Comments on: A lesson from Italy

By: Michael Waas

Michael Waas — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 13:52:40 +0000

Thank you, Barbara, for continuing to do you work! I hope all is well with you (if you remember me from New College) and all the best from Akko.

By: Svietka Rivilis

Svietka Rivilis — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 11:45:59 +0000

welcoming them is one thing-being nice to them, recognizing their heritage, organizing special classes to learn whatever it is they might be interested in, documenting names and stories(just like we r doing with shoa)-all that is great.
However, there is a great difference from all of that to accepting them as jews. They have to go through ortho conversion just like any regular shmo if they want to be jews. If they only want acknowledgement of history-fine-if they want to be part of the nation-they have to pay the heavy fees.

By: Dorothy Shiloff Hughes

Dorothy Shiloff Hughes — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 01:36:17 +0000

The Jewish community needs to welcome these people wholeheartedly and with open arms. Judaism says, "Choose life." It is not a Jewish way to choose martyrdom when there is another option. The conversos took great risks to practice even a few Jewish traditions, in the hope that perhaps one day their descendents would be free to live openly as Jews. And for some, this has come true. It is shameful that some Jews do not accept them.

By: Dorothy Shiloff Hughes

Dorothy Shiloff Hughes — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 01:36:17 +0000