Wow! What an idea!

it was about time for u to start looking for a job instead of living from the money of my taxes and the taxes of gays, lesbians, non charedim, etc... i don't need to pay u to study torah and pray...i can pray myself.

Many nasty comments can be read almost daily about the Haredi community without taking into account that the haredi community consists of individuals just like any other group. It is important to fight extremists among both ortodox as well as secular Israelis who try to ruin the brotherhood and sisterhood of the Jewish people for the vast majority of Israelis/Jews. There is no question about that much remains to be done before the haredi Israelis are fully integrated into Israeli society: army, work force and social life. Progressive rabbis must take lead and encourage individual fullfilment and make sure that the fundamentalism forces within the haredi community will be defeated. There are more and more haredi Israelis joining the army, studying at universities and joining the work force. All this will result in huge economic and social changes in the ortodox community which will bring moderation and bring them closer to mainstream Israel. Brilliand Rambam and contemporary Nobel prize winner Robert Auman from Hebrew University should be a positive role model and proof that religion, science, rationality, education, work and national patriotism can and should be combined.

Many speak of Haredi Jews as if they are "aliens" but htey are not. They are an integral part of the Jewish people and should be encouraged to join the rest of us rather than pushed away. Former prime minister Levi Eshkol as well as the famous Yiddish writer Singer came from hasidic families as well as many others. If we Jews could start to respect each other regardless of we are religious or not, things would be much better. Religious or not, we are ONE nation and should remain united under one flag and one destiny.

Good news that the haredim in Eretz Yisrael are taking the way of ours in americas where only a minority study full time while most work. Let us hope in the future even the IDF try to outreach this growing community which is the future of Am Yisrael by virtue of demography. IDF could for example create male only and glatt kosher units allowing haredim to defend Eretz Yisrael. Thanks for YNet for at least writing a piece of paper about haredim which is not hateful. Sorry for the secular judaism haters who cannot refrain from spitting their hate for their brothers in the talkbacks.

an integral part of jewish people? one nation? also gays are integral part of Israel, also non religious people, also the one's who get stoned when ridin the bus, etc...if they want to be an integral part they have to earn it..start to work and go to the army and then we'll talk.

With time the Haredi Jews in Israel will become an integrated part of the Jewish people and their socio-economic transformation will also make them more modern both in work life and in family life. The reason extreme hasidic rabbis are so nervous is that countless young haredi Jews dream about personal fulfillment and they will gradually get it their way. It is time that religious and non-religious Jewish men as well as women learn to live together in mutual respect.

Dan although we apreciate your comments about Charedim may i point out that not only are Charedim an integral part of the jewish people Charedim are the backbone and foundation of the Jewish nation seculal judaism does not contribute to the future of the jewish race in fact it encourages the integration into the Gentile world and if allowed to do this,it would G-D forbid contribute to the downfall of the jewish nation as we know it today.

I condemn extremism and intolerance among ortodox people just like I condemn extremism and intolerance among secular people. We need mutual tolerance simple as that.

You are right Dan, the Haredim will lower their birthrate because of cuts in welfare which does make then enter the workforce. They will surely adopt the birthrate of the dati-leumi community. Therefore having 4-5 babies per woman rather thant 6 or 7. Anyway it is still more than the average 2-3 secular women have. Religious Jews are a minority in israel but religious kids are already more numerous than the secular ones... We have even a stronger picture in Galut where secular have a lower birthrate of 1-2 kids per women and an intermarriage ratio of 60%. In just one generation from now, the religious Jews will be the majority in Israel and almost the only Jews outside !

First hire the people who have served in the I.D.F. and gave the best years of their lives to this country.Then if there are jobs left over hire the draft-dodgers.

In the diaspora the religious will probably dominate due to the extreme assimilation rates among non-religious diaspora Jews. In Israel, however, I hope and think that we will finally see each other as one people/nation regardless if we are religious or secular. It is not religion or secularism but fundamentalism and lack of respect which is the problem that has to be addressed and resolved. Just like the rift between ashkenasim and sephardim is rapidly decreasing in Israel so will gradually the rift between religious and secular Israelis. The next generation Israelis will have much more in common regardless if they are religious or secular and they won't care if their grandparents lived in Russia/Poland or in Iraq or Morocco. The future of the diaspora however, does not look vey bright and will be concentrated to a few pockets of orthodox-only communities.

Right Dan, I share your hope that Jews will learn to live together in Israel and that secular and religious fanatics will begin to talk rather than bark.

those on these talkbacks who predict with such certainity the disappearance of the american jew through assimilation are wrong. we jews in america are proud to be jewish and consider it a blessing. we have been here since america was founded and haven't vanished yet. we are jewish americans and we are here to stay!

...who give birth every year, take care of the children AND work to support the life of riley for their lazybum husbands who only know to impregnate and loaf around studying Torah while their wives suffer and sweat it out in the real world. "Among the greatest and wisest in Israel were choppers of wood and drawers of water" -Rambam

but do you actually pray????

Please google for the National Jewish Population Survey of USA done in 2001. Here are the basics : Jews - birthrate - intermarriage secular - 1.2 - 70% reform and conservative - 1.6 - 50% orthodox - 3.43 - 3% Do the maths yourself, but the conclusion is quite simple either be orthodox either have non jewish grandchildren.

There are haredi units in IDF. They are called Nahal Haredi. They are Haredi Glatt Kosher and have no women in them. These units are very effective and are currently mainly engaged in protecting the Jordan Valley

Yes it is true that there are extreme rates of assimilation among secular American Jews. The problem with US and most diaspora communities is that they are traditionally defined mostly in terms of religion and since most Jews are not very religious their identity remains weak. In Israel our religious traditions are an integral part of our nationhood and direct history and current roots in our homeland. The implication of this is that in Israel a full Jewish national life is possible where religion is only one but not necessary. That is the fundamental difference between Israel and the diaspora.

to people that havent payed taxes and they all will be looking for a job, and if one of you say he is praying for me because g-d only listens to lazy bums, and not hard working people like me ill take my chances when i pass away

Yes, it's about time the lazy bastards are made to go out and learn a living like the rest of us. The State needs to cut ALL payments to them. They need to do army service as well.