News
Rabbis' wives: Don't date Arabs
Yair Altman
Published: 28.12.10, 21:39
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
132 Talkbacks for this article
1. Could the same be said of other groups
Vernonmarriott ,   Tel Aviv   (12.28.10)
For example "Ashkenazim, don't date Sephardim" (or vice-versa - pardon the pun); or what about all those very nice foreign, German, non-Jewish women; or even what about religious Jews dating secular Jews. The prohibition on inter-marriage is one of the strongest social taboos in the Jewish community - so why single out Arabs?
2. First they came for Bar Rafaeli
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (12.28.10)
This same group published an "open letter" telling Bar Rafaeli to dump that ugly shaygetz, Leonardo Di Caprio.
3. Rabbis and their wives...they deserve each other...
Mikesailor ,   Miami, FL   (12.28.10)
Silliness seems to be the order of the day. Don't marry a rabbi either or you will merely be a reflection of his 'accomplishments' rather than attempting to create your own. Do rabbis' wives work? Or create anything of substance rather than offspring or 'servicing' their rabbi? Is merely being a wife their meager claim to fame?
4. Nazis as well.. did not think they were racist
Rami of Nazareth ,   Israel   (12.28.10)
Very sad to see how racist and anti-semitic israeli jews has become. Even more sad seeing the government doing nothing about it except lip service...
5. What if Arab girls dated Jewish men? They would be killed!
Scott ,   USA   (12.28.10)
By Arab brothers who were dating Jewish girls.
6. # 1
Birdi ,   Israel   (12.28.10)
"why single out Arabs?" because they are NOT Jews. Ashkenazim & Sephardim are Jews. DUH!!
7. I had no idea...
Persian CAT   (12.28.10)
that Rabbis' wives could read and write! Apparently the "obey their husbands" in the most cherished Jewish "tradition"!
8. Rabbi's are 100% Correct
Mark ,   South Africa   (12.28.10)
I am a secular Jew, but would never ever let my daughters marry a Muslim. The cultures are just to distant from each other. Anyway see what happens if a Jewish man dates a Muslim girl. The family would never allow it, as per Muslim teachings its blasphemy, and often so called "honour killings" are practiced.
9. # 4
Birdi ,   Israel   (12.28.10)
Rami be honest, you would not marry a Jewish woman, would you ? You would not like nor agree to your sister marrying a Jew, would you? It is not racist nor anti-semetic, just common sense.
10. #4 Rami, and how would a Christian Arab family treat
Roman ,   Lod, Israel   (12.28.10)
a daughter who marries a Jew? Or a Muslim Arab family? Shock, scorn, and disowning, by and large. Whereas when the sexes are reversed, the families are quite accepting - because in both cases, the expectation in our Middle-Eastern culture is that the daughter will quickly assimilate into the husband's family and follow his decrees. In the case of Muslim families, it's an accepted part of the faith as well. That's the behavior of large cultures, societies, and belief systems that swallow up smaller ones for breakfast. We prefer to continue existing, thank you kindly, and we know that we're small and insignificant by and large - so we don't want our children to enter the societies of others. Go figure. Not renting apartments based on ethnic or racial affiliation is racism. Calling for one's religious and cultural group not to marry outside of it to prevent its assimilation and disappearance is not. Note the difference.
11. Don't date Arabs?
Smart One ,   UsA   (12.28.10)
Inbreeding is ok I guess, what a bunch of hot air.
12. The issue here is religious. Jewish women (as well as men)
Bat Zion ,   Central Israel   (12.28.10)
should marry only Jews, not Muslims or Christians, be they Arab or other. Hindi, Shinto, Zoroastrians and Bahai too are out of line for SHIDUCH, of course.
13. @#7: Don't judge others by your own lowly standards.
Bat Zion ,   Central Israel   (12.28.10)
Jewish women are just as educated and opinionated as the men.
14. Israeli women looking for satisfaction. Its only a date
Ora ,   Israel   (12.28.10)
15. It all comes down to numbers - and survival
Raymond in DC ,   Washington, USA   (12.28.10)
Arabs outnumber Israeli Jews some 50 to 1, while Muslims outnumber Jews 100 to 1. Jewish numbers have remained almost unchanged (an estimated 12-14 million) since 1945, while those who call themselves Palestinians are almost 10 times higher. Those principles that might apply with comparable numbers and a free flow between various camps don't hold with a small group struggling to survive in the midst of those who who would have them disappear.
16. The headline should be :
olim hadashim ,   tel aviv/israel   (12.28.10)
Do not date non-jews ! Why only single out the Arabs ?
17. Shemot/Exodus
David   (12.28.10)
Did we not just read in last week's parsha that Moses married Zipporah, the daughter of a Midianite (i.e. idol worshipping gentile) priest?
18. I'm with the rabbis on this one with one exception
Nick Sporek ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (12.29.10)
...and that is if the Muslims are willing to leave their religion and culture behind. Burkas, suicide for political gain and a the promise of virgins, "honour" killings, animal abuse, chopping of peoples hands for stealing, anti-freedom of speech, public lynchings, being punished for being accused of being raped, being shot for playing music at your own wedding... aren't cool and that's what you'll be marrying into in Arab/Muslim culture in this part of the world. I'm sure there are exceptions but you might have better luck playing the lottery. I'd totally be willing to marry an eligible Arab/ Muslim woman if she was willing to leave Islam. So you can't call me a racist :^P Moral relativism will be the death of freedom, some cultures are simply more moral and better than others.
19. Next time: sit in the back of the bus
Sara ,   Rabbis get lost   (12.29.10)
20. to #17
JP ,   NJ   (12.29.10)
1) Moses married prior to the commandments issued. 2) Yitro abandoned idol worship prior to having a daughter 3) Tziporah did not worship idols 4) Refer to #1 again 5) If a Jewish woman marries a Moslem, their children must practice Islam, and no future Jews will exist from that unholy relationship. Certainly not a marriage under the laws passed down by Moses.
21. love for Israelis have become WMD
toto ,   Kikestan   (12.29.10)
they totally need help. get a life
22. Roman #10: You make good points
Steve   (12.29.10)
I was just about to ask #4 if it was permissible for Muslim or Muslim-Arab women to marry Jewish or Christian men. You beat me to it. I've got a question for you. I've taken the possition that Jews might or should be permitted to "rent," (not sell) Jewish property to non-Jewish "friends" of Israel that pledge to not proselytize. Jewish property in Israel should stay in Jewish hands in my view. I understand your ethnic / racial point, but would it be racist to forbid renting apartments to peoples whose religious tradition or culture enjoins them to kill or to subjugate the Jews?
23. Perhaps it should be phrased ot date MUSLIMS
Sean Greene ,   Pasadena, USA   (12.29.10)
If an Arab converts to Judaism is it not okay? Didn't Moses' father in law Jethro convert to Judaism? Is Jethro not Jewish enough?
24. Yes, this is pure anti-Arab racism
Dutchy ,   Holland   (12.29.10)
The reasoning of these women is indeed clearly 100% racist, since it paints all Arab men with a big brush as wifebeaters and rapists. These statements are born of pure hatred based on race, nothing else. Apparently the Jewish race must stay pure. Some Arab men are indeed bad, many are not. The same is true for Jewish men. How would you react if some antisemitic newspaper would call all girls to avoid Jewish men using the same arguments?
25. Read Nonie Darwish's book
Shalom Hartman   (12.29.10)
Aside from religious issues, I beg everyone to read Nonie Darwish's book, "Now the call me infidel". Nonie grew up in Egypt as the daughter of a shahid. She writes of abuse and very much touches on the point of non-moslem women marrying muslim men, and the results. She does NOT single out Jewish girls and this gives her narration much more credibility. It's simply a different culture - one that we can't relate to.
26. Good Choices
Adam Neira ,   Melb, Australia   (12.29.10)
A good Jewish girl will obey the dictates of her heart. The best Jewish girls are committed to serving G-d. The courageous Jewish girl wants to be a light unto the nations. A great Jewish girl is patient, kind, calm and graceful. The issue of intermarriage is interesting. If you put a group of three year old Israeli, Turkish, Australian and Chinese children into a room they will invariably end up playing with each other. A few squabbles may break out but under the right supervision the tears will give way to play, noise and testing and then sleepiness. Children naturally do not see the differences in each other. Calcified adults invariably do the opposite. Conversely to this, even though we are all G-d's children that doesn't mean that we choose just anyone to be our mate. P.S. Mother-in-laws are the occupational hazard of marriage. I feel for some Jewish men.
27. To #24 Dutchy
John DeLancy ,   Alaska, USA   (12.29.10)
In the article you are posting to, one of the rabbis has already answered your question: Bentzi Gopstein, a senior member of Lehava and a student of Rabbi Kahane, told Ynet: "It is important to explain that the problem is religious, not racist. If my son were to decide to marry an Arab woman who converted, I wouldn't have a problem with that. My problem is the assimilation that the phenomenon causes." You see, the issue isn't some kind of Neo-nazi racial purity; the issue is the survival of the Jewish faith. These people don't have a problem with your ethnicity, they only have a problem if you rob the Jews of one more of the people of YHWH. And it should be noted that the response will be sad Jewish relatives. It's the Muslims who do "honor-killing" (another self-contradicting term courtesy of Islam, like jihad, i.e. "holy war").
28. Rabbi' wives, how about telling ur lovely husbands get a job
Working women ,   Israel   (12.29.10)
29. Nice Jewish girl here, dated a Jewish man for 3 years,
Rachel   (12.29.10)
He dumb me and followed an Arab man and moved to Tel Aviv. So please ladies............
30. Torah says don't mix with Gentiles
Arik Silverman ,   Milwaukee USA   (12.29.10)
Maimonides taught that if a Jew comes upon a Gentile at a river, he must not throw him into the water, but if the Gentile is already in the water, the Jew must not pull him out. (Israel Shahak has written a book documenting this and many other things.) Rambam also taught that a Jewish doctor should not treat Gentiles unless he would suffer harm by refusing. With authorities like Rambam teaching such things, how can we blame these women?
Next talkbacks
Back to article