An Open Letter to University Presidents
10 min read
We have failed to properly educate the next generation about Jewish history, Jewish values, and the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel.
I recently spent an evening conversing with a group of left-wing progressive Jews in Brooklyn who are deeply bothered by what is happening in Gaza. They blame the conflict squarely on Israel and its treatment of the Palestinians. They were open to meeting a rabbi and having a heated exchange of ideas.
They all identify as politically progressive, and as one person told me, "Everyone I know is anti-Zionist." I gained a number of valuable insights from our encounter which I am still mulling over. Here are a few of the key takeaways.
Many progressive Jews are open to having a discussion and learning new things about the situation in Israel. But it is essential to listen to them as well and acknowledge that much of their concern comes from a genuine and understandable place. Anyone watching the images and footage coming from Gaza sees the humanitarian disaster that is happening there. To be bothered about it and want to do something about it is something to be admired, not condemned. By acknowledging their concern, I found they were very open to discussing the reasons for what is happening.
This group of progressive Jews are disconnected from Jewish history. Their sense of Jewish history in Israel begins just before 1948 with the Jewish People's immigration to the area. They look at the situation as Jews fleeing antisemitism, coming to a land with Arabs living in it, making life difficult for them, and eventually creating their own Jewish state on this Arab land. The fact that Jews have had a continuous presence in the Land of Israel for thousands of years was not known. To their credit, I said "I don't want to bore you with a history lesson," but they responded, "No, we do want to know."
Their sense of Jewish history in Israel begins just before 1948.
So we discussed some key episodes in Jewish history that show this continuous presence - from the building and destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples in Jerusalem to the writing of the Mishna and the Jerusalem Talmud in the 2nd and 3rd centuries; to the Jewish presence in Jerusalem in 1099 when the Crusaders arrived; to the flourishing of Jewish life in Tzfat in the 1500's. They saw for the first time that Jews have been connected to the Land of Israel for millennia.
Not only are they disconnected from Jewish history, but their knowledge of Jewish belief and thought is also lacking. When I mentioned that even when 99% of Jews were exiled from Israel, Jews have always wanted to return and that we are connected to the Land as much as any other people, I was asked, "Isn't the idea of Jews longing for the Land of Israel just a metaphor? We don't literally want to return because that would mean a Jew in Israel is 'more Jewish' than a Jew in the diaspora."
I described how the longing to return to the Land of Israel is not just a metaphor – it's a literal reality that Jews for centuries, led by renown Rabbis such as Maimonides, Nachmonides, disciples of the Vilna Gaon, and others have put into action by actually returning. While a Jew can live a flourishing Jewish life outside of Israel, Jewish belief is clear that an individual Jew and the Jewish People as a whole can only actualize their full potential while living in the Land of Israel.
They are suspicious of an "ethnostate" – i.e. the fact that Israel is a "Jewish state", which in their mind means religious extremism. Based on this they advocate for a "One State Solution" – i.e. not a separate Jewish state, but a democratic state for all Jews and Palestinians to live together. They asked me, with sincerity, if this was a potential solution.
I answered that it is not a realistic solution for a number of reasons:
They don't have an appreciation of the fear that most Israelis and Jews live with. While there is no doubt that Palestinians today are also living under fear of military attacks, it's crucial to understand that the reason Israel is doing this is because they are also living in fear. Sadly, one of the defining characteristics of Jewish history is antisemitism. Virtually in every place Jews have gone in every generation, they have been targeted with hatred and violence. From pogroms to ghettos, to blood libels to the Holocaust, Jews have a deeply ingrained fear of being attacked and massacred. From even before the creation of the State of Israel, Jews in the Land of Israel have come under attack by their Arab neighbors, as well as the Arab surrounding countries. From being attacked before the creation of the State of Israel, to the wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973 and beyond, to the relentless terrorism of the past 40 years, Jews in Israel see their presence as being incredibly precarious.
The attack on October 7th surfaced the worst fears for so many Jews – the sense of being helpless in the face of murderous antisemites. We can debate historical actions and current politics, but to have a serious understanding of why the situation is happening, one must understand the fear and trauma that the Jewish People live with.
The best way to bridge gaps is to fight polarization and avoid black and white thinking. Those on the "pro-Israel" side need to communicate empathy and understanding of the concern for Palestinian civilians. Without this there is no credibility to even start a conversation. But those in the progressive camp must also understand that using extreme language like "genocide", "colonialism", and "apartheid" serve to create more divide and make it impossible for their views and opinions to be taken seriously.
Those on the "pro-Israel" side need to communicate empathy and understanding of the concern for Palestinian civilians. Without this there is no credibility to even start a conversation.
If progressive Jews are able to say "I understand that Israel has been attacked time and time again, and I understand why Israelis want to defend themselves and fight terror groups like Hamas," they then gain the credibility to say "but I'm concerned about how Israel is fighting Hamas because so many Palestinian civilians are being killed." This is a conversation and debate that can be had, and it needs to be done with an understanding that Israel's intentions are not evil.
Protesting against Israel has become "a metaphor" for all different types of people looking to "fight oppression." Young, progressive Americans are looking to stand up against injustices in the world – that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, many of them don't understand the nuances and context of what is happening in Israel, and see the "plight of the Palestinians" as another injustice happening against oppressed people. This has created an alliance of those looking to be vocal against oppression and they have chosen the Palestinian issue as the place to have their voices heard.
I asked them if it concerns them when a significant part of these protests seems to be radical. Signs with swastikas, chants such as "From the River to the Sea" which call for Israel's dismantling, and calls for violence such as "by any means necessary" have been prevalent. One of the young women I met said that she believes about half of the protestors are just very bothered by the humanitarian crisis they see and want to stop it. The other half she said are antisemitic and seek Israel’s destruction. "I can't even tell you how I know the difference," she said, "but I can just tell.”
These young Jews are very open to exploring their Jewish identities. One might think that their anti-Zionism means they have rejected their Judaism. This is not the case. One of the group members told me they have specifically started exploring their Jewish identity even more recently, and they all seemed open to and positive about their Jewish identity.
While for so many Jews there is an intricate connection between our Jewish identity and support of Israel, these progressive Jews separate those issues. While their views of Israel sadden me, it's encouraging that they still have a positive Jewish identity and are open to learning more.
I walked away from meeting these young progressive Jews feeling that the Jewish community has really failed. We have failed to properly educate the next generation about Jewish history, Jewish values, and the Jewish connection to the Land of Israel. How can we blame a 25-year-old Jewish young professional for not understanding the mission and purpose of the Jewish people if they’ve never been taught it and are surrounded by a community that doesn't emphasize it?
Instead of condemning them, we must listen to their opinions, validate their concerns, and then challenge them to think critically and learn the vital history and context that has been concealed from them.
Instead of condemning and shunning them, we must listen to their opinions, validate their concerns and fears, and then challenge them to think critically and learn the vital history and context that has been concealed from them. Many liberal Jews are questioning their preconceived beliefs. The question we need to ask is: Will we be there to welcome them with respect and empathy, or will we drive them further away with our distrust and contempt?
Now, more than ever, we need to greatly increase our efforts to educate about history and Jewish values to those who need it most.
Shalom Rabbi: I'm totally agree that you say at the end of the article we must spreed more and more History. Because today youth are very fragil to, take the miss concept of the reality because they don't know Israel and his History, As you know I leave in La Paz Bolivia and have my grandchildren en USA and South America they are not involved ad all. When we want to speak they literally don't understad. And hearing news is very easy to take them out of the real History. It is sad in resume
There is a problem in modern society, where the goal is to be right, even if they didnt really prove to be so in an honest or truthful way.How can I wiesel or find some sort of reality that I want to exist so I can demonize you while you stand there in good faith and honestly listen to my arguments. Growing out of This only comes with maturity. But the modern world wants to stunt such growth so that capitalists can continue to exploit them. We are our own worst enemy. Making people aware of this need to be right over honestly willing to admit to being wrong several times before you are even close is the answer. Humility.
I 100% agree with the author's article. We won't survive if we make looking inwards the imperative as there'll be nobody there to help us in times of antisemitic crisis, which is when we usually realise we need them.
Another way to understand - being PROGRESSIVE as a Jew - of ANY AGE. G-D - gave the Written Torah - Forever! In Deu: 4 1/2 - 13-1 (most of the rest of Deu:) & Prov. 30 - G-D Said: Do not add to - or subtract from - what I said in the Torah. Therefore - PROGRESSIVENESS - is when a person ADVANCES from IGNORANCE of the Written Torah - and how to KEEP G-D's Written Torah Commandments and Laws - as HE GAVE THEM - and begins a close relationship to/with G-D - to LEARN WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAID! Progressiveness - as it relates to G-D - and His Written Torah - IS NOT - putting a MODERN TOUCH - CHANGING - ALTERING - IMPLYING a NEW WAY - to INTERPRET WHAT THEY THINK - G-D meant - or DELETING - in any way - what G-D Said. That is closer to - being a self anointed/appointed DIEIST.
Continued from above. It also implies - they think G-D - is too old - and is out of Touch with modern life and living.
However - a TRULY PROGRESSIVE THINKING JEW - Will understand that - what needs to be done - is HOW to ADAPT MODERN LIFE - to work and be compatible with - G-D's Written Torah Commandments and Laws.
Gershom, you can keep blowing your trumpet or you can listen to people with a different perspective and converse with them in terms that are relatable to them. You are unlikely to persuade Jews who belief that the Torah is the work of men that it was miraculously delivered from heaven. After all, that is what you believe about other scriptures and I doubt that any amount of trumpeting would persuade you that a book like the Qur'an was of divine origin.
It is possible to view the Torah as the collective wisdom of the Jewish people that was compiled over many centuries. It is a truly unique and significant book. If you are meeting with "young progressive Jews", then you need to approach them rationally and not club them over the head with what you think God said.
To those who know the existence of - and how to see the wonders of life - that couldn't have been possible - without a creator G-D - NO EXPLANATION IS NECESSARY. To those who CAN'T - WON'T believe in G-D the Creator - NO EXPLANATION WILL DO! Those who don't believe in a G-D Creator - an AMOEBA - with no brain - nervous system - etc., - science implies created the 8.5 MILLION KNOWN SPECIES in the world - must be smarter than those who don't. Continuing to chase the stupendous - vaporous nonsense discussion - makes no sense. So - it's time to move on to studying the Written Torah - and back to thanking G-D - for the SEVERAL ACTUAL MIRACLES - HE's done for me and my family.
I don't know if it was intentional or unintentional that you have deflected from what I said. I said nothing about the existence of a creator God.
You deny that other people's scriptures are of divine origin and others deny that the Jewish scriptures are of divine origin. People who do not accept that someone's scriptures are of divine origin will not be persuaded by an argument based on the notion that they are.
It's that simple. Stop trying to convince people that they must believe you simply because it is written in your book, just as you would just roll your eyes if a Christian tried to persuade you with an argument beginning with "Jesus died for our sins so that ..."
ADS - Nothing personal was directed to your name. I'm trying to avoid - the egocentric confrontational recurring - redirecting agitation - that's often being presented. Reread what I said - I didn't mention you - or your intention(s) about a Creator G-D. I present(ed) my thoughts/comments - based on - and which co-insides with the recorded history of the 3500 year old WRITTEN TORAH - that long preceded - any of historical confusing and obtuse machinations of modern refutations. If individuals - intelligently consider - evaluate the validated evidence I present about the Written Torah G-D gave us - it's their choice - whether they change their beliefs.
Well .. "Reply to ADS" implies that it was directed to me.
Anyway, returning to the actual article. You should re-read it. My point was and continues to be that if your goal is to build the coalition of people who support the State of Israel, you will not build that support by making claims based on your views of what is written in the Torah. "Progressive Jews" don't interpret the Torah the same way you do, and, other than a few denominations of Christians, non-Jews don't interpret the Torah the same way you do, and they will dismiss such arguments. They may even find such claims repugnant to their own beliefs and you may end up doing more harm than good.
You need to approach people on their terms.
ADS - Providing the facts/info - and having counseled a variety of clients on a multitude of issues - for many years - approaching them on their terms - is how it's always done - and appropriate. However - on their terms - often means - like the old saying - Don't bother me with presenting the - or new facts - I've already got my mind made up. As has been stated before - to those who believe - no explanation is necessary. To those who don't/won't believe - no explanation will do. Quite often - that's a common reaction - as they've already got so much invested in - how they want people to see them. Many times - later - some quietly reevaluate the information provided - then somewhat cleverly - if not sheepishly - find a way to change their opinion - without losing face. NO MAS!
'Deity' perhaps?
ER - I had a different connotation in mind - but Deity - works also.
"Deist" is appropriate. Some people regard me as such though I don't like labels, generally.
It is someone who believes that there is a God but that God doesn't violate His own laws.
Recently - at the mall - I saw someone wearing a "T-"Shirt" - that said: "G-D is busy". Below it - was a RED EMOJI of a Satan - which said: "May I help you"? After reading many of the responses to articles - here on AISH. It would seem that - some of those who respond/reply - have joined the Satan team - by speaking - for G-D. While - denying there is a g-d! Yet - still providing responses/replies accordingly - on issues that distract people - and foster - incite and cause additional conflict - and from having a close relationship - with G-D - and His Written Torah - that He gave to us.
I agree with you 100% that people who speak for God have joined the Satan team.
ADS - your correct if you quantify this with - speaking for G-D - WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION - or by changing/implying that - something else - they intend - should be understood - by what HE said. In G-D's Written Torah - Deu: 4 1/4 - 13-1 (most of the rest of Deu: as well) & Proverbs 30. G-D said: Do not add to - or subtract from - what I've said - in this book of the WRITTEN TORAH. When people are quoting G-D's Written Torah - and not changing it - as He said not to do. They are legitimately entitled - to speak for Him. Especially - when teaching - or commenting on issues - that may be related.
ADS - ANYONE - INCLUDING YOU - have permission to speak for G-D - WHEN YOU'RE QUOTING 100% ACCURATELY - FROM HIS WRITTEN TORAH AND USING IT TO TEACH/HELP OTHERS - TO KEEP G-D'S WRITTEN TORAH COMMANDMENTS AND LAWS. AS DID MOSES & THE PROPHETS. ALSO - AS LONG AS - YOU DON'T TWIST/MANIPULATE - IMPLY A DIFFERENT MEANING TO HIS WORDS - TO TRY TO CAUSE DISSENSION - CHAOS ETC.,. IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE IN G-D - AS YOU'VE SORT OF IMPLIED. THEN YOU'LL KNOW YOU CAN. YOU ALSO KNOW THAT - G-D GIVES/ALLOWS US - TO DEMONSTRATE WHETHER WE CHOOSE TO OBEY HIM - OR - NOT. IF NOT - AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED - HE - CAN PUNISH US. IN THE WRITTEN TORAH THERE ARE MANY REFERENCES ABOUT PUNISHMENT - AND FOR WHAT WE CAN BE PUNISHED.
READ THE WRITTEN TORAH AND LEARN!
...'People who speak for G-d-while DENYING there IS a G-D' have joined the Satan team.
Can you give an example? I don't understand how this is possible.
SORRY - Most people don't keep an accurate historic log - of word for word comments - in articles they've read - or vocal pronouncements they've heard - in anticipation of skeptics requests.
Sadly.Correct.
Ben, you say "It is only Westerners living detached from the realities on the ground who advocate for such [a single state]." However, the reality is the opposite of this. The current fighting is a direct result of religious fanaticism on BOTH sides. Both sides are making claims that God has given them the land, ALL of the land. These are not fringe elements making these claims but members of the governments on BOTH sides.
Israel will continue to lose support from the outside unless they are able to purge the religious fanatics from their government.
Listen to enlightened Jews who reject the notion that there is a God who makes promises which cannot be kept.
ADS - Once again I ask - do you believe in the G-D of the WRITTEN TORAH? If not - we can understand your rhetoric. If you do believe in the G-D - of the WRITTEN TORAH - it's hard to understand your positions on issues. And if you do - Then you should be pointing out that - WHY - going back in history - before the Muslim belief - and the Chr-stian belief - there were/are no VALIDATED HISTORICAL CLAIMS - denying the Jewish history back to the time of G-D giving of the Written Torah - and prior to that - the history that - G-D - gave to Abraham and his descendants the whole of the Biblical Land of Canaan? Enlightened practicing Jews - are not afraid to accept the history. Where and what is your relationship to G-D - and His Written Torah - For - or Against?
Gershom, can you please stop inquiring about my religious beliefs (which should be obvious to you by now)? It is irrelevant to this conversation.
The issue relates to the problem when religion crosses into politics and a political system that uses religious beliefs to justify the unfair treatment of others.
ADS - evading the question about beliefs - & implying beliefs vaguely - gives one wiggle room - to circumvent (CYA) for any push back. Your statement: "The issue relates to the problem when religion crosses into politics and a political system that uses religious beliefs to justify the unfair treatment of others" - would be possibly appropriate - if it weren't for the fact that - it was G-D - who Commanded and set up His RELIGIOUS RULES - He gave in the Written Torah! May I caution - that - obtusely - this statement - seems to be challenging G-D's AUTHORITY - and IMPLYING that - G-D - is at the least - a BIGOT - who unfairly punishes - those who don't abide by - His moral rules and laws of the Written Torah! Can you live with that?
No, I am not challenging God's authority. That would be absurd. I am challenging your authority to claim knowledge of how God acts and your assertion that it is a "fact" that it is God and not men who command religious rules. It is you, not me, who describes God as a bigot who unfairly punishes some and who rewards others based on some ancient birthright.
ADS - Transferring blame - isn't going to work. I - have not asserted any authority in my claims. I - only have recognized the 3500 year History of G-D's Written Torah - and MAKE NO CLAIMS - OTHER THAN - WHAT G-D had Moses WRITE IN THE WRITTEN TORAH! NEITHER DID I DESCRIBE G-D - as a BIGOT. That interpretation - came from the obtuse way YOU - imply in your accusations of how religion and politics are used evilly. The Written Torah is Judaisms Constitution - of our RELIGIOUS BELIEF - and how we are to conduct ourselves - POLITICALLY - & MORALLY. Other religions - have commandeered for themselves - the Covenant G-D made with the Israelites. It's their beliefs - that they've used - as a RELIGIOUS WEAPON - attributing it to - their version of G-D! NUFF SAID - no need to reply!
😅 I suspect you are doing this on purpose just to stir the pot.You don't appear stupid enough from your comments to truly think the world runs itself.There's a Higher Being-call It what you will-who runs the show.Even more clearly in His favourite country.If you don't follow the rules of the game expect to crash and burn.What's so complicated? Worse comes to worst by following the Torahs rules one lives a moral life doing good and kindness and knowing who the father is.Whats the panic and cause for argument? And I never understood Jews who do everything in their power to hide or escape their Jewishness.What are they ashamed of? Evading responsibility perhaps? So maybe they are right. Its when G-d is not part of our conversation we have real trouble brewing.You can run but you can't hide.
(Cont)And strangely the majority of Oct 7 victims were not fanatic about religion At All if you know much about the kibbutzim nearest to the border, so where does that leave your argument?
After spending so much time - reading all the rationals and the responses on AISH ARTICLES. Some - seem to thrive on - controversial dialogue. There comes to mind - the old saying: To those who believe - NO EXPLANATION IS NECESSARY. To those who don't believe - NO EXPLANATION - WILL DO!
Progressives are "concerned about how Israel is fighting Hamas because so many Palestinian civilians are being killed"
Just wondering if these guys get all worked up re the hundreds of thousands of civilians killed in Iraq in the War on Terror...
Your average Joe gets that. That's the unfortunate and tragic, collateral damage of war.
Let's call a spade a spade. Liberals selectively questioning Palestinian civilian losses of war is simply raw, unadulterated Jew Hatred.
I would love to help educate these young men and women about their history. How can I do so?
Wow, this is the second article I have commented on today. Ben, strangely the name of my father who survived the most famous death camm and the death marches. I submit that you are very condescending. The premise of your tome is that progressive Jews aquire their views and humanity as a lack of understanding of history. Your extention of this myth is that once that selective interpreteation of history is explained to them (infering that you are the wiser amongst them) that most will be persuaded to your probably conservative and religious viwpoint. The factual mistake in your explanation of Jewish history is that there never was or has been an exclusive occupation of Israel. You admit so much in your tome, yet apply wilful blindness to the fact. But for your misrepresention of history, OK.
Except for the times Jews actually did. Like the first temple period. Like the second temple period. Millenia of it. Factual Mistake? Myth? Willful blindness? Go visit an archaeological site in Israel. Go read a mainstream archaeological tome. Go visit the British Museum. Your facts are really opinions expressed as facts.
"They are suspicious of an "ethnostate" – i.e. the fact that Israel is a "Jewish state", which in their mind means religious extremism."
This viewpoint is suspicious, to say the least. Would these progressives dismantle the 21 Arab "ethno-states" that belong to the Arab League? Are they suspicious of the "ethno-states" of China, Ireland, Russia, Iran, and the vast majority of countries around the world?
I do not believe that confronting the false propaganda that informs the progressive educational system is going to "drive away" our Jewish youth. They do not even realize how little they know about Israeli history. Asking them to express their feelings does not even start to address the problem.
Personally it makes me gag to think these are the educated/cultured amongst us who are taught in school to look at events, take them apart, consider all the variables and possible causes then put them back together.As soon as critical thinking is involved-especially concerning their own Jewish Heritage- G-d forbid the same skills be applied! I now think the expression 'sheep to the slaughter' sadly fits these liberals way more than my chassidic grandparents in the Warsaw Ghetto who knew full well where they were going and why.
Maybe it's time Generation Snowflake removed their blindfolds, looked in the mirror and admitted that it's true 'eisov soneh es yaakov'-Esau hates Jacob, they're never going to like us with or without kite flying and flowers over the border or lifts to Israeli hospitals.It's time for family to stick together and look after each other once abd for all.
L'Chaim Yidden and Happy Chanuka to every one of us.
Robert - YES! - NOT KNOWING JEWISH HISTORY - as was given to us - in the WRITTEN TORAH G-D gave us - is a MAJOR FACTOR here for the younger Jewish people. That's just part of it. As I've stated elsewhere - OUR LEADERS FAILED US! Researching history - shows that - the NON-JEWISH WORLD - WASN'T INFORMED AND TAUGHT OUR 4000 YEAR HISTORY EITHER. Rather than being as BOLD as our Torah Ancestors who did. Our leaders were too afraid of reprisals - and took a "LET A SLEEPING DOG LIE APPROACH" - because of their fear of another POGROM. Following the Current News - there is much lame rhetoric about the ISSUES by many Jews & leaders. STILL - ALMOST NOTHING is being SAID/TAUGHT ABOUT - of our 4000 YEAR HISTORY HERE IN THE LAND OF CANAAN/ISRAEL - that was GIVEN TO US BY G-D - FOREVER! WHY?
Plenty is being taught about our history.
You must be mingling in the wrong circles.
There's no nice way to say this so....well....there's a demographic known locally as chareideim who teach their kids plenty of the real thing.Go talk to them.
Your average Israeli State school is too busy selling Zionism to teach the kids who they really are.
ER - Preaching teaching to the Choir (OURS) - isn't teaching our SECULAR AGNOSTIC JEWS - NOR THE NON-JEWS. I am active in lots of religious circles - I live a block from a Chareideim compound & talk with them often - and with many of the religious locals - and access many other resources - including main news medias for my information. The religious schools teaching emphasis - is mostly on Talmud - and not as much - on the ACTUAL HISTORY IN THE WRITTEN TORAH - G-D gave us. I scrutinize what's being taught to the JEWS & various media - the world & the UN. Lots of lame rhetoric about current issues. YET - NOTHING IS SAID/TAUGHT TO THEM - FROM THE WRITTEN TORAH - about our 4000 YEAR HISTORICAL CONNECTION/OWNERSHIP RIGHTS TO THIS LAND! IT'S a NEED TO KNOW FOR US THEM. WHY?
This has to stop. Jews say that God promised them this and Muslims say that God promised them that, so let's all just fight about it forever.
Non-Jews do not respect a land claim based on a Jewish legend just as non-Muslims do not respect claims that Muslims make based on Allah's words delivered to their prophet.
As stories go, the Muslim story, that Allah sent Muhammad to correct the errors of the Jews and Christians, is more consistent with history than the Jewish story, that the Land of Israel was given to the Jewish people forever.
Unless the stories change, there is no hope for an everlasting peace.
ADS - As I asked before - Do you believe in the G-D of the Written Torah? If not - we understand your comment about quelling. If you do believe in Him. You feel you have the authority - and want to QUELL G-D's AUTHORITY - and DENOUNCE WHAT HE DID 4000 - then 3500 Years ago. Which BTW - there's still enough global history left - that hasn't been destroyed - by OUR ENEMIES - which VALIDATES OUR CLAIMS - BY THOUSANDS OF YEARS. Do some historical research. Chr-stianity - didn't come until 1500 years - AFTER G-D gave us the Written Torah. The Muslim belief - began at about 700 years after the C.E. WHY then - PRIOR to the MODERN Muslim belief - and PRIOR to that - the Chr-stian belief - there was NO HISTORICALLY VALIDATED REFUTATION - that the JEWISH CLAIMS - were FALSE.
Nah, Brown/Black/Asian "ethnostate"s get a pass. Israel is a "white" ethnostate; no pass!
For some strange reason, progressives embrace a racist agenda. They need to hear some push-back. It is worth noting that the original name of Palestine was "The British Mandate For Palestine," where the name "Palestine" initially referred to the future Jewish state. It wasn't until the Arab riots in 1921 that the land was divided into an exclusively Arab state of Jordan, and a future Jewish state, which was to be further divided into yet another exclusively Arab state and a future mixed Jewish/Arab state. The Oslo Accords further entrenched the Arab position that any future Arab state would be ethnically cleansed of all Jews. If progressives embrace such a vision, they should be challenged, even if they are our own children.
Interesting and informative article. Teaching progressive Jews, most of whom are Jews in name only, is a waste of time as long as they believe that Palestine was Arab territory. The truth is that Palestine in 1945 was a British mandate not a country. It was inhabited by 1.7 million people. 1 million muslins , 550,000 Jews and the remainder Christian’s. That did not make it Arab territory. If you can make the progressives understand that, then you might make some progress with them.
I'm seeing far too many comments that seem to be advocating for a One State JEWISH Solution based on a religious argument that ALL of the land was promised by God to the Jewish people. This sort of thing needs to be quelled. It provides fodder to those who claim that the Jews are the aggressors/oppressors.
The enemies of Israel are often religious people with similar conservative values to what most Jewish people have. They often have the same sort of religious convictions that their God has made promises to them. You cannot fight a religious argument with a religious argument.
If you need to invoke the name of God in your argument, then your argument is wrong. Period.
Why? Is this NOT a G-d given land? Isn't that a large part of the point? Are we not people of the book(G-ds book)? Are we not held to higher standards bc we Are G-ds chosen people?
Yet WITH the responsibility comes obligation.
It gets complicated when you deny who you are bc you don't want responsibility.
Is it hard to understand that you have to argue in a way that the other person can accept?
Your argument is with Muslims who have a different belief than you. They will never accept this sort of argument.
You must argue that the existence of the State of Israel is justified without relying on a religious argument that Muslims don't accept. Muslims, in turn, must accept that Jews will never accept their religious argument that Jews can never be allowed to rule themselves.
Religious beliefs are the major obstacle. Jews, and all non-Muslims, need to understand why the establishment of the State of Israel is viewed by Muslims as an act of Satan and that it must be fought by all Believers.
I understand your view and I believe you are 100% correct-where Muslims are concerned.
But an equally or more concerning issue(and the main point of the article under discussion) are the tragically divorced-from-the-reality-of-Judaism present Liberal Progressive what have you 'tolerant' and 'peace loving'-generation who are so busy assimilating and embracing all and every walk of life....aside for their own Jewish Heritage of course.
They have no idea who they are or what they should be standing for.
And no.Before you start: As Jews we Cannot decide for ourselves.There are rules.
Choosing for ourselves is what got our people into such a terrible state of disconnection in the first place and the resulting mess we are in.If we don't stick to rules how can we expect things to work out?
I think "divorced-from-the-reality" needs to be seen from all sides. I believe that it is a strength of traditional Jewish scholarship that the sages considered every aspect of a question and understood that there was no single answer. This is an aspect of Judaism that can be taught to liberal-progressive-whatevers. Am I wrong?
A "moral dilemma" is about choosing the best from undesirable options. Moral questions need to be examined in terms of the available options and not in relationship to an unachievable ideal. This needs to be taught to liberal-progressive-whatevers.
What is happening in Gaza is horrific and no one should be criticized for saying so. If the alternatives are more horrific, then you should be able to make your case to these liberal-progressive-whatevers.
All this discussion is irrelevant.
This may offend some but....the answers lie in the Torah.
The problem is G-d's country is currently governed by a mostly arrogant group of non believers who believe power lies in their hands while they are really only pawns.My heart actually broke for the survivors of Oct 7 who relate how shattered they were when the army didn't turn up.It was all those devout Zionists believed in and now they have even lost that.(While i wholeheartedly support them now in any way I can) it's patently clear we are unlike any other nation on earth however you slice it.
We have a Book of instructions but we choose to ignore it.
All the politically correct rhetoric under the sun will not resolve anything until we start respecting G-ds wishes and living as He asks of us.
I'm practically speechless when I see the phrase "God's country" used this way. Don't you believe that God created everything and that all people are part of God's creation? Do you have so little self-awareness to see what is wrong with what you are saying. How do you know what God's wishes are? Isn't the world exactly as God wishes it to be?
ADS - Do you believe in the G-D of the Written Torah? If not - we understand your comment about quelling. If you do believe in Him. You feel you have the authority - and want to QUELL G-D's AUTHORITY - and DENOUNCE WHAT HE DID 4000 Years ago. Which BTW - there's still enough global history left - that hasn't been destroyed - by OUR ENEMIES - which VALIDATES OUR CLAIMS - BY THOUSANDS OF YEARS. Like other nations have done - IF your family has owned property - for hundreds of years - not thousands - and SQUATTERS - move in and take it over. You'd just let it pass - and move on - without a fight? I suspect that - even today - if someone - absconds with what's yours - your going to use every means possible - to keep them from doing that.
You have answered your own question when you include the word "Written". Yes, the Torah was written. That's is the most important thing to know about it. To understand it fully, you need to know who wrote it and why.
Don't get me wrong... I think that the book is a treasure.
What you say about property is detached from reality. Throughout time, humans have moved from place to place; sometimes because they were unjustly forced to move. Jews who now live in North America left behind what they had and are now "squatters" on someone else's ancient land.
Don't we all have a right to find a place where we can live in peace? Don't we all have an obligation to share our place with those who do not have one?
ADS - IF - you believe that the Torah was WRITTEN - and you've ACTUALLY studied it. You should KNOW THAT - 3500 YEARS AGO - G-D - TOLD MOSES - TO WRITE THE TORAH - LETTER FOR LETTER - WORD FOR WORD. MOSES - DIDN'T ALTER WHAT HE WROTE. IN THE WRITTEN TORAH - G-D - CLEARLY DEFINED - WHO HE GAVE THE LAND TO. TO ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS - FOREVER. IN THE WRITTEN TORAH - G-D ALSO SAID - ONLY THE JEWS AND "CONVERTS" CAN LIVE IN CANAAN/ISRAEL. HE ALSO TOLD US - IF WE FAILED TO KEEP - HIS COMMANDMENTS - HE WOULD PUNISH US - AND SEND US AMONG THE NON-JEWISH LANDS. SO - YES - JEWS - LIVE IN NORTH AMERICA. G-D ALSO TOLD US - HE WILL RESTORE THIS LAND TO US - REGARDLESS OF WHAT THOSE WHO HATE US SAY - BY DENYING G-D'S WORD & AUTHORITY!
What a thoughtful and helpful article. I think more discussions like this should happen and maybe they could be filmed.
It is time to call a spade a spade. For absurd reasons, our people tend to be bleeding hearts for every progressive cause going.
You will all have to read between the lines to get what I mean as if I say it plainly, this comment will be removed.
It is absurd that you can't be bluntly Jewish on a Jewish site.
To fight antisemitism, we must first remove the woke mind virus that infects American Jewish culture, institutions and academics.
Sorry for this brazen lack of political correctness but it needs saying.Since 7 Oct I've very belatedly come to realize the Liberal Progressives- or whatever the Jews who like to assimilate and embrace every peculiar belief other than G-ds law and live like none Jews but expect to be respected and accepted by Jews are called-are an embarrassment to the Jewish people.Far from being the culturally aware educated segment of our people I thought they might be I'm disappointed to say I find them weak,naive and small minded.
In short,as they say "Stand for something or fall for everything".
That requires the understanding that Jewish children should set their minds on uncool schools. The cool schools are the most dangerous for Jewish thoughts, minds and bodies b
I think most Jews do not like what is happening in Gaza. The problem is they are shooting at us. Either we do what is being done now or let them kill us. If there is a better answer let's hear it. How many cease fires have there been with Hamas. All they do is rearm and start shooting again. Israel's job, as is with any country , is to protect their citizens.
And I have a question for the progressives. Why is no one mentioning the fact that Israel civilians are being shot at from Lebanon? Why are the progressives silent, as well as the rest of the world.
YES!!!
Why haven't their parents & grandparents educated them? I'm sure the young Jews in Britain understand
Because of your progressive liberalism, you have raised a generation that hates themselves. It turns out that teaching your children that White = bad and black/brown = good can pose a problem for your own future when your children are in fact not black or brown.
It was never a problem when you were doing it to those evil gentile Whites, but it's like you never considered that these insane teachings would come back to bite YOU.
What a shame. Let me know how it works out for you, but given the opinion of nearly every non-white ethnic group on the planet when it comes to jews - I don't think I need to guess.
These insanities are not believed, advocated for nor taught to religious Jewish children. On the contrary, those of us who hold the faith are very conservative, strongly hold family values dear and look with astonishment at the obviously self-destructive embrace of insane progressive ideas by the general society. These mores are absolutely antithetical to Torah teachings and (though the younger people don't see it yet) are leading straight to fascism. Any Jews involved in promulgating these idiocies do so because they have no true Jewish education or values and no connection to our mission and heritage of wisdom.
You can't say that about all non-white ethnic groups.
The Dharmics, (Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains), comprise more than 3 billion people and have no history of anti-semitism.
Once this war is over, both Israel and worldwide Jewry will consciously have to pivot away from Europe and America, and their anti-semitism that we have all seen and pivot towards the Dharmic World, (India, China and South East Asia).
Friends and allies are out there and we must cultivate them.
It is the parents' fault for not imparting Jewish beliefs, faith and knowledge to their own children.
What the heck is wrong with liberal Jewish parents?
It's enough to make you despair.
This is a great story. I am a liberal Orthodox woman. When I bring up the plight of young children in Gaza, it’s out of simple humanity. And while many women deplore Iran’s dress code for women, few people are noting that we do not see Gazan women without hijab. Any woman who chooses religious covering, be it hijab or sheitel, should be permitted to do so. But when every woman in Gaza wears it, I question whether it is a personal religious choice or a rule imposed on half the population.
Being religious Liberal etc you might be wondering about the head coverings in Gaza.That's possinly bc you guys are busy being tolerant and compassionate, believing we all want peace and whatever else you spend your time on.The rest of us are well aware its a terror regime and not religious choice- we don't have an issue calling a spade a spade.
Apols.It's 'Orthodox Liberal' not 'religious'... G-d forbid.
Alan Dershowitz has many books and also a podcast that’s extremely educational. He’s a progressive who has worked with all recent presidents and talks with Bebe frequently. He understands the issues that are fueling antisemitism in our colleges and universities. A Harvard law professor himself he is qualified and fair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRRDr1Q4KfE
This article blatantly shows that - as our leaders before - the author STILL DIDN'T TEACH - the progressive - uneducated - Jewish young people - WHY - they have such misunderstanding of the issues of their HERITAGE - and a problem with OUR ENEMIES. NOT ONE MENTION WAS MADE - of the COVENANT THAT G-D - made with ABRAHAM 4000 years ago - that his descendants - the Jewish Nation PEOPLE - CONVERTS - would INHERIT THE WHOLE OF THE LAND OF CANAAN - FOREVER! 3500 YEARS ago - G-D CONFIRMED this - through HIS WRITTEN TORAH! It also explains - how WE JEWS - are to protect this land - and prevent - NON-JEWS (except for Converts) from claiming any owner ship of this land.That WE'VE HAD A PRESENCE HERE - for 4000 years - WE'RE NOT NEWCOMER OCCUPIER SETTLERS.
Except that didn't happen did it?
Bob - your statement - alludes to too many possible misunderstandings of what you meant. Please CLARIFY your statement.
The expression "let a sleeping dog lie" comes to mind and is suitable here in at least two ways!
https://youtu.be/SB42YjUNCZU?t=284
Ummm.Hello? They can't just take the land!! Its only if the Jews keep Their part of the agreement and I'm sorry but we ain't.
Look around you.
If you can even tell who's a Jew sometimes.
The phrase “Palestinian civilians” is sadly a misnomer when referring to the evil that is Hamas. The image of the terrorist informing his overjoyed “civilian” parents that he has killed 10 yahud needs to be emphasised again and again with these young progressives. Because that is the reality on the ground.
How many Palestinians were killed when Israel was established?
You're "asking" the wrong question! It was the Arabs who declared war on the legally established state.
What vote did the Arabs have on the "legally" established state on their land?
Arabs were part of the UN and they all voted against the establishment of the State.
Note that you put the quotation marks in the wrong place; they belong around "their land" since the land was never theirs -- they just conveniently extended the already vast Arab presence in the Middle East by residing there, mostly in squalor, I might add.
Your self-hate makes you blind. Read your history. Most of the killings in Palestine were committed by your Arab terrorist friends. The Hebron massacre in 1929 was instigated by the grand mufti of Jerusalem, al Husseini. Dozens of yeshiva students and whole families were massacred. The same Husseini, went to Nazi Germany and had discussions with Goehring about what to do to Jews. When Goehring suggested that they should send them to Palestine, Husseini came up with this solution. Burn them.
If Israel commits genocide, how come and the Arabs in Israel and Gaza multiply? Is there an Arab country where there are free elections? Any country where there's opposition? Only in Israel Arab opposition parties participate in elections and have elected Arabs in the knesset.
Learn your history.
I don't hate myself, and I know my history. The Hebron Massacre involved less than 70 victims. How many victims resulted from the establishment of Israel?
I never wrote that Israel commits genocide. There aren't free elections in Israel, Gaza and W. Bank people can't vote.
How many massacres like the Hebron massacre the Jews committed in Palestine or Israel?
Do they have free elections in Gaza or the West Bank? Abbas won the elections 19 years ago and still didn't call for new elections, even though his term was for four years. In Gaza, in 2007 Hamas won the election, threw from rooftops to their death the PLO supporters and never hold elections again. In the apartheid state of Israel, Arabs participate in the elections.
You twist history, so you can support your distorted version of it. Your only purpose is to show that Israel is the villain, which is a lie.
Let's start with the establishment of Israel which led to the Israeli Arab war of 1948. Around 15,000 Palestinians were killed and 700,000 were removed from their homes.
Gaza and the West Bank can't vote in Israeli elections, even though Israel is an occupier of the land. Only Israeli Arabs can vote in Israeli elections.
I'm not twisting history, you just don't like facts which contradict your beliefs.
Bob - Do you believe in the G-D of the Written Torah? IF NOT - then your rationale - is understandable. HISTORICALLY - our version of history - is 4000 years old. HOW OLD IS YOUR VERSION/RATIONALE? When G-D had Moses write the Torah 3500 years ago. G-D did not give anyone - but the Jewish Nation People & Converts (NON-JEWS!) - any CHOICE OR RIGHTS to the WHOLE LAND OF CANAAN - HE - G-D - 500 years PRIOR - gave to Abraham and his descendants - FOREVER! WE - were to exclude Non-Jews from LIVING IN - OWNING - any of this land of CANAAN. SO HISTORICALLY - for 4000 YEARS - our HISTORICAL VERSION has been VALIDATED. Please note that - Non-Jews - can CHOOSE - TO CONVERT to Judaism and the Written Torah - KEEP G-D's Written Torah and Laws and BE SAFE!
well, very bluntly, Israel cannot have the people in Gaza and WB vote because they will vote in a government that is will kill every Jew in the country. Do you disagree with this projection? Just curious.
Your last statement--after the comma--is another perfect example of your words describing yourself!
You can't see that we've all had enough of your ridiculous comments.
Non-Jews who are humanistic have condemned Hamas, but so enamored are you with brutes that you haven't said a word about their atrocities; instead, you invent, twist or falsify "reasons" to further attack the victims!
People are addressing you as if you're Jewish because of the name you're using here, but if you are indeed a Jew (which is doubtful), you're a sorry excuse for one -- a real self-hating, bewildered and lost soul; nebach!
He says somewhere earlier 'they lied.I left'.Sounds like he was let down at some point and fell off the edge.
Citizens of israel vote in Israeli elections, citizens of the PA vote in Palestinian elections. Not hard. How did Hamas get elected?
But Israel isn’t an occupier. Israel turned Areas A and B over to full Palestinian rule in 1997, and kicked all the Jews out of Gaza, including the army, in 2005. Do you know why Gazan Jews can’t vote in Gazan elections? Because Jews aren’t allowed to live there.
Hi Bob, I hope this explanation helps.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-fYPVinQXA&pp=ygUNeW9zZXBoIGhhZGRhZA%3D%3D
He has many more videos explaining pretty much everything you have been discussing
There are free elections in Israel, where for example Arabs vote the Islamic conservative party Raam into the Knesset, under the admirable Mansour Abbas. There haven't been elections in 14 years in the territories, but you should take that up with the other Abbas.
In another one of your tirades, you said that Arabs never killed any Jews before 1948. How come here you know the number of the kedoshim of Hebron? You're a paid provocateur, your name isn't Applebaum, or your name, Jeff. You come on a website, which is Orthodox Jewish, to spew your hate against Jews, against Israel. Your goal, like that of your patrons and sponsors won't succeed. Israel will emerge victorious from this new threat against its existence.
No victims resulted from the establishment of Israel. A lot of victims resulted from the subsequent attack on Israel.
There are elections in Israel for all Israelis, and elections in Gaza and the West Bank for Palestinians voting for their own parliament in Ramallah.
Wrong question. They weren't invented yet.
Umm no, actually as a community we have not failed at all....or perhaps it depends Which community we are talking about.This has not happened in a vacuum! Someone somewhere along the line decided to largely abandon their heritage and this result is by design.These kids haven't gone to religious yeshiva schools so why would you expect them to have a religious perspective? Odd. You reap what you sew.
There is easier access than ever before in the history of mankind to info on any subject under the sun so its not like anyone can claim complete innocence in their ignorance in this day and and age.Sorry but not sorry, this one is not 'on the community'.
I never attended Jewish schools or camps, but my mother talked to me extensively about Israel and Jewish history, and what it means to be a Jew. She discussed antisemitism. Like much else in life, it's the parents. My college daughter called last month with a question about Israel and was open to what we told her because we already gave her the foundation. She knows that we're the "good guys," so it's easy for her to accept what we say and reject what they say.
Sure it's on the parents but I'm neither willing to homeschool my kids or send them to a school with conflicting opinions to their heritage to religious school it is.
This is a BRILLIANT article and great advice on how to have an actual productive conversation with the progressive left. In reality, these young people were not taught the importance of the truth of Elohim and the Torah. But to teach even these basics, we have to have open dialogue. Great job Rabbi Mathias with solid wisdom for ALL of us!
The reality is you can't have an actual productive conversation with the progressive left, because when facts are presented which conflict with your beliefs you will shutdown.
Not always. Depends how honest and intellectually courageous the person is.
An honest and intellectually courageous person would not be a conservative.
That's pure rubbish, which once again proves how close-minded you are!
I'm open minded, honest and intellectually courageous. I'm the opposite of a conservative.
😉👍
Sorry.
I got confused by your use of emojis.
Just saw how you've been criticising him throughout the thread.
Haha, you are 100% correc- I just found his comment very entertaining 😉
Clearly he was being sarcastic.
You're blind. A self-hating Jew. With not a single grain of remorse, about what happened October 7, the killings of innocent civilians, the rapes, the kidnappings. You only see Palestinian suffering, which is the result of the terrorists hiding among civilians. You think that if G-d forbid the Arabs prevail, they will spare you because you support them. To them, just like the Nazis before them, a Jew is a Jew. You and your progressive "Jewish friends" will be the first to be slaughtered.
I let others decide if you hate yourself or no. Israel and the Jews fight for their survival, with their back against the wall. 7 million against hundreds of millions of Arabs and Muslims who want to exterminate them. When you side with the tormentors, the killers of your people, the ones who want to annihilate you, what are you?
Keep living your dream. Your terrorist friends of today, will wake you up, when they come after you, because to them you're still a Jew
I'm a human who knows tribalism when he sees it. The Palestinians think they are fighting for their survival too.
Funny how tribalism works, other than the fact many people die.
You are right, its why the Nazis killed us Jews we had no country, no army NEVER AGAIN
No dear.They did not kill us bc of that, there were pretty vicious and desperado Jewish resistance fighters
I see they're not religious but what Are the people from those kibbutzim- are they Liberal progressives etc??
What are they going to do now they've been proved completely wrong and peace and love do not conquer all?
Sure, and very humble too because you've hidden all these attributes that you claim as your own in EVERY . . . Single ...
COMMENT!
And handsome , generous and 6ft. tall?
check mate. You just branded yourself closeminded.
Congratulations, you've managed to confuse the sides yet again!
Your statement actually proves that there's no point trying to talk to someone like yourself.
That's a convenient way to shutdown the discussion. Which is what I said conservatives do. They always weasel out.
Let's all get a dictionary for this fellow because he constantly misuses words.
Mr. A, your narrow-minded tirade canNOT be called a discussion by any stretch of the imagination! Discussions are a two-way street, but you're traveling in the wrong direction on a one-way street.
Let’s stop labeling people and start listening to what they have to say.
Excellent article. As a former Hebrew/Religious school teacher, I know that the parents of these children know nothing about our history. It upsets me terribly. They do not have the same connection that we had growing up.
Too many are just DNA Jews only
Stop the Inter-faith activities which Progressive Rabbis host to introduce young Jews to Islam, and start teaching Jewish History and Zionism at the Temple Pesach seders and at every opportunity. It's also time for Reform Jews to accept that "People of the Book" means (a) that Jews are a people, and (b) that our communal survival requires at least some connection to Torah.
Restarting ...
Better to stop bashing Reform Judaism and start listening to Progressives, as the author describes. Also better to recognize that there are as many different kinds of Progressives and Reform Jews as there are Orthodox, including many of both who are very actively pro-Israel. I am Progressive and Reform, the father of two Progressives (one of them a Reform rabbi), a former synagogue officer and regular Torah study participant. My extended family includes secular, Conservative, Modern Orthodox, intermarried, converted/Jews-by-choice, and nobody that I know of who is anything less than a stalwart supporter of Israel. This is America. We walk among you. We will not be erased. Beware sinas chinam. Am Yisroel chai.
I find these progressives/reform/conservatives/intermarrieds and all the rest of the circus you described very entertaining.The Torah,Judaism and Jewish Law isn't something we can dress up,trim the edges off or change depending on our mood.You either keep it the way G-d asked you to or you are making a mockery and then dont cry when His word comes true.
This is not my opinion, just the way it is.
It says it all in black and white in the oldest book in the world.
Love you anyway 🇮🇱 ❤️
It's not sinas chinam to protect Torah-true Judaism from those who seek to "improve" it and make it more "relevant." Eternal Truth is always relevant; abridged "truths" are definitely not!
As it's Chanukah now, it's a good time to point out that Hellenized Jews were not the heroes of the day. Assimilationists leave the fold sooner or later; sadly, they erase themselves.
(This is rather off-topic, but it's important.)
Re the One Shared State solution, it should be pointed out that this was already offered and in fact was David Ben-Gurion’s preferred option. As with all other suggestions it was rejected by the radical Arab leadership.
Ben-Gurion supported the policy of partitioning Palestine into Jewish an and Arab areas, before Israel was established. He supported the establishment of Israel. Don't revise history.
If anyone is revising history, it's the "Palestinians" who have fabricated the fiction of Palestinian land, which never existed! You're willfully swallowing Arab propaganda and ignoring facts, both historical and current. For instance, no country in the world whose very existence is threatened would send warnings about retaliatory attacks into enemy territory!
And spare us from the accusation of "apartheid," which is laughable to those who live in Israel. Arabs are everywhere, in our institutions, employed in our stores, etc. -- and it was Arab employees in a local makolet who were responsible for the Har Nof massacre, which is but one example of their treachery.
For Israel to do better, we need humane gestures from (unholy) Muslim terrorists. Only antisemites will deny that!
The land obviously existed since the formation of the Earth. The name Palestine came from local Arab and Ottoman terminology for that piece of land, which was then used by the League of Nations in their Mandate for Palestine.
Israel's existence is not threatened by Hamas. Their best attack ever was like al-Qieda's best attack ever (9/11).
I never made any accusation of "apartheid".
I thought Palestina was the name the Romans gave Judea or/and Samaria.Wrong? Right?
It was the name the Romans used, but it wasn't the first use.
oh my gosh, you really DON'T KNOW YOUR HISTORY
The name palestine was given to the the land by the ROMANS. and if you think that israel's existence is not threatened by HAMAS, then you need to check in with a psychiatrist. You are seriously messed up
If anyone is revising history, it's the "Palestinians," but you're too full of their propaganda to think for yourself. Consider, for starters, that there has never been a Palestinian people. Acquaint yourself with real history, not Arab fiction! And more currently, admit that no nation fighting for its very existence sends warnings into enemy territory before retaliatory attacks!
Israel has repeatedly proven its humanitarianism, whereas unholy Muslims breed terrorists as a response.
We wish we could do even better, but only braindead antisemites could expect us to!
Palestine was the name used by Arabs and Ottoman's for that area of land. It was later used by the League of Nations.
When you establish a homestead on someone else's land, you should expect them to fight back, if they have the means. People who don't have the means can't fight back (Native Americans, Australian indeginious, Jews in Nazi ghettos, etc).
Hamas wouldn't have the means if not for funding from Iran.
First you need to find out whose land you're talking about! You ignore the fact that Jews have had a continuous presence in the land of Israel since biblical times, even after they were expelled. Arabs merely moved over from the vast Arab territory throughout the Middle East (and kept the land desolate, btw).
And anyway, Jews can't be equated with colonial settlers in the US because our small parcel of land was legally granted to us!
It's rather alarming that you apparently approve of the way Hamas operates!!
Whose land I'm talking about depends on the year in history. Just prior to WW1, it belonged to the Ottoman Empire. The Arabs living there helped the British and French beat the Ottomans and were promised the land in return. The Europeans did not keep their promise and helped establish Israel.
To the victors goes the spoils...including imposing a legal system.
The Europeans, in particular the British, made promises to everyone that they never intended to honour, so that is irrelevant.
May be irrelevant to you, but not to the Arabs who fought and sacrificed. That's why we have the current circumstances.
Actually in Ottoman documents I’ve seen the region was called “greater Syria”. The name “Palestine” was used by Europeans and spread to other cultures following European colonialism in those regions.
Yes, but where did the Europeans get the name "Palestine"? From the locals.
No, from Christian Rome. Look up the history of the Roman Empire, their conquest of Judea, the Emperor Constantine’s adoption of Christianity as the state religion of Rome and the consequent forcible spread of Christianity throughout Europe. The name given to conquered Judea by the victorious Romans spread together with Christianity; it was never a middle-eastern or Moslem name for the region until modern times. Go and learn!
The name originated much earlier than the Roman Empire. In the 5th century BCE the Greek philosopher Herodotus used the term. Before that it was Philistine, which is pretty similar.
I was responding to Barb who said there was no Palestinian people, which is obviously wrong. The Europeans of the League of Nations took the term Palestine from the locals, not Herodotus or the Roman Empire.
Thanks for proving my point: they called themselves Palestinians, and (as has already been mentioned elsewhere) the ancient Philistines were definitely NOT Arabs, so you're the one who's wrong!
So they called themselves Palestinians? So what? That's how they identified themselves. When one overlaps peoples over the centuries, it's too easy to draw black and white conclusions, when the reality is more grey. How does one define an Arab, a Semite, a Philistine, etc? The Philistines lived in what is now Palestine, and Palestine existed before Israel.
Ah, but so did the Jews.
And “Palestine” did not exist before Israel; Philistia and Israel co-existed in different parts of the region. This is confirmed by the archaeological record.
Given that there were 22 Arab states at the time of modern Israel’s establishment and that “Palestine” was not one of them, it can not be said that the Arabs were desperate for land nor that Israel “conquered” an existing state.
The only reason for the conflict is Moslem greed, even today. All else is excuses.
That doesn't make present-day Arabs historical Philistines, or for that matter Canaanites either.
The Philistines are not the same as the Arabs now calling themselves “Palestinians”. Ironically the “locals” who used that name were all Jews involved in the Return. Look at actual documents from that period and you will see that this is so.
Yes, after the Romans put down the Jewish revolt they renamed the Country Palestine, after the Greek name for "counry of the Philistines"or Phoenicians, whose cities were along the coast as they were seafarers. Nothing to do with Arabs who invaded in the 7th century from *Arabia*. Until the 60s, Arabs considered themselves Arabs, in the West Bank, they were Jordanians because Jordan annexed it in the War of Independence. The term "Palestinians" to mean the Arabs in what had been the British Mandate was invented by the KGB and first used in 1964, when the PLO was founded-when Jordan controlled the West Bank, btw.
Where would you like the Jews of Israel to go to?
Bravo, you've brilliantly pointed out Mr. B. A's problem so concisely -- and best of all (just like ordinary antisemites), he can't answer this one without stuttering over his foolish words!
You can't reason with a fanatic, a revisionist of history. He embraced a distorted truth, his and the terrorist's truth. Instead of trying to educate himself, he believes only what is convenient to him. A traitor to his race, is worse than the most fanatical Al Qaeda or Hamas terrorist. Because he hates himself. Just like Torquemada before, the great inquisitor, a converso, who tortured and burned thousands of Jews in Spain
I surely agree (as I've indicated several times), except that it's hard to believe a Jew could speak as he does -- yet there are certainly Jewish antisemites, always the worst kind.
Yes, of course, but it wasn’t his personal preference - if you believe his recorded comments.
You're stating it wasn't Ben Gurion's personal preference to establish Israel? "Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves, politically we are the aggressors..." DBG.
Initially like all the Jewish leaders he only considered the Return but he had many Arab acquaintances and once he realised there was a conflict of interests would have preferred consolidation to partition - perhaps because the available land was so limited.
"The Arabs will have to go, but one needs an opportune moment for making it happen, such as a war". DBG
That was after all attempts at compromise failed. When he realised that these Arabs are ruled by Moslem greed and hatred. And what’s more: now I agree with him.
"Anyone watching the images and footage coming from Gaza sees the humanitarian disaster that is happening there. To be bothered about it and want to do something about it is something to be admired, not condemned."
NO! Anyone watching and reading about Oct 7 should understand exactly why these actions are taking place - to destroy Hamas and effect the release of hostages. Israel is fighting for its very existence.
That's a gross exaggeration. Gaza is poor, but Hamas gets some money from Iran for weapons. Israel is relatively wealthy and still gets billions of dollars from the U.S., mostly for defense.
Gaza receives plenty of money from us. However, instead of helping the people they built tunnels and store weapons, etc. The people do not benefit from all the money which is received. Check your facts.
Gaza receives millions of dollars from the U.S. for humanitarian aid, but hundreds of millions from Iran to fight Israel. Israel receives billions of dollars of U.S. aid for defense. After October 7, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier to the region. Check your facts.
Gaza is poor because their hatred of Israel is so great that they destroyed the infrastructure which was handed to them when Israel (unfortunately, as it has turned out) pulled out of there. And Hamas doesn't merely get "some money" from Iran, but they use it all for weapons against Israel! Also,
Israel can never be wealthy enough to compete with the dirty money Hamas receives. Further, US $ for defense are a recognition that Israel faces grave danger from the Arab world. GET REAL!
Iran sends Hamas about $250M per year, and the U.S. sends Israel about $3B a year. After Oct 7, the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier naval group to the area.
Israel is wealthy enough to compete with Hamas, obviously. You have your agenda, though.
And you don't?!
Israel can NEVER compete with savages; it's simply not in our DNA, thank G-d!
The carrier was meant as a deterrent to the greater Arab threat; the US acknowledges what you refuse to see!! (Talk about agenda . . .)
Hamas killed about 1,200, Israel has killed about 11,000 and still continuing. Whose the savage depends on one's perspective.
Yes the carrier was meant to be a deterrent to the greater Arab threat. Israel is doing just fine bombing Gaza without support.
Indeed, we don't ask anyone to physically fight for us when we're attacked!
Sounds like you're thankful for the Oct. 7th massacre, which aligns you with the perpetrators of evil.
"Savage" refers to the way Hamas and other terrorists kill Jews in the most heinous, despicable manner -- quite different from the warnings Israel sends about an impending attack to supposed civilians who cheer their "heroes."
I'm not thankful for the Oct 7 massacre or for the ongoing massacre by Israel. But I don't lie about its origins. The warnings from Israel are ridiculous when they don't let anyone leave the area. Pretty savage.
You don't lie about the origin of the current situation because you CAN'T, and you have a cheering squad among the world's antisemites and terrorists at heart who choose to ignore current facts, historical records and anything else that shows you're barking up the wrong tree by willfully swallowing Arab propaganda!
Hamas committed a massacre; Israel's retaliation doesn't qualify as one, so stop equating the two. Check a dictionary before you spew your vitriol.
Bob - HERE again - you need to check YOUR FACTS! Do you get them from PRO HAMAS SOURCES? EVEN THOUGH ISRAEL gave HUMANITARIAN WARNINGS - AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. It was shown/VALIDATED that - HAMAS - has been - and IS PREVENTING THEIR OWN PEOPLE - FROM LEAVING & USING THEM - AS HUMAN SHIELDS - AS THEY'VE been doing before this latest TERRORIST ATTACK! It's also been shown that - Hamas uses most of the monies they receive - to line their pockets - and use the monies they receive to buy - and use what they need to construct tunnels - ARMS - ROCKETS - ETC., ETC., - to conduct TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL. Many Israeli VIDEOS - have shown - the EVIDENCE they've uncovered of Hamas's LIES.
What happened to you?
What made you hate your own people?
You would clap and cheer when Hamas kills your own people.
The naval carrier-do you mean the R Ford thing?- wasn't a gift to Israel.
It was in response to October 7 in support of Israel.
The UNRWA, which deals exclusively with Palestinians, has spent over 13 BILLION dollars in the past 10 years. The unrwa budget makes up nearly half of the yearly un budget. Gaza isn’t underfunded, and it definitely shouldn’t be poor at that rate.
True, but people are suffering and even if they deserve to it’s not easy to watch for decent folk. Also we don’t want to be as cruel as the Palestinians and that means considering the needs of those displaced.
I hope someone is thinking ahead to their relocation as given that they chose Hamas I can’t feel easy thinking about their returning to Gaza and rebuilding their terrorist organization - which unfortunately is all too likely.
Are you serious? They chose hamas which means they WANT to kill you and me yet you are worrying about their housing needs? Something off here.Theres a time and place and I really don't think now is the time for Jews to worry about the people who want us dead my dear.
Odd and contradictory, true, but on one level I am as angry FOR the Palestinians as I am AT them - because viewed historically they are the victims of one of the worst fraud-and-manipulation schemes ever perpetrated in history; and the perpetrators were the collective leaders of the Arab world: the Arab League; who now no longer needing them have abandoned them.
Which doesn’t erase the fact that the majority embraced the scheme willingly, but it’s infuriating to know that this entire decades-long conflict could have been avoided had the Arab leaders been LESS GREEDY.
They have somewhere around 48 Muslim states they could go and seek asylum on....surely.Whatever happened to the Muslim Brotherhood? But no, even THEY don't want them.So let's be honest, forget all the rhetoric.No land will ever be enough for these bloodthirsty demons.
It's not about land.They just want Jews dead.
Ridiculous. They want what they think is rightfully theirs, just like everyone else. They didn't kill Jews prior to Israel.
Ridiculous? Liar. What happened in Hebron in 1939? In a previous answer you said that only 70 Jews were massacred? 70 yeshiva students, families with children. just like October 7. They stopped at 70 because the British Army was able to stop the massacre. So, they did kill Jews before Israel. Your efforts to show that Israel is responsible for all wrongs of the region, and your terrorists friends are the vistims, can only convince ignorant, naive people like you
You said you can read.Go check up ....let's see...how about 1929 The Chevron Massacre.See? That word again.And that was 19 years prior to the State of Israel.Or are you goi g to say if there was no state they were not Israelis? OK.But they were Jews who lived in the area that became Israel.
Oh whoops I see soterios vrontis got there before me!
Anyway you can spew anti Israel propaganda till the cows come home but how about the bits and pieces the IAA keep finding proving there was aJewish presence in Israel long before the Palestinians took up squatters right.Read up!
That should put the tin lid on it.
Correct, very sadly.
lachouma
I agree with this article 100%.
I think Jewish parents bear a responsibility in educating their Jewish children.
The other responsibility lies in public schools and universities educating the non-Jews about Israel’s history/ Holocaust/Middle East Studies, etc.
Challenging opinions of freedom fighters may be difficult with the existence of already published reports that label Israel as an oppressor, creating,, “an apartheid state” and as “ occupiers” of Palestinian land. Read in Amnesty International and Human Rights watch, for the depiction of Israel as an oppressor.
I think a large presence of pro Israel or pro Jewish themes in social media is critical. Social media is not going away much like when cars replaced the horse and buggy. Learning to work with it is key.
Doesn’t even have to be “pro” - just factual!
I think you are right about the parents' responsibility to provide an authentic Jewish education. Relying on the public schools is naive at best and willfully blind at worst. If parents conduct their home life with abundant reference to Jewish holidays, history, values, Biblical roots, etc., then their children will have a positive identity to carry with them in all circumstances.
But if the family acts more American / Western / liberal than Jewish, it would be foolish to rely on others, outsiders, to provide the children with a deep appreciation of their own national values. Public schools are, by definition, supposed to give everyone a smattering of understanding of every ethnic /racial / religious group (speaking as a Social Science teacher of 4 decades +). Try a Jewish school!
I did. They lied. I left.
Your loss.
Try a Torah-true education for a change -- without pre-conceived notions of your own version of Truth.
When you oppress people, the oppressed will eventually fight back. Israel oppressed the people in Gaza, they fought back as expected, and now Israel is obliterating Gaza, also expected. And so it goes.
Israel completely left Gaza in 2005 - pulling out all of their military presence and 8000 civilians. They gave the Palestinians the keys to run their own society. That is oppression? And even if one believes there is oppression - there are many oppressed people in the world - look at Tibetans, Kurds, and Native Americans. None of them are raping and murdering women, shooting babies, decapitating people, etc.
The fallacy of cherrypicking. Israel left Gaza but retained control of people and goods entering and leaving. Gaza is often described as an open air prison with high unemployment, lack of medical care, high population density, etc. Many people have committed atrocities. Stop cherry picking.
Israel only checks to cut down on weapons that will certainly be used against Israeli civilians - 07 October was reported but daily attacks are not. Any other restrictions are imposed by Hamas.
That is simply factually wrong.
What Dvirah said is on the record whereas your comment is wishful thinking, in keeping with your militant stance -- pro-Hamas and anti-Israel. Spare us by denying that, please. (BTW, I mentioned the false accusation of apartheid before only because it seemed that's where you were going next; we're onto your venom, Mr. Applebaum -- if that's really your name.)
No, it's not on any official, appointed human rights organizations' record. It is a lie. I'm not pro-Hamas and anti-Israel, that's another lie. I am pro-human, and when humans hurt other humans, expect retaliation. It's tribalism, been going on for millennia.
Just listen to what you're saying: Since Hamas attacked Israel in an undeniably brutal way, according to your view, it's to be expected that Israel would retaliate -- though of course, they still had the decency to warn any so-called innocents.
So why is it that you make no mention of Hamas' inhumanity but only condemn Israel when she exercises her right to self-defense! (That was a rhetorical question, of course.)
Do you live in Israel? If you don’t you can’t know what really happens. My “facts” are actually experiencing life in Israel. And yours?
No. It's absurdly fallacious to think you have to live somewhere to know what is happening there. Did you know Hamas was going to attack even though you live in Israel??
That was below the belt. No one is claiming prophecy, just knowledge of what goes on from day to day.
You're apparently getting your "facts" from very "objective" sources like the BBC, CNN, the Guardian and other vicious leftists of their ilk.
Your knowledge is subject to cognitive errors and is considered anecdotal evidence. It has little value. If the BBC, CNN or the Guardian state anything wrong, sue them. Fox News was sued for over a billion and lost. Of course, they're right wing liars.
Going back to the source of your problem, (and as you must know but purposely overlook) there's archaeological evidence of Jewish presence in the land long before Arabs staked a claim to it, but of course they do everything in their power to disrupt the digs.
Finally found something level-headed people can agree with you about -- that the media is unreliable, and the ultra-left wing of it in particular (i.e., most of it) is so predictably biased against Israel that Jews could be kept busy suing them daily!
BTW, you haven't said a single thing of value in your venomous ranting, nor have you cited real proof of your biased false claims.
This self-hating Jew is in a sacred, to him, mission. To portray Israel as the source of all evil. He tries to justify all the killings, all terrorism acts before and during October 7. There are no worse people in history, than traitors to their own people. He lives to justify and glorify the enemies of his people.
Absolutely. And he has the gall to disparage provable points while all he does is go on and on with his vicious attack that's based purely on shameless lies (not necessarily his).
He also accuses others of his own failings! Pathetic.
Yes, because they attack continuously. Did I know the exact timing and extent - no, but we always know the next one is coming.
Again, your media hides many things from you because of its anti-Jew agenda.
Until the Arab leaders mature enough to grant nonMoslems right of existence, the terror will never end. And it threatens not only Israel, not only Jews, but everyone except the radical Moslems who support it.
And people from Gaza come into Israel for important health care. It is uneducated people such as you who keep these fallacies going.
Sorry, there are unbiased observers on the ground from the U.N., the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch, and many other organizations who see first hand what is going on.
The aforementioned agencies are UNBIASED? What planet do you live on? How much effort has the Red Cross made to visit the Israelis held hostage? Do you ever listen to any of these organisations reports? 🤣
Gaza is being actively bombed by Israel. If they stopped bombing and allowed humanitarian aid, the Red Cross could do their job. I live on Earth. The agencies are as unbiased as possible. I read reports I don't listen to them.
If there were an offer of humanitarian aid, Israel would certainly do whatever it takes to get it. Problem is that Hamas wouldn't stop sending missiles.
You're circular reasoning is going nowhere fast!
Then it's time you began reading between the lines and listening to reports.Too many aid trucks have reached the Gazans already.Gaza has no right to be relying on aid which they do at the best of times.Those squatters are camping on an absolutely beautiful stretch of coast which should be used to rake in millions from the tourist industry, not to mention the South which while under Israeli leadership yielded millions in exported fruit, vegetables and flowers.Until your pals the Gazans got their dirty hands on it.And behold: dust to dust... ashes to ashes.Within days millions of dollars of greenhouses,land,property and equipment was lying in ruins.So these demons don't want land.Theyre happy to live on handouts as long as they can cry victim and unleash their age oldhatred and spill Jewishb
Fill in the missing word yourself.And I suspect your name is Andrew Tate judging by the views you espouse.
See, again you don’t have the facts. Humanitarian aid is being provided unceasing even as the fighting continues. The care of noncombatants is included in the overall Israeli strategy, as is strict adherence to international law. Can’t say that for Hamas.
And lie about it due to anti-Israel, usually also antisemitic agendas. Lots of times the news and/or reports diverge from what participants actually experienced - and always to Israel’s detriment.
Really? So they didn't report the Hamas attack?
One horrendous attack, but we experience attacks everyday. Just not on a scale large enough to interest your media.
Now you have us laughing -- citing the UN & HRW as unbiased!
Do you have evidence they're unbiased? Please provide. HA!
Poor thing; it seems that chasing your tail has gotten you a bit confused!
They use the same tactics you do: whenever Israel is attacked, they react one of two ways -- either they respond in deafening silence, or they make a mealy-mouthed statement about the tragic situation on both sides, thereby apparently thinking they've brilliantly equated the civilian victims with the terrorist perpetrators. But they couldn't do the latter this time (thanks to Hamas' own videos), so you're trying to make up for it -- but you're failing miserably.
Have you provided your sources even once in your blatantly aggressive and ill-reasoned eruption of a heap of vilifying and erroneously simplifying garbage?
If you actually articulate coherently your position thoroughly, with your own sources, some of us will likely be able to engage honestly on equal terms of rational and evidence-based rigour, with the requisite analysis of sources and paradigm to make something more useful than your your deficient, exclamatory assertions of knowing apparently more about everything than everyone here.
On the basis of evidence in this comments section, honesty it seems a troll strategy that has been applied by BA.
He reads reports he doesn't listen to them.Possibly he's dyslexic and he's mixing up the words.
What about Gaza's border with Egypt? Israel doesn't control that, do they?
No. You should know that.
That was snide & inappropriate. The author was responding to the tone of your comments (in case you didn't get it).
Gazans are allowed to immigrate to any country that will accept them. The silence, particularly from their fellow Muslims, has been deafening.
People are nuts.You can bring a horse to the water but you can't force it to drink.There's also no point flogging a dead horse.All this talk about Israel for the Jews etc is lovely but it clearly states that if those same Jews don't keep G-ds Laws terrible things happen.So while this is politically incorrect let's just be clear: If you don't deserve the Land, it gets taken away.Very few Jews keep G-ds Laws as we are supposed to, few Jews dress and behave like Jews..why do we think we deserve our own land? So much Chutzpa.
Israel oppressed the people of Gaza? The people of Gaza elected Hamas which burned down the houses and hot houses left for them when Israel pulled all Jews out of Gaza in 2005, and 10 minutes later Hamas started firing rockets at Israel. And you? What would you do when your neighbor, 100 yards away, fires rockets at your house? You would welcome them with humus and flowers?
If I established a homestead on my neighbors land and forced my neighbor into a ghetto, I would not expect him to offer me humus and flowers.
Ghetto.Have you seen the pictures of the Rimal neighborhood in the 'open air concentration camp 'which was Gaza? Suffice to say I wish I lived in an 'open air concentration camp' like that.
The fallacy of cherrypicking.
Yes - YOUR cherrypicking. It doesn’t bother you that Israelis are also forced from their homes, etc. Only unlike our enemies we help each other. We don’t pick fights and whine for pity when our targets fight back. The Gazans have plenty of resources but choose to put them all into a terrorist infrastructure they embedded deeply into all of their communities, institutions and culture. To make hatred and destruction the keynote of their education and lifestyle. Now they must pay the price for those choices.
With that, I can feel for the displaced - but not at the cost of our children, country and future.
Don't pick fights? What about the Israeli Dec of Independence?
So…bottom line, Jews have no right to their own country and probably no right to even be alive, certainly not to defend those lives: conclusion from the totality of your comments and especially this one.
If that’s what you truly believe you are one of the haters and clearly no evidence to the contrary will sway you. All else is excuses. Bad-bye.
There you go again! It was your beloved UN that voted to establish the State of Israel on a sliver of land surrounded by enemies. The Arabs were offered a bigger piece of the pie but disdained it, and instead of their kinsmen coming to their aid when they were defeated in the war THEY started ('48), they were mercilessly left in refugee camps as a political vantage point for the Arab world to use to their advantage.
C'mon, even you must know this!
Not exactly the Jewish way of accommodating their brethren in dire straits.
Your ignorance is astounding. Do you know how many people from Gaza come into Israel daily to work - as just one example?
In 2022, the number of work permits for Gazans was 17,000. Do you know how many people live in Gaza as just one example?
Who says one must employ murderous neighbors at all!
According to the reports I've read from your precious unbiased Red Cross, U.N etc out of the 2.2 million people living in Gaza approximately half are children.We all know the very moral muslim men have several wives....there must be a lot of elderly as Gazans have been on the strip camping out for 70 years now...so assuming neither the 1.1 million children are going into Israel daily for work,nor the many wives of each Muslim adult man nor the elderly or the jobless and poverty stricken I think we will agree Israel are pretty generous to let in such a large number of Gazans.The rest are irrelevant.
The war is not about oppression, It is a religious war. Certain Moslems cannot countenance that Jews have created a state and are thriving. Those Moslems, who, by the way, have no real connection to the land of Israel and can easily leave in the other Arab Moslem lands, will continue to fight since they think kicking the Jews out of Israel brings them to their heaven.
When Israel was established the Jews only represented about 10% of the population. It's about tribalism and land with religion used by each side to make that side feel like it is doing right.
That statement ignores Jewish history, Roman history, Arab history, Ottoman history, and European history. Your keys of tribalism, land, and religion are over simplifying, but if you do indeed respect the matters of land and tribe, where on earth do you find yourself located that you are not implicated in deriving your life and livelihood from land that every one of your ancestors have not had continuous control, let alone presence, for the last several thousand years? On matters of religion, some are comfortable with plurality of varying degrees, whereas others are adamant that everyone must conform, be subjugated, or die. Unfortunately both of the most populous religions in the world in their fundamental form are the latter and have specific histories and tenets against Jews especially.
jews were there before the arabs the l aqsa is build on the temple mount not the opposite
Any oppression in Gaza was perpetrated by their own people whom Gazans voted into power.How can Israel oppress another state in her absence? Ridiculous.
They fought back as expected, by killing and torturing civilians, raping women and taking even babies as hostages, which they trade for convicted terrorists. Keep supporting terrorists. As long as you're convenient to them, they will shower you with their friendship and admiration. But when they won't need you anymore, you'll become a Jew to them. You hate to admit it, but your friends see you as what you are, a Jew
Synthetic fruits of three generations of synthetic Judaism. We have definitely failed generations of assimilated Jews. They are literally the definition of what happens when you put a “stumbling block in front of the blind.” Thank you for doing this outreach . I pray that it’s not too late.
Why have 'we failed' them?? Haven't they failed themselves?! If they're still marrying within the faith surely someone somewhere in the family knows something and decided to drop the rest.
Great article Elliott. If anyone can go into the lion's den and connect with this group, it's you!! 🙂
Sad to see how unconnected these asheknazim have become
This is what happens when you Jewish minds get brainwashed by TikTok. Ban TikTok in your Home and Federally
Last generation of reform, progressives whathaveyou didn't have Tiktok so it probabley isn't that.
Thank you Mr. Mathais for this article. I am sending it to the New Hope Solebury School District which is a small public school district (1250 students ) in Pa. with a very small Jewish population. As I told the superintendent soon after Oct. 7, one barometer for learning about Holocaust# 2 must be articles in the next issue of the student newspaper, the LionsTale.
This is ignorance and blindness
Where are the parents who are too busy to teach their children?
Every time a Jew wants to join the opposition they are the first to be expelled and be killed. Our history is clear except to them
Spoiled and with no personal obligations to Judaism
BLAME THE DAMN PARENTS!!!!
Yes!! Blame the damn parents indeed👍
One of the best concise and meaningful articles I have read. I have passed it on to others.
Great article! Thank you! We need more like this to help reach our younger generation of Jews.
Dear Eliot Mathias, I give you kudos for reaching out to this group of young people the way you have done. I am older than these students and sadly I was not well educated either regarding Israel's history. I making up for lost time every day. thank you for being one of my instructors!