I have seen her in pictures. Never noticed her in a head-covering, or appropriate dress for a “religious” Jew….oh, she is a REFORM Jew….hmmm someone should point that fact out, otherwise people may get the impression that real religious Jews are against Zionism. There are plenty of reform jews who are against zionism or even against traditional jews, in fact, what is christianity? is it not a form of “reform” judaism?

Dear reform Jews, please stop co-opting our religion. Tema should not pretend that she speaks for religious Jewry. If she can speak for Jews, then I can speak as a devout Muslim in support of Israel’s complete annexation of the occupied territories.

but for the fact that mainstream jewry overwhelmingly identifies with Zionism and finds no contradiction between Zionist ambitions and the teachings of Judaism, I find your case compelling. Unfortunately, most Jews do not agree. I don’t see the argument as qualitatively different from the case made by Christians that the massacre (on Christian principles) of indigenous peoples of the Americas was a perversion of Christian ideals. If that is indeed so, we can only say that such perversions of the true faith are so ubiquitous as to render this true faith, essentially meaningless in any practical terms.

I don’t think you can win an argument as to your version of Judaism being more legitimate than Avigdor Leiberman’s. You CAN objectively say that according to humanist, enlightenment principles, he’s a monster and according to well-recognized legal principles, he is a criminal. That seems to me the better way to go,

Thank God (figure of speech) that culture and literature cannot be scientifically observed, weighed and measured. That is not to say that convincing arguments cannot be made, but that there are no definitive answers. Rabbinical control however, is quite another matter – one with which Jews have not really had to contend for a good couple of centuries, thanks to the recognition of the equal citizenship of Jews in the countries in which they reside. Without the political powers invested in Jewish religious communities by the ruling elite, Judaism has returned to a blissful state of intellectual anarchy in which all are free to interpret Judaism as they see fit, without the interference of pesky and often ill-intentioned intermediaries. Ironically, it is Zionism and the State of Israel that have attempted to return us to the ghetto, by establishing an official “rabbinate” and interfering with such highly personal and subjective questions as “who is a Jew?”. The Jewish ethno-religious state thus belies its declared goal of ultimate emancipation for the Jews. It is not my intention to equate Jewish and Palestinian suffering at the hands of political Zionism, and our current focus must certainly be Palestinian liberation. Nevertheless, I also believe that Zionism has inflicted terrible and possibly irreparable damage upon Jewish culture, religion and life.

You know nothing about my Jewish studies so don’t pontificate. You have displayed considerable ignorance of Jewish philosophy in the past. Why you are so proud of this is beyond me.

Regardless, it is not a substantive reply to her argument, beliefs, feelings. I grew up conservadox, I’m in a program to be a talmud teacher now and I agree with her sentiments. You may not like what I believe but questioning my Jewishness will not make my opinions disappear.

I particularly appreciated your explanation of the settlements and their role. I have read about them before but never felt the hurt, insult and humiliation that Palestinians must feel when they look up at these settlements with their lights and signs of permanence – all protected by formidable military might.