tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11016252.post3216694786209394128..comments2023-12-29T04:23:23.176-08:00Comments on Planet Israel: Response to CommentsEphraimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10336470494574974256noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11016252.post-39527708497972069662008-06-30T14:16:00.000-07:002008-06-30T14:16:00.000-07:00B"HI may surprise you, but I think you made some g...B"H<BR/><BR/>I may surprise you, but I think you made some good points here, and appreciate your honesty.<BR/><BR/>I found the penguin comment to be offensive, as this used as a pejorative here. But maybe you didn't know that.<BR/><BR/>"Ultra-Orthodox" IS accepted in the mainstream media. It's wrong, but it's accepted.<BR/><BR/>You're party right about the word "orthodox," yet it also represents the belief aspects of Judaism. Some so called "liberal"Jews might even be considered "orthoprax" to a degree due to their outward observance, but they wouldn't be orthodox, due to many beliefs which deviate from Torah true thinking.<BR/><BR/>My main point is that the more we use the terms "us" and "them" instead of just "us," it's not always helpful.<BR/><BR/>Israelis that Haredi bash for the sake of bashing is also wrong. In some ways you are right to say that Americans can be more accepting, not always, but they can be.<BR/><BR/>That being said, I agree with you about the clothing and the hats. But, a Polo shirt and khakis aren't anymore authentically Jewish that black and white. Here, we all fail.<BR/><BR/>As far as fitting in goes, Jews have been worried about "fitting in" since 1400's Spain, but really farther back. Even in Egypt we maintained our clothing, language, and names.<BR/><BR/>Assimilation has never worked for us as a strategy, even for survival. Jews who practiced Lutheranism in Germany were still hated and demonized by the Lutherans.<BR/><BR/>Now that we live in our own land, it would be nice for us to stop worrying about what the goyim think, and start worrying more about what HaShem thinks.<BR/><BR/>I'm with you that European clothing is not for us here in Israel. Its impracticality is only a small part of it. But I gotta tell you, American and/or Western moder clothing isn't either.Esser Agarothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12853681733864707489noreply@blogger.com