and Brackman does not care about this horrible reality? The war against Israel is a war against ALL of civilization. 70% of Palestinian Muslims support the suicide bombings of innocent Israeli men women and children - the Muslims have no mercy or compassion for non-Muslim Infidels. On the frontlines of global jihad - Israel fights for the freedom of the entire Free World. It is profoundly evil that the U.S. UK, EU and the nations support global jihad against Jews - giving billions of dollars to the Palestinian Authority terrorist organization whose security services have murdered more Jews than Hamas. U.S. terrorist favorites, Palestinian Authority are armed and trained by the U.S. There is no war on terror. THE WAR IS AGAINST JEWISH INNOCENTS. The US/EU/UK are wickedly seeking a Second Holocaust of Jews via a global Islamic Terror State in Israel. The nations make war on G-D.

Rabbi Brackman, how dare you put it on the personal! "But then I ask myself whether I still really care about Israel. Actually, I have been asking myself this is a question a lot lately. Well, intellectually, of course, I care about Israel—my wife and children have Israeli citizenship and my wife’s entire family lives there. In addition, I love the land and I visit whenever I can. In fact, we have a family trip planned for next month." You should cherish a huge sentiment of love and adoration for the Land our G.d, blessed be He, gave us. Read your Torah and be ashemed of yourself! With what sincerity do you utter the words year after year "Next year in Jerusalem"? We don't live is Israel because of government or the prime minister. We are here because of HaShem! Shouldn't you know that?

I moved to Israel 30 years ago and live all this time on a settlement. Despite the many problems and the horrible governments we have here, I love this country with all my heart. Therefore, I was terribly upset by what you wrote-I can't put into words how terrible you made me feel. A religious Jew and a rabbi yet writes what you wrote. You have a lot of infuence with both Jews and non-Jews through your work, your writings,your Internet site, etc, and I feel that what you posted today is a real Chilul HaShem. You have a very big audience, and you have done a lot of damage here. I partially agree with you about politics and it's hard to know about whom to vote for as President in the US, but to say you don't care about Israel: what kind of example are you to other Jews?? I truly feel sick about what you have done here. And, do you really love Colorado more than Eretz Yisrael?? HaShem gave us Eretz Yisrael to be our land, and not England or Colorado.

yes i agree with most of you that rabbi brackmans emotional claims to israel are possibly not inline with the way a jew should be feeling but lets focus on the intelectual side of his argument for a minute as a jew in the diaspora ( us ) does it help to elect a pro israel president or will israel just continue on its path towards self destruction ( G-D forbid ) regardless of who is president?

I agree with Leah #33. I too (and my family and friends)love this country despite the problems and the bad governments.I also think that because you are a rabbi and so well known that you have done tremendous damage with this article. It is really Lashon Ha Ra. Please clarify what you wrote and do a tikun. If not, I think that I never want to read anything you write in the future. HaShem gave us this Land and we must love her and try to make things better here, and not criticize and speak lashon hara from the Galut. This is a big avira.

I live in Israel and love the country. I wouldn't live anywhere else despite all the problems. Therefore, your article really upset me too; after all you are a rabbi and should not have written this. I agree that you have done a lot of damage. I do not respect you any more.

helped Judah Maccabee or Ezra or even Moses and Aaron, when so many Jews had lost their path and were behaving in a self-destructive fashion. Instead of using his title of Rabbi to be part of the solution, Brackman chooses the lazy way out of excusing himself from the problem and encouraging other Jews to abandon Israel as well. Pirkei Avot teaches us that in a situation where no one seems to be taking responsiblity, WE must step into the role ("Be THOU the man!") Ynet, please find writers and artcles worthy of you, not this kind of garbage.

http://www.congki-annapolis.org/March28sermon.htm The majority of Israelis don't have enough passion for their country! How do you expect other Jews to have this passion??

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Yeah man, great idea! Let's punish those ungrateful Israelis! What are they thinking, not taking care of the country properly, as we would have done have we lived there! Let's also find other ways to punish them further, if they don't care about our ideals, let them have it! (Maybe a new Flood?)

It seems that there are many Rabbis of his caliber in the US. A real credit to am yisrael. i bet he knows about masachet Taanit, the first chapter which talks about joining in the suffering of the Jewish people and not separating oneself. i am sure hashem appreciates you. How about your mother, does she think you are a traitor?

and secondly, the progeny of those Ashkenazi lions are drugged out coffee sipping losers in the cafes of Tel Aviv. The secular, and the movers and shakers of the Galut, dont really have a purpose and connection here. The land has vomitted them out, just they dont know it yet.

True Christians support Israel. I do not support giving away your land for peace. The terrorist have said often what their intention is, and no amount of land will appease them.

His name is Alan Keyes (www.alankeyes.com). All the other candidates want Israel to negotiate away its land.

Don't even bother to make the trip to Israel, you won't be welcome. It is funny how secular Jews (like me) feel more about Israel and its People than a deadbeat rabbi. Stay in your ivory tower you phony, Israel for sure does not need your presence there.

By terrorists you mens the people whose land and property you stole?

I take offence when you write "G-dless secular Jews did? " Yes I consider myself secular because I don't pray 20-50 times a day like the Orthodox do, but I certainly believe in G-d and keep a kosher home, so don't ever say secular Jew are "G-dless secular Jews" because at least our children are not afraid to fight for their country, Israel.

All recent American Presidents have been pro-Israel because Americans and Israelis see themselves as natural allies. All the candidates today are pro-Israel, each seeing a different way and to a different degree a way to help Israel (except for Ron Paul, who is not pro-Israel but may be the best thing for Israel). The problem is that we keep voting for the pro-Israel candidate and you idiots in Israel keep voting for guys like Olmert. (We'll give you credit for Sharon who inexplicably blew up in your face). Why should we in the US waste our vote to do our part when you don't care yourselves to vote a pro-Israel prime minister? Just imagine the phone conversation between President Guiliani and Prime Minister Barak... Guiliani: I think you guys have the right and obligation to destroy your enemy and defeat terror once and for all Barak: Thank you but I'd rather concede defeat and more land.

"Ultimately, I want to care as passionately about Israel as I once did, but I need Israelis to lead the way and show me how." This sentiment is warranted and is widespread in the USA, and it's growing. Americans, even American Jews, don't throw their support behind losers for long. After 60 years, if Israelis don't care about losing their country, why should we?

i take umbridge with your statement that israelis elected olmart. he wasn't elected by the people. he was appointed by his party to replace sharon. {olmart is a combination of olmert and walmart because he's a lackey of american interests]

"The popular notion that Jews around the world should support Israel because it is our insurance policy against another holocaust has become redundant." This is the way that German Jews thought.

Dear Rabbi Brackman, I know where you are coming from, and I actually share some of your criticisms of government policy. But I think it is ugly and stupid to say while sitting outside of Israel that we are 'destroying ourselves'. Israel is in an impossible situation in which it desperately wants peace and has no way to realistically achieve it. The last effort Sharon's disengagement did not work either. But it was not a step towards intended self- destruction but rather an understandable mistake. Would it be wonderful if our soldiers were still in Gaza as they had been for so many terrible years? There are some subjects which cannot be solved by a sermon, however self- righteously it is given.

Instead of criticizing from the other side of the world, come here and help us. We have plenty of problems,it's true, but if more Jews would make aliyah, we could work together to improve things. I can't believe that a caring Jew would write what you did. Rabbi means teacher, but after reading this article, I consider you neither a Rabbi nor a teacher. You prefer the "Torah Center" of Colorado over Eretz Yisrael. "It is better to live in Eretz Yisrael amongst goyim, than in the Galut amongst Jews".Another thing: there are plenty of good things and good people here in Israel.

Rather than taking criticism of "seculars" personally, and given your own description of yourself, perhaps the correct definition of "secular" simply doesn't fit you -- and MANY others very much like you -- and you should redefine yourself more accurately? Dictionary.com gives the etymology of "secular" as "[Origin: 1250–1300; < ML séculāris, LL saeculāris worldly, temporal (opposed to eternal)." The same site also gives the first 4 definitions as: 1. of or pertaining to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred; temporal: secular interests. 2. not pertaining to or connected with religion (opposed to sacred): secular music. 3. (of education, a school, etc.) concerned with nonreligious subjects. 4. (of members of the clergy) not belonging to a religious order; not bound by monastic vows (opposed to regular). Thus, the atheists, agnostics and rejecters of Torah (non-Orthodox, homosexuals, etc.) are the g*odless seculars. Those who "believe in G-d and keep a kosher home" don't fit that definition. Here in Israel, such individuals describe themselves as "the synagogue I don't attend is Orthodox." This acknowledges that one is more accurately a backslidden Orthodox, not secular. Thus, Joseph P's description of seculars as g*odless is certainly correct. The Bible -- which defines Israel and Jews -- classifies seculars as mesuhadim (apostates). The definition of secular just doesn't fit you because, surprise, you aren't secular. In fact, the phrase "secular [le-havdil] Jew" is an oxymoron. Perhaps there is an accurate description for one who accepts the authority of Torah but has more questions than other Orthodox about how much is required, how things must be done, how to square Halakhic authority with superstitious rabbis and the like, but doesn't reject Torah -- "minimal Orthodox"? Such a more inclusive definition would help to unify Am Yisraeil -- for example, Ginette and Joseph P and many others like them. 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 IIsraeli Orthodox Jew Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

Israel is pushing itself to destruction. It is building more and more settlements on land it will eventually have to relinquish for any peace settlement with the Palestinians. How can we claim any moral higher ground and say we are the peace-loving ones if we keep provoking them with more idiot settlements in East Jerusalem? I am a Zionist and I love Israel. But the best thing the next US President could do for Israel is say "we will not give you another shekel if you don't stop constructing more illegal settlements!" Only America can save Israel from itself.

"Ultimately, I want to care as passionately about Israel as I once did, but I need Israelis to lead the way and show me how." Some Rabbi !! If you need Israelis to show you how to care for a dream...stay in the foothills !

I hate to tell you but the Jews who lived in Israel under the Ottoman Empire were not only few in number, the ashkenazi lived as poor as dirt and almost entirely on charity from home, and lived politically and socially as dhimmi, degraded and humiliated and at the mercy of the Muslims and what little help they received was from their home countries intercession. Nothing to be proud about to be the lowest of the low.