All this nouveau style religious bashing - by the modern wannabe 'enlightened' (ha) religious. Becoming a bore. We see that you're broad minded, lady, it's SO obvious, but enough is really enough, from you and other(s)....about those who don't (want to) think like you and your group,but they at least, don't bore us non-stop.

Now how can we get the rest of the religious public - including the rabbanim - to pay attention? Where are the other 612 mitzvoth? The whole issue is a shandeh - to bring Meshiach Am Yisroel has to keep Torah Kulah - not just what's politically trendy.

At least the Lovers of the Land are doing SOMETHING.... Why single them out as if they need be responsible for the whole task?

But why do you women have to wear a helmet in the middle of the day, I know it looks nice all red and everything but is it really necessary?

Yes, she's right there are mitzvot other than those related to Eretz Israel. But doing mitzvot is not the reason people are fighting for Eretz Israel as she condescendingly implies. If she had bothered to listen to what we are saying, to come to Kfar Maimon, to Gush Katif, to Amona or Homesh she'd understand that we are not there just to get brownie points with G-d. We believe the Arabs when they say it is their land and they believe we are invaders. We believe that the Arabs will make true their promise and follow Arafat's path to "liberate" all the land. We simply want Israel to continue existing, with no connection to the mitzvot.

Efrat, It is a simple matter of priorities. Preventing lefties from giving away the land to Arabs is a crucial priority for the Jewish people, and the survival of the state of Israel. Compensating the bloated lazy do-nothing bureaucrats [hard-working government officials in your universe], about whom you shed tears here...not so sure about that one. Catch the drift, Efrat?

Because dear Lady, if our entire focus is on halacha, which in the end will go nowhere because there is not 1 Rav's opinion that counts alone like a Moshe Rabeinu. There is still many various rulings and interpretations. There isnt formally a Sanhedrin yet to decide which way we follow halacha and which way not to. So whilst your busy deliberating, arguing or debating the issue....The land on which your feet stand is being stolen, given away, sold to the enemy. So halacha wont really count much without a land on which to live in. If you dont secure your house and land but argue whether the gutter, pipes, and light fittings work it will no longer matter when the house burns down or taken from you, right? The issue of saving Eretz Yisrael today is paramount the rest are details.

Strange journalism ! You wrote : "But anyone who examines the public agenda of Israel’s religious public is liable to think that the Messiah has arrived and the entire Torah has been annulled, other than the commandment to settle the land, and that even that commandment has been limited to one specific region." If the Messiah had arrived, it would be Jesus and Jesus said : "I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it." Which specific region are you alluding to ? Do you know better than God ? I hate to say it but the real plague is not Eretz Yisrael, but your article. I guess mine (message) won't be published. Well, I do not mind either because of this : tiny (surface area) country blessed by the Lord but so immense as regards all talents reunited there and making Israel unique. God bless HIS Israel !

Never heard of Tzohar, or Teudat Hecsher for Paying workers, never heard of the Garin Torani? Or are these efforts considered "secular"? Thousands of youth from our comunities volunteer with the disabled and elderly. Spend their vactions not skiing but packing and distibuting food packages (and not just in our areas). In short woman writes either in ignorance or in malice.

yes ,,, jesuse will return and he will fullfill the law .. but when and what law ... when no one knows .. time to god is not like to humans .. it may be tomorrow ,it may be after milion years ,, and which law ,, it is the law of god it is the justice .. it is not a human law .... humans law may be changed and may be against the justice ,and may be forced with the power .. but god law is the justice ,,, so as we do not know the time of jessus return how we can forced it in our life .. you know that the man can live 100 years ,, it is so small in the whole time of god .. and the law of the man will never be absolute fair as god law .. so let these 100 years or less to pass on safty of all ,and let to accept the good .to order the best .or to create a choice not to struggle each other for the land ..but sure for the life

"We simply want Israel to continue existing, with no connection to the mitzvot. " Unfortunately, as written right there in the Torah, that's impossible.

Whom do you respond to ??? You may have misunderstood what I wrote or my English is perhaps too bad for you. My message too ! Try to read between lines, it works sometimes or just read good stuff. You would see things from another perspective. I repeat God bless HIS Israel and all people of GOOD will.

i think the thing may be you do not know that iam a palastinian .. and iam living under israil ocupation .. the law here to any palastanian is against god law .and also against the free world law .. there is no justice here at all .no freedom to live on your land .. imean my land palastin .. not israil .. so god will bless the good will .. but trust me as palastinian .israil is not good at all in its treating the palastinians ,, this is my message if you want to understand it ..god will not change its will but if people not change its will