Posted on 05/06/2010 4:43:34 PM PDT by SJackson
It turns out that Jews have many different thoughts about Israel. Who knew? Marc Tracy:
The article concerns all American Jews, but it is datelined "FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich." In other words, the Times's religion correspondent traveled to this Detroit suburb for the piece. He gathered a focus group consisting of non-participating members of Birmingham Temple, a secular humanistic synagogue there, in order to ask them about Israel and get a response from "the demographic middle."
(Excerpt) Read more at theatlantic.com ...
http://www.ou.org/public_affairs/article/69198
Always looking to bring us “all the news that’s fit to print,” today’s New York Times tells its readers “On Israel, Jews and Leaders Often Disagree.”
Moving beyond how much that statement is “news” – we can go on to wonder why the Gray Lady’s reporter was dispatched to Farmington Hills, Michigan – and a secular humanistic congregation there, no less – to assess what “real” or “regular” Jews think – in contrast, suggests the Times, to the more “conservative views” of leaders such as Elie Wiesel, Abe Foxman, Ed Koch, et cetera. Could it be because the Times cannot imagine that there are “real” rank and file American Jews who oppose President Obama’s recent policies toward Israel?
We know that view is prevalent in the Orthodox community – and that was even registered in the American Jewish Committee survey the Times cites.
The Times just ignores that and our segment of the community altogether in favor of a storyline that makes the only two camps the rank and file (now supported by J Street) and the old guard, anachronistic leadership.
No news here indeed.
Oxymoron Alert!
Isn't that just a glorified Atheist Democrat Community Center?
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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I'm told you can find Jews in NYC if your reporter looks really hard.
The Birmingham Temple (a bit arrogant, Synagogue would be better) website is here
Nothing but a forum, which reads
Members: 1 • Posts: 1 • Topics: 1
Probably the NYT reporter, didn't want to register to find out, then there'd be 2.
“non participating members...” = demographic middle
Good grief!
You take a large segment of participating members if you want to find the demographic middle.
If you use non participating members, you’ll only get a demographic middle of them, and that’s only if you use a large enough sample group.
It never ends.
I would guess the reporter has family in Farmington Hills and wanted to travel home for a visit on the Times dollars.
It would seem so. They don’t actually worship God, they just call it a synagogue for tax purposes.
Leave it to the New York Slimes to pick out the most ultraleft "Jewish" congregation imaginable to get the pro-Obama slant on things.
What a perversion of the Jewish faith.
When the NYT want's to sample opinion, being from the city with the largest Jewish population in the nation, naturally they seek out a small Congregation a thousand miles away. Then seek out the "inactive" members. How do you do that, get a list of members, check off the ones who attend services, then check the phone book for the rest?
On a more serious not if you’re not familiar, this strain of Judaism essentially celebrate the “secular” aspects of being a Jew, culture, history, holidays, the easy stuff, and reject archaic things such as G-d and prayer. Kind of a club, like being a Mason, they’ve been around a long time too though wouldn’t much like the rejection of faith.
Good Kapos like Soros and his ilk.
I don’t think you meant anything by it, but I’m offended when people comment that “real Jews” dress in black hats and dark suits and carry long beards. There are millions of committed, Torah-observant Jews who don’t dress any differently than most Americans and are clean shaven. Dressing like you’re in 19th Century Poland does not a “real Jew” make.
The founder of the Birmingham Temple was a godless gay rabbi, Sherwin Wine. He died in Morocco in 2007. Morocco has been a Euro-gay destination for boy diddling for decades. Go read up on William Burroughs and Paul Bowles. Anyways this Sherwin Wine character was in Morocco with his gay partner, were in a taxi when it was broadsided. This sleazy info was on the internet....and of course this gay rabbi got a big ol obituary in the New York Times.
I would like to see the NYT go bankrupt.
It is the appearance of the various "Humanistic Judaism" synagogues that was possibly one of the most important events in Judaism in America. But, not for the reason they might have wanted. These organizations wanted to cling to Jewish Ethics and Traditions but reject God as a living force in the Universe. And this represents a large number of American Jewish belief such that you can call such a position Jewish or Belief.
Nevertheless, when these organizations attempted to be recognized as part of Reform Judaism, the Reform Rabbi's found they couldn't go there. Which is amazing, but true. And with the establishment as an essential core of faith in God, the 1999 Reform Platform pointed the direction back to more traditional observance that has been increasing over the past decade. And as Reform congregations have slowly begun embraced extensive use of Hebrew prayers and songs, growing observance or Shabbat, Kashrut, and the increasing use of Talitot and Kippot.
The creation of that place "too far" has allowed the Reform movement to move back to building a deeper faith though it is slow work. So, as a Jew, I am happy for the moment for these "new" congregations which sop up the atheists who would insist I would be one too so as not to offend them.
Perhaps, in a few years we will see many of them back in our places of worship, because they do get the small points about the values of ethics and community, and this leads to the larger points such as the joy of having God in the world and living a life of faith as well as good deeds.
Dude: It was a joke!
I’m orthodox, and dressed in my gym clothes from volleyball.
My synagogue buddies and I were out at the gun range last weekend. Just keeping ready, in case. Aside from we were all wearing ball caps, you’d never know!
They’re idiots..
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