You are getting this all wrong! If after so many years the USA Jewry is getting smaller and smaller it means that their approach to religion is wrong! They should change!!! Please explain me why we should adapt to a dying community!

I read that Sharansky was reaching out to the ex pat Israelis- why just them, are we not all Jews in need of strengthening our bonds??? They want us to make aliya but until that happens, they should offer programs like Birthright for adults. This would open up the doors and create a relationship which is sorely needed b y all diaposra Jews, not just ex pats. Living in the USA is a danger for all Jews, due to assimilation

Orthodoxy sees the law, as stipulated in the chulhan arouch and michna beroura, as a God given rock. Those who do not follow the law are sinners of different levels in the eyes of God but remain part of the Jewish people. Those who say, like the reform, that some laws do not apply or say that they are nul and void are splitting from the Jewish people. Whatever amount of money they may donate to the state of Israel or to charities, are good deeds but do not negate the split. The fact that Jews are assimilating in the Usa and other places is furthered by the acceptance of conversions that are too lenient

bashing of the Orthodox. Instead of blaming Halacha and the Orthodox, why dont you look inside yourself and admit, that Reform, Conservative, and yes, even Zionism have become bankrupt ideologies because they are based only upon the whims of their times in the world historically and sociologically. While trying to always adjust to the new ideological fashions of the times to keep the movements relevant, some inward integrity and honesty would be refreshing, so that you could STOP BLAMING others for your lacking!

I agree that reform and maybe conservative are selfdefeating ideas. Orthodoxy , today, has two big failures: 1) a lack of solidarity with Jews not belonging to the orthodox community. 2) A failure to educate it's young adults, with some exceptions, in such a way that they can interact with the outside world while remaining faithfull to the Tora. Zionism has , with God's help , succeeded to build a wonderfull and succesfull country that provide a haven for all Jews in the world. It is a miracle and everybody should be aware, including haredim

That the writer considers these to be "halachic details" says it all. If I'm a Jew or not is not a detail, it's everything. I too had a humiliating, drawn-out marriage process in Israel, and I ended up feeling bitter resentment towards the men who claim hegemony over all things Jewish...even over the Orthodox rabbis here in the States. The arrogance is appalling and the consequences are real for Jews in Israel too, not just in the States. If that's a detail, then what's important? We can't reform "institutions" without having these conversations, trivial as the writer finds them...

Reform and its progeny were mistaken responses to the Diaspora and don't even work here; there is no reason to force them on Israel. But why should it take TWO YEARS to verify that an Oleh has kedushat Yisrael? Something is very wrong with thinking that is an acceptable response time.

There is no Orthodox, Reform, or Conservative. There are Jews who do their best to follow the Torah, Jews who don't try at all, and a vast amount of Jews in between. I don't support a "Haredi" monopoly of the Rabbinate, but I do support a Rabbinate that actually follows Torah law. It is beyond laughable that people are demanding Reform and Conservative movements to be granted official status in Israel. These movements don't meet the most minimal criteria of the Jewish faith, namely the belief that God communicated with Israel at Mount Sinai. Israel shouldn't recognize any "stream" of Judaism. Rather, there should be a qualification process for anyone seeking to become an official Jewish leader (shomer shabbat, kosher, torah knowledge, etc). The last thing we need is more schisms.

so why not in Israel? The whole Western World, with the exception of the USA, is rapidly abandoning religion. The disgusting superstitions of the past have to die in the face of science and reality. Believe it everyone, Evolution has won the day. Religion is for the ignorant.

Haredim are in no way shape or form paragons of virtue or preservers of Jewish holy writ. Their pronouncements are in many instances comparable to those of the Taliban or of the Saudi religious establishment. Their rejection of the modern world is total and their twisting of Halacha to support their positions is painful to see. Simple goodkness and kindness are absent as primary drivers of their actions. Exceptionalism, greed, arrogance, pediphilia, unwillingness to participate in society are the hallmarks of just about every Haredi stream. What sensible Westernized Jew would want to make aliya to a country where the bearded ones would question their very legitimacy as members of the Jewish people? Of all Western countries only in Israel is a Jew under religious constraint when it comes to life cycle events and immigration.

As usual, we get the same arguments as talkbacks, each view condemning all others. There's a basic point that seems to be missed: In a global sense, we're so few as to be minute. From the attitude of the Israeli rabbinic establishment toward and treatment of people who wish to join us, one would think there were hundreds of millions of Jews in the world -- so many we had to admit as few as possible. But, alas, we never have regained our numbers in 1939. If someone wants to become a Jew, we should welcome him or her and not demand a level of frumkeit that exceeds that of 85 percent of the rest of the Jews on the planet. I consider American Reform's decision for paternal descent is a mistake because it can create almost Nazi-like genealogy investigations to prove Jewishness; Israel's rabbinate seems not far from such awfulness now. On the other hand, Reform (which is too far left for me) has a point about biblical figures; ere Moses' sons, born of a non-Hebrew woman, not Jews? If someone says he/she is a Jew, lives in a way identifiable as Jewish, participates in Jewish activities and affiliates with a Jewish congregation (and even better, goes to shul), who's to say that person is not a Jew?.

the US, israel isn't squat.

Prior to US "alliance" with Israel, the country was 4 times the size and growing stronger every day. Today Israel is besieged by enemies and chaos due to US involvement and arm-twisting.

...is the definition of primitive ignorance.

On the one hand you have Orthodox Jews who practice a Medieval, superstitious version of post-Temple Judaism with a large part of them- Haredim, who are fanatic and hate the very State that supports their parasitic lifestyle. On the other hand, you have essentially secular Jews, many of whom have never seen the inside of synagogue since their bar-mitzvah (unfortunately, they don't even have bat-mitvahs here). Jews end up marrying Jews here out of sheer coincidence; most people here are Jews. There is no meaning in Jewish life for secular Jews beyond the fact that stores are closed on Shabbat and offices are closed on Jewish holidays...Bottom line: Anerican Jews and Israeli Jews need each other!

jewish sports review " we consider a jew as having one jewish parent and identifying as jewish only".For me that person is jewish.

The author fails to see that many Israel Jews are assimilating into Israelism and have diminished understanding of their Jewish roots. Israel needs the perspective of Diaspora Judaism and to break the Haraydee control of Jewish life in Israel. Both communities need each other if there is to be a vibrant modern Judaism

It is ironic that Jews have so many conflicting views as to what truly constitutes Jewishness. The Germans had no problem in determining Jewishness during the Holocaust. A single drop of Jewish blood in one's ancestry qualified one for the death camps. And, today, the Muslim World has no problem in determining Jewishness, either. Nor do the anti-Semites in Europe. In the USA, liberal American Jews strive for inclusion in a "One World", in hopes that "One World" citizenship will somehow erase their Jewishness, and permit them to escape anti-Semitism. They resent Israel, because they feel that Israel's outright "Jewishness" calls attention to theirs. However, their "One World" doesn't like Jews, any more than the Muslim World or Europeans. Isn't it ironic that the entire World knows who Jews are, but Jews have a problem figuring it out?

The religious institutions in Israel are not only separating us from American Jewry, they are also distancing many non religious people in Israel from Jewish tradition.

With the exception of the Orthodox US Jewry is on life support and the future is grim.The growth of the US Jewish population has been stagnenet for decades and includes a dispropotionate number of seniors. When US Jews overwhelmingly support a president who is openly hostile to Isreal and attended an openly anti Semitic church for 25 years you have all you need to know.Liberalism,ignorance apathy, and chasing the $$ have replaced Isreal and Judaism in their world.They have self destructed without even a fight.Yes, the community has money and success but they have no understanding of history,identity and self respectHitler is laughing in his grave and the stupidity of the American Jewish community as it self destructs. A self imposed spiritual Shoah.This may sound cruel but its the absolute truth.