Rabbis are not qualified to discuss Jewish identity since such identity has nothing to do with religion. Rabbis should take their beliefs home with them, or keep it within their synagogue walls quietly to themselves. Religion is like a second hand smoke to me and to many within my family and friends: it chokes, is unbearable, it may kill. We identify ourselves by culture and history, not religion. There is a movement in the U.S. called "Cultural Jews" and they are tolerant of religious people while overwhelmingly secular. Google "Cultural Judaism" to read up.

Very funny picture in the left side under the title "Largest gathering of rabbis since Holocaust": to be seen are the maybe cheapest tefillin and the cheapest tallis available in this world. No selfrespecting jew would ever wear such things. :-)

historically speaking Jewish identity has a lot to do with religion. However, after Haskalah, zionism and ... Shoah ... , I agree with you there obviously exists secular Jewishness. Interestingly, in post-war Poland the secular Jewish life was very strong - until antisemitic campaign of 1968. I think the majority of Polish Jews are still secular. What is important for us is the full spectrum of possibilities. Orthodox, reform versions are visible. Conservative, humanistic and secular not at all. And I think, "cultural Judaism", or rather secular Jewishness should be very much explored, together with language(s), literature, history and some basic religious traditions. To break a taboo, there should be many people of Jewish descent - now christians. Some of them are strongly, but some others are only weekly attached to christianity. This wide array of possibilities should be presented to them. There are many atheists and agnostics, who are patrilineal descents and feel repelled by orthodox formal approach. Also, a wide array of options should be available to them. What Jews around should understand, recent history of Polish Jews was a horror. Shoah, emmigration, antisemitism, destruction of institutions. If you were even catholic, you were treated by antisemites the same way as other Jews. A lot of understanding is needed.

It is hard to understand the mind of rabbies. Here, in Israel, they reject the children and grandchildren of Jews who want to convert into Orthodox form of Judaism. There, in Poland they boast on "revival of Jewish life". The question is on why in Diaspora they hunt for every person with a drop of Jewish blood while in Israel they behave hatefully toward the people from a mixed background?!