Reformed Are Jews?

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  • #1552622
    icemelter
    Participant

    Regarding kol Yisrael areivim ze ba ze, does this include Liberal jews,reform jews, conservative jews(not politically), jews by name only, who are so distant from Judaism and who are even proactively against it and have less pride in their Judaism than goyim? How can we be responsible for “jews” who hate their culture,religion, and roots or who are so distant that they have practically nothing to do with judaism? They intermarry, believe in intermarriage, have a goyish culture and values, etc.
    I am not saying that I blame anyone for their upbringing or the family in which they were born to. But its such an issue that it seems out of control. There are so many Jews in America (and the world) in which only a tiny fraction are actually frum. From hollywood producers,actors,corporate business, politicians, or any other average marty or barbara, how is it even fair to be held accountable when these people are just so out of reach?

    It is a real shame how many Jews we lost and are constantly losing due to intermarriages and abandonment of Judaism. Is there anything we can do to help this matter? I know we all have what to work on ourselves and our “frumkeit” before challenging others, but thats not what this is about. The fact that we are “ערבים זה בזה” means that we do need to care and try to help better each other.

    It is no secret that most jews are liberals and also involved in many things that cause a massive chilul Hashem. But its almost as if we dont count them as jews since they are so far from the Mainstream Orthodox Jewish values that it seems impossible to knock any sense into them. They speak out against Jews and against Israel (whether its right or wrong), its just very difficult to feel as if they are part of us.
    Can anything be done?

    #1552737
    👑RebYidd23
    Participant

    Maybe if we start realizing that Republicans and Democrats both do not represent Torah values, political differences won’t matter as much.

    #1552875
    1
    Participant

    Some are literally non-jew because they amd their parents marry non-jews. Some have a status of a non-jew. There’s nothing to be done about them. If they had full control of the US govt, yeshivas would be banned. Their religion is to be far left

    #1552878
    1
    Participant

    כל ישראל ערבים זה לזה. When your friends keep the Torah.

    #1552885
    Joseph
    Participant

    It only applies to Torah observant Jews.

    #1552890
    Reb Eliezer
    Participant

    Maybe we have a responsibility to daven for them to see the light אתה חונן לאדם דעת.

    #1552896
    Reb Eliezer
    Participant

    Davening only applies if they are a תנוק שנשבה, captured in their youth coming from a reformed family. My mother came from such a family and my father changed her becoming G-d fearing and G-d trusting.

    #1552922
    1
    Participant

    We say both “השבינו אבינו לתורתיך” and “ולמלשינים אל תהי תקווה וכל הרשעה כרגע יאבדו.

    #1552963
    icemelter
    Participant

    @1-ya but don’t we also say kol yisrael yesh lahem chelek? Also can a yid be a rasha? In their core essence?

    #1552965
    jakob
    Participant

    “It is a real shame how many Jews we lost and are constantly losing due to intermarriages and abandonment of Judaism.”

    You can thank your Jewish brother Mark Zuckerberg owner of Facebook who has caused thousands upon thousands of intermarriages and divorces

    #1552952
    icemelter
    Participant

    @mods-just to put it out there, my title was simply “Jews?”
    Not reformed are Jews? Not sure why it was changed but whatever no big deal I guess.

    Rebyid-“Maybe if we start realizing that Republicans and Democrats both do not represent Torah values, political differences won’t matter as much.”

    – it’s not about the political affiliation it’s what they stand for and their general principles.

    Areivim only counts for frum Jews? So where do you draw the line between a severe OTD or just a simple Jew who doesn’t know much but maybe keeps a tiny percent of the religion?
    Probably we should daven for them, and when I say them I’m not just talking about reform Jews, that was not my original title, I mean anyone who is Jewish and seemingly not connected at all. For example many actors and actresses who are jews by name only in which almost 100% of the cases marry goyim which is such a shame. You can’t really blame them that is the world they are in and it makes no difference to them whether it’s a yid or not, but it’s painful to know that it’s the case and there is just not much that can be done about it but weep and daven. That goes for the majority of non frum Jews in America (mainly) and in the world as well. They see no benefit or difference in marrying a Yid or in fact would rather not marry a yid since they are usually ashamed of their Judaism. To be honest it seems that there’s a better chance of Jews being at least traditional outside of the USA rather than those who reside here.

    When we say that if klal yisrael would keep 2 shabbosim then Moshiach would come, or anything else that is connected with klal yisrael as a whole, teshuva etc. are we only counting the 15-20% who are frum? Because any other scenario than that is just not realistic at all.

    #1552956
    akuperma
    Participant

    A fairly high percentage of non-Orthodox Jews are actually goyim with Jewish ancestors. While there might have gotten them in trouble with the Nazis, from our perspective they are 100% goyim. Since it has been over two centuries since the non-Torah movements in Judaism began, we should be dubious of the yichus (meaning in this case, “Jewishness”) of any non-Orthodox Jews and regard them as safek Jews (meaning that while we can’t ask them to do work for us on Shabbos, we don’t want them touching non-mevulshal wine, etc.; while we should feel obligatged to bury them, we wouldn’t want our kids to marry their kids). There are also shailohs since many hold that their marriages were valid, but their divorces weren’t, and children of remarriages are mamzerim.

    Of course if they do Tseuvah, being safek goy, safek mamzer is not so bad, since they can quickly and easily convert and rejoin klal Yisrael.

    #1553036
    icemelter
    Participant

    Akuperma”A fairly high percentage of non-Orthodox Jews are actually goyim with Jewish ancestors”
    -really there’s no way you can be certain of that or even assume. Technically you can say the same about frum Jews who might not have been Jewish a few generations ago. There’s no way to know for sure. Aside from displaying the 3 characteristics that define a Yid, you are very limited as to how far back you can trace any Jewish connection.

    ” There are also shailohs since many hold that their marriages were valid, but their divorces weren’t, and children of remarriages are mamzerim.”

    – again can’t that be the case with anyone? Who knows what happened down the line?

    What’s regarding the conservative Jews? Are they just Yidden that went off the derech so to speak or a consequence of the haskala movement? Is being conservative better than reform or is it essentially the same thing as both are digressions of the correct path?

    “A fairly high percentage of non-Orthodox Jews are actually goyim with Jewish ancestors.”

    -Are you putting non frum Jews in the same category as reform? Reform is an actual belief and accept non Jews while being traditional does not mean you believe in the reform ways most likely they believe in the orthodox way of doing things except they aren’t observant.

    #1553040
    TGIShabbos
    Participant

    I taught this past year at a Reform Temple and won’t continue. I can compromise all the energy I have to try to be “neutral” with their ways and understandings of Judaism, but it truly became impossible. First, (as some others here pointed out) several students were not Jewish (because of an non-Jewish mother)- so they wouldn’t even be allowed alone in a room with a non-mevushal bottle of wine. Second, I kept my politics to my self, but EVERYTHING about that Reform Temple and their clergy is about politics- one way or another. Whether it’s regarding feminism (even though I found it discriminatory that their Temple’s “Rabbi”, Cantor, president, and school leadership were all women, with not one male), or opening our homes and our lives to the disadvantaged one (LGBTQ) and fully open borders (since we were once slaves in Egypt), and being “fair” to Israel and the Palestinians. I’m still not sure how since Yosef Avinu was a stranger in the land, why we must open our homes for LGBTQ non-documented immigrants? Many students told me that religion is something nice to believe in and something to study as an academia, but they don’t believe in the Torah or in a G-D. Third, their entire fiber is falling apart, regarding their school enrollment numbers, their membership, their donations, etc. They blame the low school enrollment on social media and cellphones (but somehow neighboring Frum shuls and yeshivas in neighboring Bergen Co are excelling).

    Concluding, I don’t believe they have a future, I don’t believe they are or want to be part of what Judaism has to offer.

    #1553361
    DovidBT
    Participant

    There’s a book that addresses this very question: “One People? : Tradition, Modernity, and Jewish Unity”, by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

    Although he’s an intelligent, well-educated orthodox Jew and Rabbi, his writing style is verbose and hard for me to understand, so I can’t state exactly what his conclusions are. But he seems to be in favor of inclusion, as opposed to exclusion or pluralism.

    #1553368
    akuperma
    Participant

    For example, look at the book “Our crowd” written by a secular Jew totally uninterested in halacha. The book has a totally unrelated purpose, And then check how many of the families mentioned (who came to the United States before the American Civil War) were intermarried. Furthermore, due to the American custom of women adopting the husband’s surname, it means that the people with “Jewish” names are the least likely to be Jewish.

    Among Eastern European Jews, the movement towards assimilation began only in the late 19th century, so it is easier to trace.

    How many “Reform” Jews are motivated by ideology is questionable. In a typical Reform “Temple” there is a small inner-circle of ideological “Reform”, and a large number of “twice-a-year” types whose motivation is a desire to have an unburdened Jewish affiliation. If you do not county the nominal Reform as part of Reform, i.e. base the estimate of who is a non-assimilated Jew on who engages in some form of Jewish religious life on a daily basis, then instead of Reform and Conservative dominating American Jewry (the conventional analysis based on synagogue memebers and “high holiday” attendance) you end up with Orthodox Jews (all of whom engage in “Jewish” activities daily even if only making a bracha or wearing distinctive clothes) as the overwhelming majority of American Jews.

    Most non-Orthodox Jews in America perceive themselves as Americans and have little interest or knowledge of Yiddishkeit. From all perspectives, political, social, ecnomical and increasingly genetic, they are a distinct people from the frum community. The split is largely complete. Asking what to do about assimilation today makes no more sense that asking what to do about the holocaust — it’s done, it’s over, its history, and we need to live with the consequences.

    #1553378
    icemelter
    Participant

    TGI-“Concluding, I don’t believe they have a future, I don’t believe they are or want to be part of what Judaism has to offer. ”
    -Its interesting though how they have lasted for so long and how far back they go. They do have a lot of money within their communities I guess thats the only thing keeping them up since I’m pretty sure its not their Torah values.

    ” Many students told me that religion is something nice to believe in and something to study as an academia, but they don’t believe in the Torah or in a G-D. ”
    -Its interesting when people say Judaism and Jewish works are nice to study as academia but they dont believe in the religion, when all the Jewish works by great Rabbis are based on pure belief from generation to generation. So how can they believe someones work which is based on belief but also not believe in it? Probably they never thought of it that way.

    #1553379
    DovidBT
    Participant

    Concluding, I don’t believe they [the Reform movement] have a future, I don’t believe they are or want to be part of what Judaism has to offer.

    On the contrary, they will probably survive because they “evolve” to match whatever their membership want. It’s called “leading from behind”.

    #1553380
    icemelter
    Participant

    Akuperma-“Furthermore, due to the American custom of women adopting the husband’s surname, it means that the people with “Jewish” names are the least likely to be Jewish. ”
    -I get what your saying by not to assume someone with a (very) Jewish name to automatically be jewish but why would they be the least likely to be jewish? Many Jews also have Jewish last names.
    I guess your speaking of women in particular since most likely a jewish non orthodox woman would marry a non jew resulting in a non jewish last name, while it isnt likely that she would marry a Jew therefore the woman who did marry a Jew and isnt Jewish, inherited the Jewish last name. But that system isnt fool proof and might only work for one generation since who knows if some of the children might marry Jewish.

    “Among Eastern European Jews, the movement towards assimilation began only in the late 19th century, so it is easier to trace. ”
    -Are you saying there was no chance of any assimilation before that time?

    ” Asking what to do about assimilation today makes no more sense that asking what to do about the holocaust — it’s done, it’s over, its history, and we need to live with the consequences.”
    -Not exactly since this is a different generation and this isnt exactly something that is “over with” it is something that is “ongoing”. The source of it is historic yes, but the result is playing out in the present times in which we live in and it must be stopped since it is the biggest threat to the Jewish people. The problem is there might not be a natural way of stopping this problem.

    But again the question is does Areivim apply in this case in regards to all the “Yidden” on the totally wrong path? Other than the chilul Hashem and confusion they cause are we responsible or held accountable for their actions since they are Yidden as well? When you look at the Eirev rav that left Mitzrayim with Bnei Yisrael, most of the problems that we suffered were a result of their actions. Is this the same case?

    #1553406
    CTRebbe
    Participant

    Of course there is a lot that we can do! Step one is to not post ridicoulos discussion such as these for all the world to see. If you have ever spoken to non-frum Jews (i suspect many commenters here have not) you will hear a major fallacy circulated that frum Jews do not consider them Jewish. If you actually believe this (like that Moron MK Azoulai) you know nothing about Yidishkeit. For all those in this coffee room that say “kol yisrael arievim…” only applies to frum Jews, would you also say

    You can not be yotzei a non-frum Jew in kidush?

    If a non frum Jew is drowning would you save him?

    There is no such concept as Teshuva?

    The list goes on

    It is true that many who consider themselves as Jews may not be halachicly Jewish. But many if not most are.
    A Jew is a Jew is a Jew
    Hitler Y’M knew that. It is about time we do too.

    #1553408
    icemelter
    Participant

    CTRebbe-“Of course there is a lot that we can do! Step one is to not post ridicoulos discussion such as these for all the world to see.”
    -there are much worse and more sensitive articles posted everywhere so really this doesnt affect much. Besides you are contributing to it with your own thoughts so what does that say.

    ” If you have ever spoken to non-frum Jews (i suspect many commenters here have not) you will hear a major fallacy circulated that frum Jews do not consider them Jewish.”
    -Even if that were to be true, the real issue isnt what the frummies consider them its what they consider themselves. Most of these Jews in name only want the farthest thing to do with their own Judaism which they are embarrassed and ashamed of.

    “For all those in this coffee room that say “kol yisrael arievim…” only applies to frum Jews, would you also say”
    -So you still havent answered the issue brought up by that. How can we be responsible for actions of “Jews” who hate that fact and loathe their own religion?
    And you have exclaimed your first step of not posting such articles, but what is the second step which is hopefully a more productive solution?

    #1553418
    Midwest2
    Participant

    Who is a Jew? That question keeps coming up in every generation in this country. The answer is simple: a Jewish mother or a kosher conversion. I doubt if there are any non-frum Jews today who are not tinokot shenishbah. The generations who started Reform and Conservative are long gone, and even their rabbis these days were brought up in ignorance. Obviously they couldn’t be a halachically valid witness, and their status regarding wine is something you would have to discuss with your own rav, but Jewish they are. And those of us who were born frum or were able to make teshuva should thank HaShem, not boast about it as kochi v’otzem yadi.”

    Yes, there are serious yichus problems, but they have to be investigated on an individual level. How can we possibly appeal to the non-frum to join us if we keep calling them “goyim” and other choice words? This thread is unspeakably offensive to baalei teshuva who are being told that their Reform, Conservative or unaffiliated parents aren’t Jewish. (This also poses a logical problem, if the Reform parents “aren’t Jewiish” how can their child be Jewish and able to make teshuvah?”

    And please, people, remember it’s the Three Weeks and the reason we cry on Tisha B’Av is because of how we treat each other (including the poor souls who don’t even know what Tisha B’Av is).

    #1553420
    Midwest2
    Participant

    RebYid23 “Maybe if we start realizing that Republicans and Democrats both do not represent Torah values, political differences won’t matter as much.”

    Exactly. For some excellent articles on this go to cross-currents.com and check some of the articles by Rabbi Avi Shafran. He’s the official spokesperson for Agudath Israel of America and also writes op-ed articles on frum life and outlook.

    #1553427
    icemelter
    Participant

    What a funny title. My original title was “Jews?”. But for some reason someone felt the need to ask Yoda from star wars for a new title name.

    #1553462
    icemelter
    Participant

    Midwest-“How can we possibly appeal to the non-frum to join us if we keep calling them “goyim” and other choice words?”
    -When did anyone call them goyim? Noone here is calling a non-frum jew a goy. Unfortunately, there are jews who wish they were goyim and believe that that is what they should strive for. They live their lives very distant from Judaism and intermarry.

    “This thread is unspeakably offensive to baalei teshuva who are being told that their Reform, Conservative or unaffiliated parents aren’t Jewish.”
    -I dont think anyone can say for sure who is Jewish and who isnt. Noone can really trace their ancestors dating back to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov Avinu. The only thing is that since reform and maybe conservative bring in non jews and have non halachic conversions, things get a little complicated.

    #1553475
    CTRebbe
    Participant

    Icemelter-why do you say they hate Judaism? Can I say that you hate quantum physics or you just don’t know enough about it and that makes you distant? Additionally if someone practices Judaism differently than you and has different ideas about what Judaism believes it is not bec. they hate it. They have just never been educated as to what Judaism has taught for millennia and why it is illogical that the principles of Judaism are subject to change. Our enemies are not Reform & Conservative Judaism and certainly NOTReform & Conservative Jews. Our enemies are ignorance and apathy.
    My purpose in commenting is so that perhaps all of those Reform & Conservative Jews reading this will realize that many Orhtodox Jews do not hate them. We love them and want to discuss with them what they are missing out on

    #1553473
    wallyknowll
    Participant

    You Orthodox are some deep stinking haters when it comes to the reform movement. Reform jews should create their own country and have no contact with you haters.

    #1553504
    Yanky1998
    Participant

    Very simple answer: the Reform movement is not a legitimate form of Judaism. However, at least 60% of the members in these congregations are halachically Jewish. We should never give up hope that they do teshuva, however we can also NEVER work together with them in any way or show ‘unity’ to the outside world with these people chas v’sholom. There is no such thing as achdus with people who deny the Torah, even if they might be tinokei shenishba. Sure, many of their members are tinokei shenishba, but their leaders who are spreading apikorsus to the masses have a LOT to answer for if they make it up to shomayim.

    #1553564
    Midwest2
    Participant

    Let’s all remember that it’s the Three Weeks and we have to be careful that even when we disagree that we show respect for other people, Jewish or not, frum or not.

    And remember that after Tisha B’Av comes Ellul, and then Yom HaDin.

    #1553566
    Takes2-2tango
    Participant

    Many chassidim are reformers in thier own way. Its just that they wear the chasidish levush that lets them get away with many reform minhagim!. This is one of the reasons the vilnah goan was so opposed to them.

    #1553620
    refoelzeev
    Participant

    @CTRebbe I’ve read teshuvos from chashuve poskim who disagree with some of your assumptions. I don’t necessarily agree with them though, as other poskim who I usually follow argue.

    In any event your statement about being motzi them in kiddush is misleading. You don’t need arvus to be motzi others. Only if you were already yotzi do you need arvus to be motzi. So when you make kiddush for the first time, you can be motzi them even if they aren’t subject to arvus (yes I know about the MA and bring yotzi kiddush with Maariv; the MB and AH argue vehemently against it).

    Also teshuva is irrelevant to the discussion. Even if certain “club benefits” don’t apply to them, they’re still obligated in the Torah, which last I checked included teshuva.

    #1553625
    besalel
    Participant

    I love all people Jews and not Jews. I also love the reformed but let’s stop pretending that they are Jewish. They are Jewish only in their own minds. I suggest everyone read the article by the reformed rabbi Clifford Librach in response to the speech by Michael chabon.

    #1554659

    A: There are also shailohs since many hold that their marriages were valid, but their divorces weren’t, and children of remarriages are mamzerim.
    B: again can’t that be the case with anyone? Who knows what happened down the line?

    Although it is possible for there to be an unknown issue with someone’s yichus,
    we assume everything was done properly because those involved were part of
    the observant community which usually handles these matters properly.
    The same cannot be assumed when the people in question were known
    not to have been observant.

    #1554662

    Besalel, halacha, not someone’s actions or beliefs, determines whether they are Jewish.

    #1554663

    (In case people don’t know, Mr. Chabon recently gave a speech to graduating Reform rabbis
    in which (among other topics) he spoke out against the idea of marrying other Jews.)

    #1554676
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    There is a difference between reform Judaism and reform jews

    #1554722
    Avi K
    Participant

    A Jew who sins remains a Jew (Sanhedrin 44a). Rav Soloveichik, in Five Derashot explains that there are two aspects to Jewishness: the national aspect (haberit ben habeitarim), which is not connected to free choice and the religious aspect (berit Horev), which is. In fact, we see that a secular Jew today will scream if someone contends that he is not Jewish.

    As for the O.P.’s question, Rav Kook explains (Al HaKefira that kefira has its source in some lack among observant Jews. In fact, the Chafetz Chaim once commented that if a Jew in Vilna puts down his Gemara to early a Jew in Paris (then a secular bastion) will eat pork. Thus there is areivut.

    As for children of non-Jewish mothers, while they are not halachically Jewish some mekubbalim say that there is an inyan to bring them back. The work of Rav Eliahu Avichail and of Michael Freund’s “Shavei Yisrael” is well-known.

    #1554825
    Midwest2
    Participant

    Avi K – good post. And it’s not just Rav Soloveichik who hold that way. I’ve heard the same opinion many times over the years from many sources. This “They’re not even Jewish” business is something that’s fairly new, and only seems to have gained popularity with the current “us vs them” mentality that’s crept into our speech in the last 2-3 decades.

    Maybe those of us who are frum should be properly grateful that we were born into/joined the ranks of the Torah observant, and not been stuck in some place where we never had a chance to learn Torah. It’s not kochi v’otzem yadi that brought us here, it was the kindness of HaShem.

    #1554836
    Shulem Lemmer
    Participant

    Midwest2 Kiruv professionals would strongly disagree with your statement.

    #1554903
    huju
    Participant

    Congratulations to RebYidd23: You said something with which I agree. What could be smarter?

    #1554922
    huju
    Participant

    To jakob: Has intermarriage increased since the commencement of Facebook? I don’t know, but I know intermarriage was growing for many, many years before Zuckerberg gave us Facebook. Before you blame Zuckerberg, or anybody else, check your facts, and cite them when you publish your accusation.

    #1554952
    huju
    Participant

    The Lubavitcher Rebbe teaches that a Jew is someone with a Jewish soul that Hashem breathes into him/her every day. (This view is not unique to the Lubavitcher Rebbe.) A non-observant Jew, even an anti-semitic Jew, is nevertheless a Jew. A Jewish woman married to a goy gives birth to Jews. Some of the attitudes of antagonism toward non-observant on display here are not promoting Yiddishkeit among the non-observant and are in fact destructive, not to mention breaches of many mitzvos. The Lubavitchers have a lot to teach us about strengthening Yiddishkeit and the practice of Torah Judaism.

    #1554900
    icemelter
    Participant

    Midwest-““They’re not even Jewish” business is something that’s fairly new, and only seems to have gained popularity with the current “us vs them” mentality that’s crept into our speech in the last 2-3 decades.”

    -the not even jewish business is not a concept, its a matter of fact. If the mother isnt jewish the children are not jewish as we go by the maternal side. So if a Yid ch”v married a non jewish woman, unfortunately those kids are not jewish no matter how jewish they might feel, unless they convert. This is a serious issue and has plagued us throughout the generations. This is why there is an extensive verification of family lineage before one gets married in order to verify they are in fact Jewish by all technicalities.

    As far as the us vs them I usually dont hear anyone in the orthodox circles bring up and compare themselves to reform. Its usually just not even relevant and especially nowadays where reform is dwindling down. Secularism and reform mentality is alive and strong, but it doesnt seem as though so many NEW reform synagogues and “schools” are being built in order to further the movement. I could be wrong though.

    Also I understand that those with reform background, family, and traditions take this matter personally and might get offended. I hope noone here gets offended, but if you are searching for truth then you have to understand that sometimes what you were brought up with no matter how dear it is to you, may have been wrong and has to be changed. According to Torah, we do NOT evolve the laws,and Orthodoxy is not just the right way, it is the ONLY way. It is precisely the fact that we cling to Torah and its values unchanged, that keeps us alive and is the reason we are still here. The slightest change and the only direction is to sink lower .

    #1555256
    MaidofCH
    Participant

    title=”No Future”

    To WallyKnowll:

    I can’t even imagine a separate “Jewish” country — or ANY country — run by Reform Jews, who are highly individualistic, let alone alienated, even from each other. If you are religiously indifferent, chances are you will be indifferent to traditional structures like family, community, nation, etc. The star of the show is you. You will have no loyalty to any country or ideology. Rather, you will want to live in a society that will leave you alone to do your own thing (and even support you, if you’re a Socialist).

    Reform and Conservative Judaism (and even Zionism) might have “worked” back in the day when the outside world was separatist and anti-Semitic, and Jewishness was considered ethnic, not religious, identity. Back them, goyim were in a closed world, and the only way for a Jew to enter was conversion to Christianity. These liberal Jewish movements appealed to Jews wanting to westernize while keeping a toehold on their heritage.

    My parents, whose own parents were among the huge wave of East European immigrants in the early 20th century, married Jewish, because it was still the norm. Jews stuck together. Although my parents strove to assimilate, it was only up to a point. Intermarriage was taboo.

    Nowadays, that it no longer the case. The boundaries have eroded. There is no incentive for non-observant Jews to marry each other, let alone stay in the fold. In fact, the secular even resent organized religion, which is seen as a barrier to personal fulfillment.

    I don’t “hate” non-Orthodox Jews (my family still is). But I see the obstacles as far as dealing with their mentality. Hopefully some will discover and appreciate their heritage. But those who don’t will NEVER form their own society. They have none. They don’t want to follow or respect anything — unless it’s feminism, LGBT (who pretty much dominate the liberal movements at this point).

    Even the State of Israel will eventually follow that direction, as secular Jews will find little incentive to stay there.

    #1555463
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    MaidofCH are you Chabad? because the Lubavicher Rebbe would never talk that way. He welcomed all jews of all stripes

    #1555445
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    Intermarriage exploded when it became acceptable for non-jews to marry jews

    Given that both Trump and Clinton allowed their daughters to marry jews, that taboo is gone

    #1555430
    icemelter
    Participant

    huju-” Some of the attitudes of antagonism toward non-observant on display here are not promoting Yiddishkeit among the non-observant and are in fact destructive, not to mention breaches of many mitzvos. ”

    -I hope you understand that there is a difference between being non-observant and that of proactively and intentionally going against Judaism and Torah and believing that is the correct way. You are aware theres a difference right?

    ” The Lubavitchers have a lot to teach us about strengthening Yiddishkeit and the practice of Torah Judaism.”
    -uhh…right

    -your trying to teach us mussar as if lubavitchers support reform. I think even they know where to draw the line, do you? Or are you saying that by supporting reform we are “strengthening our Yiddishkeit and Torah Judaism”? Youve left me a little confused here.

    Its also funny how it is such an issue with Yidden who believe in assimilation. Aside from the Torah law, it is not even a compatibility religion wise, belief wise, custom wise,heritage wise, upbringing, culture, food and all other natural differences of growing up differently. Even with non-jews you see that usually they marry within their culture. This is very logical since differences cause issues and usually people have an appreciation and pride to their own values.

    #1555719
    Midwest2
    Participant

    Anybody remember the film “Gentlemen’s Agreement?” It’s from the 40s and anti-Semitism is the major theme. Yes, the taboo against marrying a Jew was strong (even if the Jew converted out), but it does seem to be gone if you’re not a white supremacist. Although at one time it was a status symbol for a successful secular Jew to have a blonde, WASP wife, from what I’ve seen the real driver is simply that people haven’t been raised with a real sense of Jewishness, and then go out in to the world where they study, work and hang out with non-Jews. I was asked by the mother of a high school friend who had married “out” what she had done wrong. I asked a few questions and confirmed that the family had done nothing “Jewish” to speak of since my friend’s bar mitzvah.

    For the longest time the only serious argument against intermarriage in secular circles was, “It would mean Hitler won.” Now the involvement with Israel is being weakened by some of the current government’s policies, so the enthusiasm that lingered from the Six-Day War and the Gulf Wars has drained away. The Conservative and some Reform aren’t going to fade away any time soon, so it might be nice if we developed a friendlier attitude, not to them as anti-halachic systems, but to the individuals who identify, instead of calling them names and insinuating that they’re not really Jews.

    #1555737
    Joseph
    Participant

    Midwest2, the reality is that a large percentage of the Reform and Conservative communities are simply not Jewish.

    #1555739
    jdf007
    Participant

    akuperma is referring to something much more modern, or much more small town. I come from a big city where my public school classes were almost all Jewish. My teachers were almost all Jewish as well. My parents come from a Jewish neighborhood, and it was more Jewish then. My grandparents even more so, and if you go to my great-grandparents, forget about it. Finding a non-Jew in the neighborhoods of 3 of those generations would’ve had the same odds as winning the lottery. Everyone in my line is Jewish, as well as all of my ancestors neighbors.
    Neighborhoods were much more balkanized in ethnicity than they are today.

    Conversely, in small southern towns. There was and is some mixing, but it was still not the norm. Southern history shows that Jews would send their kids from all corners of the state to meet each other and get married. It was not an impossible chore as it is today to not mix.

    Lastly, I claim akuperma’s post about how all non-orthodox Jews should be considered goys is wrong for one more reason. I never even really heard of this whole intermarriage deal in any really serious manner until I I moved to what’s supposed to be a state with a lot of Jews and I started meeting tons of people who claimed to be “half-Jewish”. I’ve never heard of that one growing up.
    There wasn’t much chance of mixing as there is in the last few decades. If all of your neighbors and classmates are Jewish, you’ll probably marry Jewish. If you can’t find any Jews around because everyone scatters, the kids probably won’t marry that way.

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