Opinion
A tolerant and traditional Jewish approach toward modernity
Rabbi Seth (Shaul) Farber
Published: 13.08.15, 23:20
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1. Tradition
Zechariah   (08.14.15)
Only the more Humanitarian aspects of Judaism ought be Emphasized and the Fences to preserve stability health and iron clad security for the Jewish People and to assist in benefiting the World .
2. converts
Sean ,   Pasadena, USA   (08.14.15)
I'm not Jewish, so my view is irrelevant. I'm merely obedient to the laws of the Noahic covenant enough to be considered a righteous gentile. However I have always felt the truest Jew isn't just he who has the purest blood, but he who has the most sincere faith in the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. An atheist of Hebrew descent can hardly call himself a true Jew.
3. tolerance is the mission
alan adh ,   nyc ny   (08.13.15)
tolerance is the goal . who will sanction the opposite.? alot has to be accomplished . the torah is living and growing . everything came from hashem anyway . hashem is challenging us. will we be an example or an embarassment .
4. Nice rethoric,but will the converts
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (08.14.15)
keep the Tora laws?Only if so,they get a Jewish Neshama and their conversion is authentic,
5. U get a Jewish Neshama [divine part]
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (08.14.15)
not with men- made Judaism. but with G-D made authentic Judaism. Needless to say that to be a real Jew you need a Jewish Neshama. No modern approach can change that.
6. New Title
Joe ,   Israel   (08.14.15)
"A New and Modern Approach to Traditional Judaism".
7. 4-5 Ora. The nechama comes with the conversion
(08.14.15)
as long as the conversion is done according to halacha. If the convert becomes less practicing (frum) afterwards, it doesn't nullify the conversion wether it was done by an orthodox rabbi or a national religious rabbi, as long as it was done properly. He doesn't lose his nechama either but the nechama would suffer.
8. Jewish Faith About 3000 years old
i-light   (08.14.15)
Aging faith. Pretty pre-historic thinking. To advance to the high school of the enlightened humanity, we have to leave our kindergarten days behind us. We have to pass fellow Christians and Muslims, and enter the Enlightenment without believing in the intelligent design.
9. 7 Only G-D knows if the convert
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (08.15.15)
was sincere during the conversion and i doubt that he received a Jewish Neshama if not .If the convert goes on practicing the Tora laws while not obligated anymore,so men believe he has a Jewish Neshama.If not,i don't think he will be able to find for his children ,Jewish partners who want to be sure that their children will be Jewish.Am i clear?
10. 8 Are elderly still in kindergarten?
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (08.16.15)
Not..Neither is a 3000 old religion .But judging by your logic the young enlightenment might still not have left the kindergarten. .
11. 9 Ora;; conversions was given to men by Hachem
robert ,   antwerp belgium   (08.15.15)
According to your reasoning, even if parents are converted properly, but the children become less practicing, they would have difficulties to marry, which is wrong because they are 100% Jewish. For that matter, I know quite a few cases of hozrei betchouva who were not offered the possibility to marry in the orthodox community they tried to join Probably the fact they came from a non religious family was too much a stain
12. 11 Robert,if the children did not
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (08.16.15)
practice,how could they expect to be accepted in an orthodox family.This is not related to being Jewish.
13. 11 Robert Baalei hatchuva always
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (08.16.15)
are from not religious families and most marry with religious Jewish partners. There are snobs in secular societies too.
14. Jewish children aren't asked how observant they will be
Shachar ,   Eilat   (08.17.15)
No child of a Jewish mother has their Jewish identity taken away because they are not observant enough. Conversion is built to be a learning process not a judging process. Throughout the ages people wanting to be Jewish were embraced by the local community, would learn the ways and laws of Judaism and the Bet Din would only reject if they felt the person didn't understand what they were doing or if they had ulterior motives. The process has become terribly politicised and suffers from a "holier than though" complex. It's time to give the process back to the local communities where the prospective convert lives.
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