as recent jewish diaspora history is teaching us...

I find.

is corect but we still are 1 nation

Exactly what level of mitzvot makes a person Jewish? For some, even my rabi is not a Jew. Although he is modern orthodox. For some, even my domicile habad rabi is not a Jew. Although he is Habad. I know that for some american Jews nobody is Jewish, except them. Personaly, for me a Jew is a person born by a Jewish mother or a convert who upholds 3 things: kashrut, nidah and shabbat/yomim tovim. If a person has a Jewish mother and does not proclame himself a Jew, not keeps these 3 things - he is not a Jew and the blood argument is irrelevant. If a person does not have a mother who is a Jew, but proclams himself a Jew, and keeps these 3 things, he is a Jew and the blood argument is irrelevant. (O.k., we do not count him in minyan, but I treat him as a fellow Jew). Usually, these ones are about to convert, so... But I agree with Borger, a mere birth is not making somebody a Jew. We saw it in Torah many times - just because somebody has rights by birth, that does not mean that they should not be stripped away from him and given to MORE CREDIBLE and more DESERVENT (i.e. Jacob and Esav, David, etc...)

and try not to do anything against G-d's wishes. Whereas non-Orthodox Jews - who of course are Jews and will forever remain Jews - pick and choose from the Torah laws whatever they like and reject what they don't, especially those vis-à-vis man and G-d.

All Bnei Israel are Jews (converts excluded), and there is only one Judaism--and "Conservative" and "Reform" ayn't it!

Yes, only people who wear long black coats, have funny sidelocks, shut themselves off from the rest of society while at the same time wanting to control it and practice a 'religion' that originated in Eastern Europe and has little if anything to do with Judaism, are 'true' Jews. Similarly, only the cult of land-above-all worshipping 'modern-orthodox' religious zionists are 'true' Jews. All the rest of us are fake Jews at best, and Goyim in the worst case. I thank God every single day for being a secular Jew. And no, that is not an oxymoron.

A Jew born from a Jewish mother is a Jew. What is surprising? If a jew has his primary goal to be like everyone else and to interpret religion subjectively. What is the insult? A Jew has that right to chooselike everyone in the world. But having the right to choose your priorities and your attitude doesn't make that decision correct. Orthodoxy strives toward perfection. Orthodoxy's attitude is tradition and scripture come first. We are all humans and we all make mistakes. The question is do we make honest mistakes or do we try to cover up our mistakes by changing the rules of the game?

the most important mitzvah defacto by living in Israel, while there are kipot srugot and black kippa wearers living in the galut. I'd appreciate any comments on this paradox!!!

The article is about someone's denial of the accusation about an ALLEGED statement of opinion. It serves only one purpose - to give anti-orthodox yet another platform to rail against Jews that keep more mitzvot than them. It is pathetic that YNet posted the article and even more pathetic that so many anti-orthodox took the bait. No wonder there's a galut.

Your talkback is completely incorrect. Firstly, Pirkei Avot teaches us not to, "run even to perform a minor Mitzvah." This is because we have no idea what makes up a minor Mitzvah and what makes up a major Mitzvah. Therefore your assumption that secular Jews are performing, "the most important Mitzvah," is completely incorrect. This in fact is the biggest problem with secular Jews living in Israel as many believe that by living in Israel they do not need to observe any other Mitzvot. # 7 - Your talkback proves that the most intolerant of all people are the ones who scream that the Orthodox are intolerant. Your sheer hate and self loathing are extremely evident. Judaism did not originate in Europe but at Mt. Sinai. You are not a fake Jew or a goy but rather the problem with Jewish society.

Until we make the definition clear, we can endlessly debate who is a jew. We have a confusion here: is it a religion or ethnicity? It was said that it's both, so we forget the difference. When somebody grew up in an Yiddish speaking home, was in a ghetto and dreamed of coming to Israel, are they jews? But they never go to a Synagogue and don't keep kosher! Well, they are secular jews. Is that a contradiction in terms? no, it isn't, they are ethnically jews, and their spiritual beliefs are not biblically inspired. Ethnic jews were jews enough for the nazis, but they are not jews enough for the religious jews. Is Israel a Jewish state in religious sense, or ethnical sense? Is it a safe haven for those secular jews who sufferred from persecutions and dreamed of having their own country, or they have nothing to do here because by Jewish state we mean religious? Are Franz Kafka, Albert Einstein or Leonard Cohen jews? And if not, who are they?

You are not a Jew. A Jew knows that converts are Jews - read Torah. You are a walking hilul hachem and because of you and your kind we have nations hate us and want us dead.

You are painfully right. True. Unpopular true.

And Clarin probably likes taking words a little out of context to stir something there

Secular Jews are somehow racist, only race differeciates between them from Goyim, neither mentallity nor religion. They eat and spend their time like any other goy, no cashrus no Shabbes. Amazingly there is a massive orthodox presence (of different nominations) in Buenos Aires. And I understand there is much social unity and mixing with reform and conservative too. Problem in Israel is that there is downright +hate+ of seculars towards religious which is inexistent in the Diaspora

living in Israel "is the most important mitzvah"? You may be sure that if the big tzaddikim like the Baal Shem Tov zt"l, Rebbe Elimelech zt"l, the Baal Hatanya zt"l, the Chafetz Chaim zt"l, etc. etc. etc. were to believe that it were so, they would certainly leave everything behind and come to Israel. So where did you pick that up from? As far as we Orthodox Jews know, when Hashem wills it, He will send Moshiach who will bring all the Jews from around the globe to ERETZ YISRAEL - ERETZ HAKODESH - and not to secular Israel.

EATING GEFILTE FISH?

A Jew is defined by, is born through, and is intimitaley and eternally linked to the Torah. When a Jew lives his life contrary to the Torah he is in fact living paradoxically to his very essence. He's still a Jew, of course, but less genuine to his true self.

Point being ...If dont live as a Jew than what are we talking about?

Many of the Jews who are practicing in Argentina who the articles says are Conservative or Reform would not be considered so in Orthodox circles. Here comes a new leader of the federation down there who comes and announces that the vast majority of the Jewish population in Argentina are not jews. How else did he expect that the public there would take to his speech? Was he thinking they were going to agree?? Or perahps there would be a mass "conversion"? While one may start out in life born as a Jew, they don't always end their lives that way. It's really sad to see before ones eyes someone who would throw away what's a very rich tradition and go to something else. I see it all the time. One doesn't have to be born Jewish to be Jewish. It's agreeing with the values and pacticing them that make someone Jewish. I've also seen a few converts who are exemplary examples of how our wonderful traditions can benefit all of humankind. That's the person i want to see in our community, especially in a position of responsibility.

Your logistic conclusions about who has rights to be called Jewish are depriving millions of people of their ethnicity. For the Nazis, Communists, Christians, and many-many others you are Jew regardless your observance but mostly your roots. So the blue blood in the veins of seculars gives them no less right to call themselves Jews. We created so many definitions and movements, visions and sects among us even self hating Jews, Jews for Jesus, Anti-Zionists Haredim, We are so different. We are embracing Jews from China, discovering large communities of hidden Jews in South America and so on. Even some of Pashtun Clans in Afghanistan are connected to us. At the other hand we are the people who embraced the Universal 10 commandments. And if we are following these10 commandments it has to be enough. Other things different communities interpret differently and created through the history different traditions. So the answer to all our problems among us is very simple: 10 commandments. If we’ll continue to follow them we’ll be safe.

What do you mean we are all one, converts excluded? Do you mean that people who convert who never agree to take on the Torah are excluded--there is a legitimate halachic basis for that even though some find it offensive. But if you mean all converts excluded, then you are wrong. Halacha, the Rambam, etc. is very clear about converts being part of B'nai Yisrael-period. If you don't agree with that, then you don't agree with Judaism. And you would be saying that Ruth isn't Jewish, and therefore King David isn't Jewish, and therefore the Mashiach will not be Jewish. Please look at the sources before making such irresponsible comments.

a rabbi who doesn't live in israel is talking about who is a jew and who is not. must live a comfortable life over there. let's see him move to israel and fulfill the mitzvot.

Who decided living in Israel is the most important Miztva - The Jewish Agency? It is important to live in Israel but I am not sure that it is the most important Mitzva. Shabbat Shalom

so now on top of reversing conversions orthodox jewry is going to decide that they and only they are Jewish?! And in Argentina of all places... does this man forget that there were two terrorist attacks there? one in 1992 and another in 1994. I wonder were those terrorists tremendously concerned about the Kashrus of the Jews they were murderering or were those terrorists interested in murderering as many Jews as possible?

What is wrong with Orthodox Jewry today that they continue making outlandish and ridiculous comments...which only succeed in further separating them from the vibrant fabric of the Jewish world today!

the hatefilled attack on an orthodox jewis atribbuted to a Mr Goi- man. no wonder the orthodox are the only jews left in Argentina