MORONS will become politically IRRELEVANT...the EU is already dead in the water...!

because while the EU is ranting about where Jews can build homes for their citizens in the capital city of Jerusalem and anywhere else: Youth unemployment (18-30) in Europe stands at appx. 25% (figures from 12.2012). Some examples : France 25%, Greece 57%, Sweden 23%, Israel 13% Expected economic growth 2013: Belgium .7%, Finland 1.3%, Austria .9%, Portugal -1%, Israel 3.5%. So it would be REAL nice if Europe would do something to help its own floundering economies, and provide a bit of hope for a future for the MILLIONS of unemployed young people, instead of dictating to Israel and Israelis how to run their country.

Moses was probably a paranoid schizophrenic. Certainly was delusional. In fact why don't you get a broomstick go into the local town square and declare that God has spoken to you through a burning bush, and see what happens? Fact is in an era before the television or the internet people had to entertain themselves. With Moses it all got a bit out of hand, and once he had led a band of brothers into the desert there was no plan, hence the 40 years in the desert.

There is no distinction.

Congratulations. I guess you just debunked Christianity. At least the world received the Ten Commandments through Moses. What did the world receive through that other delusional paranoid schizophrenic, Jesus? And Mohammed? Look to your history books. Me -- I'll take the Ten Commandments, any day. How about you and your even bigger gun?

Well, since you ask, if we assume Moses' historicity, we might want to use a 21st century lens rather one employed more than 2000 years ago. In other words, we would assess Moses' behaviour in the way we might assess similar behaviour in individuals in the contemporary world. That may be difficult for those who adhere to a literal or fundamentalist religious standpoint. Alternatively there are those who view biblical texts as products of their time. Thus, in the case of Israel, the task is to focus on the present-day and to search for ways of living with others and not constantly referring back to ancient narratives which may or may not have any veracity. So, the short answer to your last question is: yes, I do dare.

Well, yes, all religion needs a good debunking from time time to time, just like all political ideologies. Instead, here is a radical idea: people need to use their own brains, think for themselves and enter into dialogue with others, rather than blindly follow those set up as repositories of all wisdom and knowledge. This goes for Moses, Marx, Freud, Mohammed, Jesus, the Pope and so on - and even humble Sarah B and myself!

And that, Bertram, is why I am so grateful to be Jewish. Unlike other faiths, it is not totalitarian. Have you ever wondered why, despite being scattered to the four winds, Jews have always adhered to Judaism? Look at Christianity -- what are there, around 115 different forms? With major dogmatic differences. Religion comprises two aspects -- the spiritual, or that which you believe, and the ritual, or that which you practice. All Jews believe the same thing. Spiritually, Judaism is amazingly uniform. Where we differ is in the ritual. Some Jews keep kosher; others do not. Some Jews observe Shabbat; nothers do not. But ritual practice does not in any way, shape or form impinge upon the spiritual aspect of Judaism. I cannot think of another religion that can make the same claim. And THAT, Bertram, is why people love to hate Jews. We have not splintered into hundreds of mini sects with different dogma, as did Christianity. It didn't take long for Islam to split off into warring dogmas, either. Jews have remained Jews. Everyone else seems to find that scary. Perhaps they should.

Religion is the excuse...Do you think without religions 'man' would be different? If you think that, then you really don't know human nature at all or religion... Now that the EU is stepping in and taking a look at what's been happening, Israel is starting to worry that their years of impunity on the hapless Palestinians might be coming to an abrupt end... TATA...

You are incapable of understanding any other viewpoint but the Israeli/Zionist viewpoint...but are hesitant to go to Israel...WHY? I'm sure Belgium doesn't need you as much as Israel does... TATA

I really do appreciate your thoughtful response. I agree with some of what you say. However, I have a somewhat different view of what it means to be Jewish. I think it is far less uniform than you describe. Being Jewish goes beyond belief and a 'structured' spirituality. Like you, I believe we are a people, but perhaps in a different way. We are amazingly diverse, in fact, but in a manner which - I hope - enables us to argue and debate without delegitimising the other. We dovetail, we overlap, we are often confused, and sometimes arrogant in our certainty. We range from the 'ultra-orthodox' through to the outright atheist, from the Western Ashkenazi to the Middle Eastern Mizrahi. Finally, I think you will agree that one major reason for early Christian antisemitism was the need to distance the new religion from Judaism and the Jewish people. Antisemitism cannot be solved by us - it a problem for others. We will make a mistake if we think we can solve this by all Jews seeing their salvation in one ideology - Zionism or religion or socialism or capitalism or anything else. No doubt, some will but there is no 'one size fits all'. We Jews will survive if we do what we do best: being out in the world and being fully human. That, to me, is the essence of our identity.

Can we sum it up by saying that Judaism is a way of life? Despite centuries of persecution wherever they lived, Jews have made incredible contributions to civilization. I think non-Jews find something very threatening in that. But you are correct -- anti-Semitism (which has morphed into anti-Zionism) is not our problem. Whatever is broken inside anti-Semites and haters of Israel needs to be fixed by them; not us. We've been around for over 5700 years. We've seen cultures and civilizations come, and we've seen them go. Despite everyone's best efforts, Jews are very good at survival. I guess that annoys people -- but that would be their problem.

The problem of US Americans: they talk a lot about things they know nothing of.

And eventually all colonies across the Green Line will be evacuated.