religious = 60.2% That's not even counting the remaining "Very Religious" (CBS, Statistical Abstract of Israel 2013; figures are for 2011) http://www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/shnaton/templ_shnaton_e.html?num_tab=st07_06x&CYear=2013

You cannot maintain Israeliness any more than you can maintain Irishness or Germanness or anything else in the US. 200 years from now, maybe there will be a parade once a year and people will eat felafels, maybe. And non-Jews will participate just as much. And Hebrew will be dead as Gaelic Patriotism cannot replace actual tradition. Ask YIVO many secular Americans still care about Yiddish? Hebrew will be the same.

While American Jews have varied thoughts about being Jewish, the Muslim World uniformly considers them to be infidels, and descendants of apes and pigs, and Europeans think whatever the Muslim World wants them to think. If Jews considered their identity from the standpoint of who would like to see them exterminated or banished, they would inevitably have to choose Israel as the only country that welcomes them. The US is generally considered to be a safe haven for Jews, unless one has visited a major US university campus and experienced what the future may hold.

Yiddish died because nothing survives by nostalgia. Our job as ethnic Hebrews is to produce "facts on the ground" that motivate people to learn Hebrew. People all over the world study English - it's not because they want to read Shakespeare. It's because it helps them make money and live better. Maybe as a start: all Israeli patents should be required to be published as bi-lingual

you should be aware that the number of Yiddish speakers is growing

From what you've posted you sound angry, bitter and expectant of strangers to aid you in schlepping bags have you no family to help? Come back to America, we're spoiled, can still afford cars, shopping malls, and free, if needed, help with your bags to your car, tax,i or mule. BTW, you sound self absorbed, and more than ready to 'mooch' of of other people.

The number of speakers is growing because Chareidim have 20 kids. But secular Yiddish theater is far from its heyday.