[ p h i l o s o p h i c a l ] __ r a n t s

Apikorsus, and everyone knows it
By Magavnik

Re: Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact ‘revenge’ against Arabs

The Torah says “ish b`cheto yumat.” It is one thing if the enemy hides among noncombatants and we have no choice but to do what needs to be done to defend ourselves. But this is another matter entirely. Those who claim to be in the forefront of protecting Judaism and Israel but who instead jump to appropriate the lowest moral values of our enemies do us no favors, and do not speak for Torah, for God or for this nation.

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It’s Disgusting
By Mike

RE: Ha’aretz: U.S. immigrant beaten up in ‘pogrom’ by ultra-Orthodox gang. By Daphna Berman

The so called ultra orthodox, who do not recognize the modern state of Israel, who refuse to serve it its army, now create roving bands of thugs to attack outsiders. If the ultra orthodox do not want to live in Israel, then they need to be exiled to whatever country will have them!

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The Reform Traditionalist Movement
By Yonatan, from Kfar-Saba

RE: Ha’aretz: A changing Reform movement attempts to resurrect Shabbat. By Shmuel Rosner

I saw its beginnings in the mid 1970s, when the Reform Movement joined the World Zionist Organization. The new prayerbook at the time, Sha`arei Tefillah, was much more tradtionalist than the old Union Prayerbook - and now there`s an even more traditional Siddur.

Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, which did not have a kosher cafeteria when I attended, went kosher in the early ’80s.

Reform Judaism in Judaism in Israel is almost indistinguishable, in many ways, from Conservative (Masorti) Judaism, and I wonder if - and hope - that someday they will join ranks.