Everything is upside down in your head. He has a LOT of self esteem, that's why he couldn't tolerate this kind of treatment he received at the Rabbinate. Only people with high self esteem won't let anyone humiliate them, not even a bit. Get real dude. Oh and and get these sidelocks cut, they look ridiculous.

If you go on like this, you'l god forbid end up like the antisemitic goy on a crusade mission from former S.U. (nominally "Israeli", unfortunately!) in the slammer waiting for his trial in Cairo. He became practically an anti-Israeli terror accomplice born out of his frustrations, hatred and became a fanatic loser antisemite.

There isn't a central Rabbinate for these things. In this sense, each city's rabbinate is a separate autonomous entity. The more learned the rabbis, the simpler the process (but, I guess that depends on one's individual situation). I got married in Jerusalem, and the local rabbinate practicly jumped through hoops to facilitate the process, even calling to put pressure on the local bet din. Meanwhile, we sat next to a young Jerusalemite couple, who were born in Tel Aviv, arrived with their parents ketubot, and the woman at the reception shook her head as if to say "You guys thought this would be quick, you should probably try to get back your deposit on the hall and halt the printing of the invitations, it's gonna take a lot longer. The hard part is probably the fact that they don't take time to explain to anyone the rationale behind the process. My husband, who had everything in a neat file, was given a hard time because he had a letter from a rabbi stating that he was "Jewish and not married," rather than Jewish and single. Until a week before filing I thought only my father was Jewish ... turns out my mother is too. And my experience was so smooth. Meanwhile, I have an uncle in Haifa who is a kohen, but he didn't mention that when he married a convert. He wouldn't have gotten away with that in Jerusalem.

Exactly how did this engineer come up with this information? Do they have a circumcision inspector position at all airports in Russia? You and your left brain Benassi will say anything for negative attention.

After reading racist and humiliating process, I quite reading the article because this person has embraced the religion of liberalism. Keep looking for the meaning of life; it's out there.

you are marrying a beautiful girl. theere were times when men fought to the death to have the privilege to marry a beautiful girl. all you had to do was answer a few questions. if you think that answering a few questions is what the nazis did to jews, then maybe the rabbis were right to ask you so many questions.

.... get out of the kitchen. Jews are a very special people. If you do not want to belong -- convert. It's really all that simple. Good riddance.

If you think dealing with the Rabbanut when getting married is bad, then wait to see what happens if you get divorced. Those people are evil and have mental problems. But still, the civil courts are much worse than the Rabbanut when it comes to divorce.

I apologize if I didn't understand it well, but what does he mean with "Last Wednesday I was officially admitted into Judaism". ---if you mean you converted: then why weren't you wearing a kippah at least? Were you halachically Jewish or just have Jewish family members (like your Mom's dad or something)?

My mother paid a Rabbi $500 in Brooklyn to write to the Israeli Rabbinate that she was " Jewish" Apparently greenbacks made all the different back then. Our conservative Rabbi in Philly wasn't "kosher" enough even back in 1981.

It sounds like you are describing Benassi at the end of your post. You might want to be careful as Melissa has told us that he is one of her little protoges.

to Rabbi Yeshua of Nazareth. What does it mean to be Jewish in one's heart? It means love Yahweh with all your heart and mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself which also means to obey the 600+ Commandments as best one can and repent when one falls short. Some of the Commandments are everlasting Commandments such as circumcision. If males pretend to be Jews and are not circumcised, they are not Jews no matter what their mother was in my opinion. To be uncircumcised is to be like the heathen or non-Jews. General Joshua required all males who were to fight for him to be circumcised before going into battle. The Apostle Shaul (Paul) of Tarsus required Timothy to be circumcised before he followed Shaul and preached about Yahweh's laws and promises. Shaul circumcised Timothy himself. Hebrew is the language of heaven and those who despise the language of heaven don't belong there since they would be unhappy speaking the language the Jews on Earth speak in Israel. Yiddish is not Hebrew but is a slang language. Mathew chapter 7 and Mathew chapter 13 in "The Scriptures" Bible translated directly from the Hebrew and Aramaic texts say those who are lawless (Torahless) will not enter the Kingdom of God but will be burned with fire. Hebrews chapter 4 in "The Scriptures" Bible says those who do not observe the seventh day Shabbat of the Lord do not enter God's Rest. (Yahweh's Rest). Those who object to the food laws, the seventh day Shabbat of the Lord observance of not buying or selling food or wares and not working except to do good or what is needful, those who object to doing mitzvohs, those who object to the other Commandments of Yahweh that are designated everlasting should not be allowed to marry in Israel, regardless of the mother's birth certificate and other documentation as Jewish. Being a Jew is a lifestyle, a religion, and a commitment to doing things Yahweh's way, to loving Yahweh and those who are atheists or not Jews in their hearts and body (circumcision) should not be allowed to live in Israel except as guests. Revoke the Israeli citizenship of the uncircumcised heathen in Israel. Kick them out.

Dima, I sympathize with you. However , you cannot blame the rabbinate. You look like a GOY, act like a GOY, and have all te charateristics of a GOY- so they really have no choice but to ask you humiliating questions. I don't think you let the readers know if you were circumsized. Unfortunately, many Jews from the Soviet Union were not. However , the majority who wanted to be part of the Jewish Nation undertook the process when they immigrated. A person who is a Jew - should be proud to be a Jew and his Jewishness should be obvious.

Go back to Russia if you can't take a simple status questioning. Even though I think it should be eased out, all the questions are neccessary.

grow up Sarah B.

What happened to the Talmud's dictum that the mark of a Jew is compassion, humility, and kindness? Forget the fact that these test questions have no basis or source in Talmud or Halacha. Forget the fact that they are unnecessary. Forget even the fact that they in no way actually prove he is Jewish. The experience causes pain and shame to thousands of obvious Jews annually. Yes, it takes five minutes and it's not so bad in the long run. That doesn't make it kosher.

is difficult, dont EVER get divorced!

#2

I can add that the rabbinate also forces people to lie. An acquaintance of mine made aliyah from the USA. When she wanted to marry she got a letter from her rabbi in the USA that she is Jewish. It was not sufficient. They required a personal recommendation. She got a friend to lie and say that they knew each other from childhood. The friend had to say how she knew that the bride was Jewish. She lied and said that the mother lit candles every Friday night. The fact was true. The lie was that the friend had only known the bride since she lived in Israel. Without that lie, the bride, from a traditional Jewish home, would not have been permitted to marry here...

That's no kitchen by any means of the imagination. It is rather a mortuary where the human spirit undergoes dehumanization by religious zealots. Get it? Regards

OOOPOH because you wanted to get married as a Jew to a Jew by Jews for Jew your children I think you are a fraud writing a story for fame.

Israel, being a Jewish state should preserve its character and traditions. at the same time it shouldn't create a valid comparison with Iran, in order not to project a even more negative image of itself to the rest of the world and not to scare off good people from the country.

Yeah, well, we're trying to weed out the non-Jews. Got a problem with that? Too bad.

I am troubled by the writer's experience. I too, am an Oleh, and got married here in Israel to an Israeli woman. I got a letter from an orthodox rabbi in the states. The rabbi was a member of the Rabbinical Council of America. I went to him for an interview, and he asked me a series of questions, such as what was my Bar-Mitzvah parsha, and similar. He also interviewed my aunt about certain family details. With that letter, I went to the rabbinate, and I was done in less than 10 minutes. It is troubling to hear these things as my own experience was very easy and non-intrusive from the sound of it.

I fail to understand why comprehension of (albeit basic) Yiddish is relevant at all to verifying Jewishness. And why is his mother being asked the same questions?!

I was married in Cyprus because I am a Cohen and she was an israeli divorcee. No big deal, was very happy with the decision, although I am divorced now I found the experience funny and adventurous!Of course I believe Israel should have also Civil marriages and people who want to marry religiously should also be able to do that and take all the tests...

No. It is painful. And it was an Old Testament Jewish right of passage. It is not required any longer, and I have seen horrible disfigurations from it.

You are such a very good person. We miss you on the other publication. .IsraelLives has also vanished. God Bless you my friend.