Robert Lefkowitz http://www.jta.org/user/profile/66079 en-us zsilberman@washingtonjewishweek.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 To the ref and con movements - wouldn't it be alot easier to admit that you are not strong-willed enough to be an observant Jew but that you can always aspire to do more instead of fooling yourselves by thinking that you are righteous tzadikkim who loves Gd and Jews? Not everybody can be 100% observant (I'm sure not). But to admit that you are a sinner and will try to become better is waaaaaay better than diluting the real Judaism and calling yourselves righteous. And the proof is in the pudding. In 1, 2 or 3 generations none of your offspring will be Jewish (maybe even anti-semites) so we'll just wait it out, I guess. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 What an insult. How someone can compare this law with the Nuremberg laws is beyond the pale. In an age where it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine who is and who is not Jewish and with refugees from other countries pretending that they are Jewish, this bill is timely and necessary. Up until a couple hundred years ago, there were only orthodox Jews. It would be shocking for me to find even one offspring of the pregenitors of the reform and conservatives movements to still be Jewish. Ref and Con movements are blasphemy, calling good evil and evil good. When you bring your Talmudic "proofs" to confirm your twisted argument you are only showing your own ignorance. Bottom line - Ref and Con Jews do not care about real Judasim. The people at the top of these movements have children who marry out of the faith even as they preach their commitment to Judaism. Maybe it is because they would like to tell themselves and their grandchildren, great-grandchildren that they really are Jewish no matter what the rabbis say. You, Mr. Sarna, are an idiot. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 When any group of Jews start a new movement that is based on anything other than traditional Judaism it will be destined to fail. Whether it be "Jewish Hipsters," Saducees, or the "Conservative Movement." The real point is that no movement is meant to last for only one generation. If your philosophy is based on marijuana and abstract art good luck trying to convince your children to marry Jewish. Inevitably, they will ask "why?" Conservative Judaism, etc. does not have a satisfactory answer fot that question. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 That is what Rubashkin deserves. As long as he is living in the exile while he is free to move to Israel he will be subject to the gentiles' justice. In America, that has largely been eradicated, but even democracy can't erase anti-semitism and it is bound to rear its ugly head from time to time. Let us all make immediate aliyah plans. I hope to be in Israel by the summer! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 This is a great victory for the Obama/Clinton/Mitchell foreign policy team. Unfortunately, serving the interests of foreign countries, even the US, is not sound domestic policy. The "Let's hug and be friends" approach to the Middle East does not work and will not work as long as there are armed militias whose only purpose is to destroy the state of Israel. In this crisis, a victory for diplomacy is a defeat for the innocent people of ISrael. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00