They should all move back to Europe! As if, when the orthodox haradim's community gets big enough, the Latvians won't be forcing them to leave!? Look at Rubashkins: they made Iowa hate the orthodox beyond words with their drunken parties, ignoring of common courtesies and traffic laws and acting as if the Iowans were second class citizens who were lucky to have them! The twin even voted to remove the "Jews" from the town but could not make it stick legally and it was due to the disgraceful behavior of the Jewish community themselves! But Europe!!!??? Only a suicidal maniac would attempt to rebuild a Jewish community there! Especially the orthodox who are disliked just about everywhere they live. I just don't understand such ignorance....or is it chutzpah? As an orthodox Jew myself, I ha e my eyes WIDE open as to how the world percieves us and ALL Jews. These men deserve no respect for trying to force the hand of people who dislike us so much: like Europe always did; they take us for economic reasons and when that goes south they turn to murder, rape and prejudice. Like the nasty saying goes: "the optimists stayed in Germany...the pessimists left.". That should serve as an alarming wake up call. So depressing to see how stubborn (or foolish) we Jews can be in trying to get our "way" on things that are a waste of time. The orthodox communities in Israel have a hard enough time behaving in an ethical fashion in Their homeland: why the hell would they be so ignorant as to try the same among those who murdered us just 60 years ago? Fools.

they like exile because it raises more for their yueshivas

Black clown suits. You call this "Jewish life" ? This brought us to the brink of death 65 years ago. Why try to revive and perpetuate this nonsense. I am ashamed when I see these people. I am ashamed to be called a Jew when they are part of my People.

why try to expand the Jewish community where it doesnot belong. What is allthisnonsense of establishing jewish communties in the gola? you will end up in ghettoes again and you know where you will be driven from there. Wake up.

I believe that there is nothing wrong with trying to reclaim the property and cultural institutions that we lost due to the Shoah and resulting Communist illegal absorption of these territories. If we can reclaim our lost property and help the economy for both the retuning Jews of their lost homeland and try to bring a mutual sense of respect and understanding, I do not see how that would go against G-d's plan through tikkun olam.

A story about a community and all we see are half a dozen photos of the rabbis sitting around a table no communal buildings nothing else ?

When a clever man like you,is ashamed because the colour of his roots,it has nothing to do with logic.The shame you feel must be emotional.May be as a child you heard,that the shoa was because of the black cloth of the Haredis.The truth is that the goym are jaleous(look at the TB of Cameron)of the successful achievements of the assimilated Jews.You have heard of the Dreyfus affair.He was an assimilated Jew. Unfortunately you only know the Haredi by what you read in the newspapers.If you knew them from inside,you would discover,that they are warm and caring people. As you once wrote in one of your TBs,your grandchildren left Israel.You must feel very lonely.YOU can change that.Look for the good in people,and tell them what you saw in them, give them a good feeling,show them how you were pleased that they came.They will come to visit you more often.I n your everyday life,look and write down every good thing you see and think,and write this to your grandchildren at least once a week.With G-Ds help they will come back.Take your near future back in YOUR hands.YOU CAN DO IT. I wish you from all my heart HAZLAHA

If Haredim won't even integrate into Israeli society*, how will they integrate into non-Jewish European society?

Till the arab invasion, the Haredim were respected in Belgium.When the Arabs came,the maire of Antwerp said.In the Haredi neighbourhood,one can walk without fear, this is not the case in the arab neighbourhood.

Thank you for thinking and saying that I am a clever person, whether you are right or wrong it deserves a thank you. Ora, not my grandchildren, three of my four children together with their combined 9 offspring who are of course my grandchildren all fourth and fifth generation born in Israel, have left and they have left for good. I have one child left and three other grandchildren who are seriously contemplating leaving. They all declare openly that the main reason is the Haredim and their behaviour and the growing hold that they have over our society and the every day aspects of our life. The violence and the blackmail that they resort to is unprecedented in any democratic society. It is unbearable for some people. Yes Ora, I am very lonely. I do not hate these people but rather I despise them and hold them in contempt for what they are doing to our Nation. They believe that they have a right to decide what others should do and think. They contribute nothing but take all they can get. You want me to look for sympathy within their midst. I turn my head the other way when one of them looks at me.

so called rabbis: they are not jewish! they have formed a clerical order at the service of their deceased vice-god.

You sound like all the anti-semites that I have encountered in the Galus who hate Jews. Why do you feel so right in you opinion, just because they are Haredim. Maybe you should take a live and let live attitude, instead on saying that they are ruining 'your' Israel. See how you like it living in the Galus and how people don't respect your beliefs and religion, not matter how orthodox or non-orthodox that you are, but "simply" because you are Jewish, and not a member of the Christian dominant faith. Not all non-Jews act that way, but you will find people of that small segment of society that do believe that way, and you better be willing to put up with that instead of what you call the annoying Haredim. I would rather deal with annoyances from my own religious people that have to deal with people who will never give you the right of you religious belief or opinion, unless you agree with "their majority" belief and opinion. I personally think that you do not know what it is to live outside Israel, so you don't realize what you have to do to try and blend in and have a normal uneventful life, without your religious heritage getting in your way. You appear to be what they used to call a person described as a Luftmensch, who has his head in the clouds and sees nothing of the reality around him.

It is not my intention nor is it my general practice to pin medals on my own chest but I feel compelled to answer your contention that I "appear to have my head in the clouds". I am an educated person of 70 years of age who speaks four languages fluently. I have lived in many countries throughout my lifetime, all in the capacity of serving my country, Israel. I have endangered my safety and indeed my life on more than one occassion, both in wars and in other circumstances. Your appraisal of me is incorrect to say the least. To call me anti semitic is simply an ad hominem and in no way responds to my contention that the ultra orthodox are ruining this country. "live and let live". This my friend is precisely what the Haredim do not practice. They force their way of life on others by political blackmail. You read me wrong.

Sagi,there is a time for everything in life.I am sure you have contributed a lot to Israel.Now you should have confidence in the younger generation that they will do the best they can.You deserve to care a bit for your own wellbeing.You would like your family to stay in Israel.Do all you can to achieve that,concentrate all your thoughts on that.Look at what is still good in Israel.It is your home.Here you are not a stranger.You can write your opinion freely.Open your eyes to all the positive things here .Talk about the positive things with your family,and stop looking and talking about anything which is bad.Listen to me,Sagi.I only want your good.I really hope you will become a happy and beloved man .

Thank you, I have no doubt that you are a person with a kind heart and a good nature.

In all do respect, I said that you sounded like the anti-semites that I grew up with in my youth. But I never said or indicated that you are AN ANTI-SEMITE, but rather you sound like many non-observant Jews who appear to have a self loathing of anyone who practices the Orthodox or Haredi form of Judaism. Israel, the last time I looked is still the only democracy in the Middle East, so if you do not like the religious parties, then do not vote for them. Various parties get elected in the United States where people are not always happy with the legislation that will probably be passed, but we learn to live and adjust to those laws without threatening to leave the country. Please do not try and impress me with your multi-lingual talents and achievements, because they do not impress me, nor do they hide your dislike of religious people. I am not perfect, but I respect all people and their right to practice their version of religion. As I said before, you appear not to have that virtue. If you are so fed up with the religious Bloc, who you say is ruining "your Israel" then leave, because the other people whom you seem to disdain probably feel that you are destroying "their Israel". You do not even offer a proposal on how to bridge the growing gap between the 2 groups, which also proves that you are not even interested in trying to find a solution that would be beneficial to everyone, which shows that you are not even trying to use your brains to the slightest extent. As someone once told me. either put up or shut up before you make statements and policies that you cannot back. In addition, I live in America and know many Haredim, and none of them have ever disrespected me or my non-committed lifestyle, as long i showed them the same and proper respect.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU WROTE. SONE OFMY KIDS LEFT. I HOPE THE OTHERS WILL WANTS TO STAY. I WISH THE HAREDIM KNEW BETTER WHY THEY ARE NOT LIKED OR LOVED.

Thank you for your appreciation. Having read your TB to Donald,i am very impressed by your skills.You seem to me an interesting personnality,and i am quiet sure that you have many interesting things to tell about Israel and Israelis during your childhood and later on in life.I guess people were more idealistic than now,they had to,because life was lots more difficult than now .I read GEYONI , if i remember well from Sulamit Lapid,fascinating book about Jews,of the time of your grandparents.They had to take out big stones from the ground,to be able to plant.They did it,although there was no rain.Everything with their naked hands.These were grandiose people. It would be great if you wanted to describe,what you remember from your youth.You could boost the motivation of todays students who lack the idealism ,your generation had. You are a very talented writer,and your experience would, i am quiet sure interest many TBs.I really hope you would find the time to do that.You deserve that the young generation look up to you,and learn from you all your positive achievements.It would be very useful. I thank you in advance,and wish you only good.

After reading many of the talkbacks, it reminds me of something my mother used to tell me. My mother always said if you cannot show any respect for your own religion, then never expect people of other religions to show you or your beliefs any respect either. After reading these diatribes about practicing religious Jews, I am hardly surprised that there is so much intolerance towards Jews and Judaism around the world. This again shows us that the Jews are their own worst enemy, because they don't show their own kind any self-respect or respect to the different sects of orthodox JudaIsm. I dare them to walk around in parts of the Galus with just a Magen David and see how they are treated, regarded, and welcomed. I wish you the best of luck and Mazel to get around without any instances.

what wrong with u people?!?!? haredim are religious and we should thank them to keep alive OUR traditions!!!!! i want to see how many of u celebrate shabbos like them.. how many of u who commented here follow the mitzot that Hashem gave us!!!!

these guys are all chabad. u consider them chareidis? they are at the service of their own religion. not yours!