Monday, November 17, 2008

Mi Yehudi or Do "Goyim" know the difference

There were two items on vosizneias that caught my attention. The first was a story about the in gathering of Jews from galus. The story is basically how Israel has accepted some people believed to be the lost Tribe of Menashe. The full story can be read here. My main objection is to some of the more obnoxious comments, but I do like the fact that VIN doesn't edit people's thoughts. I guess I'm becoming more of a "Tzioni". I've been reading books like Dear Brothers, Eim Habonim Simaycha", and have come to the conclusion that we're in galus because
1. We want to be
2. Our Gedolim want us to be.
Of course, this is just my opinion. A certain Rov told me that his cousin did the english translation of Eim Habonim Simaycha, and he's now been ostracized and his fellow yeshiva crowd have branded him a Zionist. Crazy, if you even translate a book about the greatness of Israel, you are no longer one of them.

The other item was an article on Foxnews.com. It is a story about the Israeli Mafia, and a car bomb that killed the Kingpin of a crime family. You can read the whole story here. My question is, to the average "Goy" is there a difference bettween a Chasidishe Guy with long curly peyos, and an average non religious Israeli. Opinions anyone?

18 comments:

Logic613 said...

First of all, VIN does edit the commentaries. If you want to comment negatively about Hatzolah or Shomrim you will not be published. Secondly, I agree with your point. While I personally do not see the current Israeli government as a part of true Eretz Yisroel, the fact that it is in Jewish hands is truly a sign from Hashem.

Lakewood Falling Down said...

Maybe for a week I'll randomly bash Hatzolah and see what happens.

Lion of Zion said...

LOGIC613:

why would anyone have something negative to say about hatzolah/shomrim? :)

"While I personally do not see the current Israeli government as a part of true Eretz Yisroel"

if all the frum jews (and their pulpit rabbis) who complain so much about the israeli government actually moved there then they could vote in a government more to their liking.

LFD:

"We want to be"

i have a real problem saying the middle ברכות of שמונה עשרה, singing לשנה הבאה בירושלים at the end of the seder, etc.

i know damn well i'm still going to be in brooklyn next year

"is there a difference bettween a Chasidishe Guy with long curly peyos"

yes

Lion of Zion said...

i just looked at the VIN article. comment #15 was pretty funny.

just to clarify, there are thousands of "real" indian jews (most have long since left india). the bnei menashe that this article talks about is a different community that no one really considers jewish. hence the olim have all converted על פי הלכה.

my posts on indian jews are indexed here:

http://agmk.blogspot.com/2008/09/last-jews-of-india.html

Lakewood Falling Down said...

Thanks for the comments Lion. If you get a chance, please give me a call in the evening sometime.

Lion of Zion said...

ok.
and i actually need to speak with logic613

Lion of Zion said...

incidentally, when the spate of public assisinations of mobsters started in israel i thought it was very depressing that a jew would premeditately murder another jew over a few bucks.

at least that one thing frum jews can't be crticized for. murder cases are uncommon.

Logic613 said...

Let me clarify, when I say, "While I personally do not see the current Israeli government as a part of true Eretz Yisroel" I am refering to the ultimate goal of the return of the Malchut Dovid. I consider today's government a standard democracy (or whatever technical term they use).

Anonymous said...

Lion, how do you know that "i know damn well i'm still going to be in brooklyn next year"?
No one knows what will happen in the future.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I do think the goyim know the difference between some of the Jews. In the hospital where I had my baby, the nurses were asking me questions about why some jews do things and other jews do not.

Anonymous said...

Shimon Peres kicks hecklers to the curb during appearance at Oxford University

"It's not too bad to open the ears and open the eyes, and keep the mouth for later occasions"

Lion of Zion said...

FREYDA:

"how do you know that"

because i've yet to take the subway to the israeli consulate to open a tik aliyah and call el al for a plane ticket. we daven all the time for קבוץ גליות, etc., but the two steps i listed are really all it takes to live in israel.

it's like davening for a רפואה but not going to the doctor. it just isn't going to happen without that minimum personal השתדלות

Lakewood Falling Down said...

Frayda- Indeed, we don't know what tomorrow will bring. However, if I ever make Aliayah, I'll need someone like LOZ to show me around. Regarding knowing the difference between an Israeli and a Jew, just because someone asks you why different sects do different things doesn't mean that they differentiate "Jews" in their minds. I know when I refer to "Blacks" I can really break it down into groups, but I ust don't think that way (I work in a NYC Special Ed HS, and there are many groups and cliques). In general, I think we are lumped together which is why I get embarrassed weather it's a right wing nut hiding child molestation, or a Israeli politician being disgusting. Obviously it's not the same thing, but to most "Goyim", I think it's "Oh, the Jews. Aren't they supposed to be the example?"

DavenedByDeKoisel said...

LFD etc... Let me tell you a little story. I once had a co-worker who came to me and asked; how come my russian friend's landlord is such a bum. he treats her like dirt. and he's a hasidic guy,i expect more from him!! I asked him in reply; what about russia,where communism was going to solve everything? The upshot was that the Politburo guys drank the best vodka ate the best caviar at everyones expense.Now,does that mean the idea was bad or only the execution? Back to our subject,the lesson is if someone wants to bash jews they dont need a rationale for doing so. Any thinking person does not lump everyone together, but then who said life is fair!!

cool yiddishe mama said...

"...to the average 'Goy' is there a difference bettween a Chasidishe Guy with long curly peyos, and an average non religious Israeli?"

No, there is no difference to many non-Jews. Anti-Semites throw the chassid with the long payot in with the most secular person. Non-Jews seem better at regarding secularized Jews as "part of the tribe". Ironically, non-Jews tend to be more sensitive to religious Jewish concerns (about kashrut and Shabbat) than non-frum Jews.

Story from my non-frum past: When we were dating, cool yiddish papa and I were going out to dinner (at a non-kosher restaurant). One of our dinner companions was the non-Jewish girlfriend of a friend of ours. She was shocked to see CYP ordering a turkey club (with REAL bacon) because the one thing she knew about Jews was that they don't eat pork. Even in my traife days, I still avoided pork so I had asked them to make mine without bacon (making it a regular turkey sandwich).

Assimilated Jews need to realize that even when they give up on everything else, they are still Jews to the core. Non-Jews see that and it's halakhah.

Lakewood Falling Down said...

cool yiddishe mama- In Germany, they came for the Jews. In Mumbai, they came for the Jews. Your point is well taken! Now if only the Jews would stand up for the Jews.

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