I was hated the moment my identity was knowned.They took my torah, my calendar and my bundle of notes .Later They returned my torah .The world hate jews believe me, I myself went through a bad experience. I am lucky for the singaporeans saved me.The jews forgot me... just like they left behind their very own people. One connection I have is with Hashem, a very special relationship no one can take away. Thats ALL- that in itself is the People hood- being a jew.From such point I see all humanity as human being first but with one exception- the TERRORIST !

At least you are here talking with your fellow Jews!! Is there a Jewish community in Singapore?

As a participant in KolDor's 3rd International Conference this weekend, what I found most inspiring was that though the participants held very different (even conflicting) beliefs about each of the five individual elements that comprise Jewish Peoplehood according to Moti, the conference focused on and serves as an example of how to connect the Jewish people through common interests and actions. I feel priviliged to have experienced peoplehood in action at KolDor and commend Moti on his role in its achievement.

lets be honest; 1) the author doesn't care about halacha. halacha, real halacha that is, is not the intellectual plaything of "religious leaders" but what the torah decrees. otherwise it, by defintion isnt halacha. 2) jewish culture is a modern concept with no connection to judaism. Jews have lived hundreds of lands and taken from and developed a variety of cultures. more to the point, what today is played off as modern jewsih culture is usually the exact opposite of representing judaism, but really is a smattering of stereotypes. 3) israel is not, was not, and never will be a fundamental point of Jewishness. the state is not a jewish state, but rather a state witha a majority of jews. 30% of the population aren't jewish and the laws and culture of the state certainly arent jewish either. 4) tikkun olam, as described by the author, is a joke, definitely devoid of jewishness. its a good example of a liberal postmodernist thinker using jewish termninology to clothe liberal political views.

Our bag of life is wrapped up with Jehovah God and there is no one else. If the wicked should say' come join us and let there be one bag among us refuse to go with them'. I agree it is integrity to God. Our identity is, as his children searching to reflect his image.

Your question prompted me to look it up. I found a website with lots of info. Maybe Ben is on one of those pictures. http://www.singaporejews.com/

Doesn't seem to me to be honest, rabbij. 1) For this to be true, Torah would have to be defined as including the Talmud and even the Shulchan Aruch which is only centuries old. The opinion that the Talmud was Torat Moshe Misinai is nuanced. It does not mean, for example, that the laws of tfillin appear in the Torah. They don't. The Torah is largely conceptual in its approach, leaving the details to "religious leaders", and in fact, while I wouldn't cheapen their attitude as an "intellectual plaything", they do "manipulate" the law. See heter mechira, or the selling of chametz or prozbul or disallowing bigamy or numerous other things. Nothing seems to me to be as black and white as you present it. 2) If "Jewish culture" is a modern concept because you define anything that is not "halacha" as modern, and that's rediculous. For example, when there is a doubt there is an axiom that you "got out to see what the Jews are doing as they are a Righteous People". What they are doing, rabbij, is "Jewish Culture". Yes, it's been influenced by foreign ideas since the Emancipation but that's only because the aspect of Jewish Culture that is halachic is so stressed out about addressing changes head on, that Jews look for answers outside the ambit of the wagons the chareidi world circles around itself. But if they did address the differences of the world since the Industrial Revolutino and Emancipation, their responses would be as Jewish as they were at the time of the Tanaim. But they don't. Rabbis are failing in their leadership role by not addressing these changes. 3) Will never be? If you're right, it'll be largely the fault of views like yours. The prophecies of Amos and Hoshea, which were directed at people who thought their ritual observance was the ikkar and not what was in their heart, are words you could learn from. Don't pretend to know what's in the heart of people who don't think as you do. Perhaps they are more holy than you know. That 30% are not Jewish is irrelevant. If you could ask Ezra about the situation he faced in 500 BCE, you'd find the situation was not different, and somehow he managed. 4) Look up Yashaya 42:6, the "Light Unto the Nations" passage. Yes, they may have been influenced as I said by foreign ideas (Rousseu chiefly), but they're not less influenced by Jewish ones. That there is confusion about the values of Judaism (halacha is not about values, per se) can be blamed on the insularity of our leadership. Lastly, using words like "Liberal political views" or "postmodernistic thinking" or fobbing what others find meaningful off as "a joke" shows you have middot yourself to work on. You're not going to convince anybody of your views by being abusive. Consider that tochecha.

After reading your comments, I re-read the article. I did not see a single thing in the article that in any way goes against Judaism. I think your negativity is wrong. Have you ever considered a different profession? I'll bet if you had been in Egypt during the Exodus, you would not have been redeemed.

The article is important for its content but moreso for raising the question. This question (and its ultimate answers) is more important to the survival of Israel than the military threats against it.

We need your type of thinking in Israel. This type of thinking is what ultimately will save Israel. I hope you live there.

Great things (like peoplehood) are not what is demanded from our generation. The previous generations did all that for us.We need to continue peoplehood. We need only do the small things in our capacity --but in a more difficult time. For us, self-sacrifice could mean nothing more than a simple change of habit. Peoplehood need oneness in Hashem alone.I call this changes in life -From where ever you children of Yisrael stay, you are one in Hashem for we have only one G-d.Even if you forget to daven, some one will daven and in the coperal sense for all will be lifted to Malik. In this world some like making the GOD's .But our G-d was not made -but our G-d made us only to give the Torah- to uphold and carry on the legacy of our earlier generations -now that is poeplehood. I am staying ouside of Israel but married through the covenant too and I stay silent in the special peoplehood but very much alive in the Torah. I am not religious but merely a silent jew. This are my statement of Peoplehood. It is all a love hate relationship which always ends with love at least.Some one once asked me if there is love in Judaism? I said Yes, And than he asked me to point to a verse in the Torah. I showed him my heart. I told him listen to my heart beat. He smiled and shake hands with me in the end.So you see as long as we have human heart we will have love and compassion for one and another as human being ,unless he/ she choose to do hatred. You see the heart is the seed of emotion -love and compassion too,.Love and compassion generates from the heart but we jews are given the special mind for these purpose, so we have thaught the world the TOrah. Now the torah has been watered down on many versions but we still keep the real torah the way it was handed down.That is part of the peopelhood. Another element is the head with the brains to think with simple logics and resonings, as the center of peoplehood.As people we are called to think like human beings for the betterment of humanity BUT DO THEY LET US do that ????. Everytime we do something good, it is all castigated to be tained by evil. Such is the case with the Gentiles and the Jews. Now these has also become part of the peoplehood.But than the peoplehood among the jews -the Children Of Yisrael is separate and distinct but also a subject of disdain for others- within the family too.So the only answer is rule you life by the ten laws as the moral and ethical guide. Appply love and compassion. be Human FIRST !Live the rest to Hashem.Move on Go Forth.Even i f the world hates you, you will know the true essence of your Jewish Soul and Peopelhood- holi unto Hashem a special priesthood a special service, a special mission, a separate and a very special distinct life in the Torah for the world now and ever.Such is the The Teachings of our earlier generation the fathers of Judaism.So carry on with the life and the people hood a s long as you live. many nations came many went, many powers came and what is left today ? They could not even conqure masada. They will never conqure us for we have been conqured by the Lrd G-d of Yisrael - Beyond any conquistador intention in any era.These are the cordon bleu and the cordon sanitaire Ultimatum of the Jewish Peoplehood !That is why you shockle and your bones vibrate not merely a scalene muscle action but it is the PEOPLEHOOD ;- )~

There is more to being Jewish than speaking Hebrew. I would like to speak it, however I speak 2 other different languages to Hebrew as I grew up in Africa. I find it snobbish the way Israelis constantly harass me about speaking Hebrew when the only reason they know it is becuase they were born in Israel. Its that simple. I dont expect someone who is a Black Afican American to know Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Tswana? What unites us is not just our language, its so much more than that. There are many Jews who speak Hebrew and are nasty people, it doesnt make you a 'real Jew' to speak Hebrew and Im sick of Israelis thinking they are 'MORE Jewish' than me because they can speak it. If one has no opportuynity to learn the language then who is to blame? Me? Because of the location I was born in?Because I couldnt afford to go to a Private Jewish School, Because its not offered at any University in the country I currently reside in? Because to have Hebrew lessons is beyond my pocket as I am not wealthy enough to afford the rediculous fees? Because I was born under an African sun? Drop the arrogance, unless you are wiling to offer free Hebrew lessons.

iam so proud of my religion iam so proud of my language .. and i can tell that in any toungue so simple and so easy .. without comparing to others or looking fore benifits ///

Halakhah -- Orthodox rabbis are FAILING TO MEET, daily, the challenges that modernity imposes on the traditional laws. That's why we're hemorrhaging young Jews to assimilation -- and "Jew"ISH pastors, including Christians, who call themselves rabbis. Culture -- Edom-esque and Bilam-esque eclectic assimilationists can't distinguish Polish, British, American, Romanian, Russian and other cultures -- from music to food to dress -- from Torah. Non-Orthodox "Jews" may be exemplary "International Cultured Semites" -- racially (!) -- even decent people; but so are many Christians, Hindus, and others. Without Torah, however, they aren't Jews. There is only one innate and indigenous Jewish culture: the Teimanim Jews. Culture that is not Torah-based or reconciled with Teimani Jewish culture may be international, it isn't necessarily bad; but it is NOT Jewish. I love American music from the '60s, pizza and football, but I recognize that these are part of American culture; not Jewish culture just because many American Jews here also like these things. Israel -- A Jewish state IS a conceptual homeland for Jews. To repeat, however, without Torah they aren't Jews. Mr. Cristal and his colleagues are mistaken: Israel has NEVER been merely about making aliyah and sending money. Far more than the ways he listed, it's even more so about aliyah and Khagim, the singular of which is Khag -- pilgrimage -- the term from which Muslims developed their "haj." If a Jew (see earlier in this paragraph) can't come to live then he or she should at least make the Khag as often as possible. As for "institutionaliz[ing] the role of Jewish communities worldwide in Israel's decision-making processes," may it never be! You want a voice here? Then, if you're a Jew (see earlier), get yourself and your family over here to live! Hebrew -- He's right! Not English, not Russian and not Arabic! (And certainly not bastardized German-assimilated Hebrew = Yiddish.) For international communications, only English is needed as a second language. Though my Hebrew is poor, that doesn't alter the fact that Hebrew is the primary language for all Jews. Tikun Olam -- As an "ancient Jewish value," תכון העולם (tikun ha-olam; ) is found in the Teimani Sidur. In more modern times, it has been misspelled as תקון העולם (tiqun ha-olam; repairing or "reforming" of the world). "The modern meaning of this verbal noun of the pieil is planning and designing. The Biblical meaning of the pieil was "he apportioned." (See Iyov 28.25; Tәhilim 75.4 & Yәshayahu 40.12 & 13.) Thus, the phrase employing the verbal noun meant, "apportioning the world." The implication is that we prepare the world for the messianic era by marshalling not only our abilities but by apportioning "the world" — our property and material resources — to Him, i.e., to His service. י--ה apportioned the world to mankind. Now each person is expected, in this way, portion by portion, to reciprocate; apportioning the world back to Him (i.e., His service), returning the world to its Creator." (www.netzarim.co.il glossary entry). PS: the most popular Israeli Jewish newspaper not publishing candlelighting times on Erev Shabbat and Erev Khag in its on-line counterpart is a disservice to Jewish readers and a disgrace to Israel. Even ha-Aretz publishes candlelighting times. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

1. Your opening remark is non sequitur. You simply asserted it with no other basis than your uninformed opinion. In fact, Talmud is the codification of the Perushi (Pharisee) tradition of Oral Law. Qumran scroll 4Q MMT has made the following observations about Oral Law indisputable: "Observance of the Torah's laws and the milieu of the halakha were the central factor in Jewish life during this period. The assertion that 'there was no factor, force or event which made so significant an impression on the history of the Jewish people, molded its life and forged its character, as the halakha', is particularly appropriate about the Second Temple period, not only with respect to the Pharisees, but also about their opponents, who scrupulously observed the law according to the Sadducean tradition. Not only observance of the Torah's commandments, but also preoccupation with the proper interpretation of the law in its most minute details, stood in the center of their spiritual world. The halakhic minutiae, concepts, and terms of the talmudic sages that we find in the Mishna of the later Tannaim and which occasionally appear to be the result of late, abstract rabbinic speculation, actually have their roots in this period; they now come alive in front of our eyes as a concrete historical reality, in contemporary documents stemming from Hasmonean times. The people toiled over the halakha and meditated upon it; they clashed over it and divided because of it." -- Appendix by Prof. Yaakov Sussmann to Prof. Elisha Qimron, Discoveries in the Judaean Desert (X, Qumran Cave 4 (V, "Miqsat Ma'ase Ha-Torah," Oxford: Clarendon, 1994) Logic dictates that the known remain the beginning assumption until PROVEN otherwise. The Bible documents the establishment of the Torah she-baal Peh (Oral Torah) in Yitro. MMT documents that it was central in Khashmonaim times and Talmud codifies Perushi Oral Law, which, although, as you noted, rabbis have introduced some logical errors (some of which contradict Torah she-Bikhtav), developed into today's Orthodox halakhah. 2. Jewish, more properly Torah and Israel, culture can be dated from the time that Yaaqov changed his name to Yisraeil ca. BCE 1921 -- roughly 3928 years ago. That is the backbone of Jewish culture and anything incompatible with that may be Polish, Romanian, Lithuanian, Russian or many other cultures but NOT Jewish. 90% of Jews assimilate, but that doesn't make assimilation the centerpiece of Jewish culture! 4. I already documented the modern perversion of tikun ha-olam in #14. PS: the most popular Israeli Jewish newspaper not publishing candlelighting times on Erev Shabbat and Erev Khag in its on-line counterpart is a disservice to Jewish readers and a disgrace to Israel. Even ha-Aretz publishes candlelighting times. Paqid Yirmeyahu Israeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

how about christian pplhood, or buddist pplhood, just another buzzword for bored jewish proffesionals to toy with

That one must do the halachot and can believe what one wants at the same time, including that Jesus is the Messiah, is the essence of how you got your conversion according to your website. Pardon me, but I don't consider believing Jesus is the Messiah to be "Jewish", Paqid. The same approach I suspect is behind Lubavitchers havent' been sent their Orthodox pink slips, that the essence of Orthdoxy is the praxy of the Shulchan Aruch, and that's why you were given a conversion. IMHO it shows how rediculous the extents are that we go to to support the concept of Rabbinic Judaism as the modern manifestation of G-d's will, rather than enforcing standards of belief (which was the Rambam's approach). My comment was not a non-sequitor because as you read, I appeal to Amos and Hoshea as the gold-standard of what Judaism is, not the Tanaaim. The former preceded the second temple period by hundreds of years. That the Babylonian tannaim and the late 2nd Temple Period Qumran documents support the rabbinic approach you espouse doesn't impress me. So what? Followers of the Tanaaim support the Tanaaim? There's news for ya. What you consider documentation of the invention of the Oral Law in Yitro, even if true (it's not), does not prove that the Oral Law we have now is what we had then. Logic may dictate a lot of things, but not what you say it does. 2. This argument you make is circular and makes no sense. Yisraeli culture is Yisraeli because Yisrael was Yisraeli and therefore what Yisrael did was Yisraeli. Please. 4. Your insistance that anything that doesn't march in lockstep with the views of the Tanaaim is a "pervision" has no support in our Tradition, Paqid. Especially beginning with the Rishonim there are HUGE inroads of other cultures into our religion's philosophies and hashakfa. I'm aware of where we were unique - the idea of absolute Unity in G-d, the idea of Tzelim Elokim, the idea of division of political power, and other ideas that are today common. That we resonate with other cultures who, in essence, also resonate with ours does not mean that we "pervert" our culture.

Have you jews ever thought that it may be that whole "repairing the world" thing that may be getting you into trouble century after century? Perhaps we goyim don't want to be "repaired" in the semitic tradition?

Oh dear, another racist. A Goy has no place making any talkback commentary on Jewish issues. Why dont you go find another news link that accomodates your racist attitudes? Youre out numbered here buddy, the joke is on you ,white boy

Tracey, Dietrich's point should have been addressed, not disparaged. From you, Dietrich, you should make clear what you see as wrong about Jewish attempts at making the world better, and right about your own. Or is it that we don't even share the idea that the world can be better than it is? The way I figure it, lets put our ideas on the table and compete. And if your side gets 10 times the number of Nobel Prizes for your ideas than your population would suggest you should, I'll grant you that your views are as competitive as those of Jews have been. I'd venture a guess that most of what you consider "Semitic" is actually a blend of secular-humanism rather than anything especially "Jewish". For example, while Jewish outlooks on abortion are more liberal than Christian views, they are not "pro-abortion". Same with separation of "church and state". The degree to which Jews go to ensure that religion is not only kept out of government, but also not enabled by government, has no "Jewish" source for it. IMHO, Jews in the US are safer in the Christian country that the US was just after WWII than they are now. I'm guessing, but I'm supposing that you associate the two because so many Jews are secular humanists. The Jewish aspect of humanism is the idea that all humans are made "in the Image of G-d"; both you and me as human beings are considered valuable BECAUSE OF OUR POTENTIAL TO DO GOOD. That's why we desire the make the world a better place, to give expression to our good potential. The secular aspect of it is that it is the individual human and his needs, rather than the community of which he's part and has obligations to, that determines what values are. The latter view is actually the "Jewish" one - that rights flow from obligations. But a secular humanist perspective, INVENTED BY A GENTILE NAMED JEAN-JAQUES ROUSSEU, and not a Jew, is suspicious of community. He was the first anarchist, I think. I can't name a single anarchist who made the world a better place. Not one. So, give us credit, Dietrich, we actually do a pretty good job of makign the world better. If you don't like what we do, come up with another plan, but don't just fob us off as foisting our values on you. We have as much a right as you do to make the world better.

I speak Hebrew, I love Israel and Jewish culture. many times I find myself defending Israel and other Jewish topics in school. I very much identify with Jewish people. however I'm not ethnically, religiously, or according to halacha, Jewish.

Shai, that was a very nice polite comment, and your right. But so am I. To have another referring to us as 'you jews'', with a lower case 'j' and all the negative connotations the words'you jews' has, is like having a white boy write on a black commentary 'You 'niggers' or 'you blacks'. Its racist. I can not be even tempered and allow racist comments to just slip by. The issue is not us 'repairing' people, as this prick mentioned,. Read his msg. He writes that we basically deserve the crap we get , that we may be 'getting (ourselves) into trouble century after century''. Shai, the msg from him. in its entirety, was expressed in a racist way, and not only addresses his issue of being 'repaired' but also the way he sees 'you jews' and our supposed getting ourselves into trouble. Like we deserve all we get, because we somehow created all the trouble. My Grandmother is the only survivor in her entire family from Aushvetz.. Just her. I refuse to sit by as racism is throw in my face, I will not be placid, I will not be pleasant and ''address' the comment. The whole world sat by and said nothing as Genocide took place, and it all started with Racism. And you want me to ''address'' the point. ?? The point is not what you see. The point and real issue is this persons racist attitude. I am sorry that as a fellow Jew you do not appear to feel the same way

The problem Tracey is that your response to Dietrich served the purpose of his racism if he posseses it. I don't claim to read his mind and you shouldn't either. What you should have done, recognizing that his comment is read not just by you and me, but also by other people who might be persuaded by him, is address his point and win on the rebuttal. When you resort to calling names you miss the opportunity of showing that you are as right as you say you are.