Comments on: A Call to Action

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:41:59 +0000

Mark Kerpine, I appreciate your interest here.

Well, Facebook says you are one of those no-picture, no-details-about-who-you-are kind of commenters. What are you afraid of, good sir? Don't share – just plaster your page with other people's flags and comments.

I like your cliff analogy. Of course, you're not saying anything about the fiscal cliff that US policy makers avoid by simply 'kicking the can down the road'? That's responsible leadership, isn't it?

Finally, get this pal: I prefer to visualize your cliff that we are headed for as the one the hang-glider runs to, jumping, letting the wind catch his wings as he begins to sail, sail, on towards new heights …

Stay tuned, my friend – don't touch that dial.

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:51:38 +0000

David Brent, perhaps not now. But it IS the Land of Israel, is it not? After all, it started from the beginning of our time here a a nation, with the tribe of Yehudah conquering it during the period of the Judges (Book of Judges, Chapter 1, Verse 18).

So ultimately: it is ours. With ownership comes responsibility. Why can't we be the first nation to care about the welfare of the people of the Gaza City, for the first time in modern history? I think we can rise to the challenge –

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:51:33 +0000

Greg Smith, thank you for the heads up. I agree: real, genuine spirituality is not just a function of numbers. It is entirely dependent on the level of God-fearingness (new term?) of the people involved. But what I am talking about is something different. I am referring to the need for us to take RESPONSIBILITY for the welfare and well-being of every person, Jew and non-Jew, who live in the Land of Israel. I believe that is our responsibility as the Nation of Israel.

BTW: Growing up in Massachusetts and spending a lot of time in New Hampshire – I LOVE alpine skiing.

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:49:07 +0000

Thank you, Doug Kraft. Yes, those of us who believe that HaShem is benevolently watching over His world know deep inside that everything, even the toughest stuff, is for the best.

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:43:55 +0000

Ladies (Dana Dana Meijler-Gross and Zahava Englard: you are awesome!

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:33:24 +0000

Alan Miller: But hey, I once lived in Tel Aviv too! And you know what: I still LOVE Tel Aviv every time I go there. But my friend, ultimately, no man is an island, and the good we have here in our little country was given to us so we could share the experience with others (note I stress experience: the Land of Israel, in my view, must be under the jurisdiction of the Nation of Israel alone). Yes, it zany – but hey man, I can certainly relate … quite tubular, in fact –

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 22:23:37 +0000

Gedalyah – well, you have a point there. But: my understanding is that the Har Bayit situation will resolve itself in the end – without violence, without regrets, even: [gasp] without contention. At some point, it will just become clear to the world that this is a place where ALL the world's prayers can beoffered and heard. Eventually, Har HaBayit will become the center of consensus. That's what our ancestor Isaiah said (See Isaiah Chapter 2, Verses 1-4, for a good rehash of this idea).

Like the Lennon (Note Jack; and most certainly not Vladimir; but John) once said: "You may say that I'm a dreamer; but I'm not the only one …"

By: Alan Miller

Alan Miller — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:52:40 +0000

What kind of proper education did you receive in New England to come up with such zany ideas? I come from sunny Southern California and happy just like it is now to live in hedonistic Tel-Aviv.

By: Gedalyah Chaim Reback

Gedalyah Chaim Reback — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 07:53:40 +0000

I hear this a lot, that we hold ourselves back because this idea is a tough sell. But honestly I think you've got your priorities mixed up like the rest of the settler movement. I keep hearing about Beit El and Gush Etzion, but what about Har Habayit? I mean, we hear allusions to it but no one ever goes into a practical issue and says, "It's a prerogative of the religious Zionist movement to make sure we change the State of Israel's negotiating position on Har Habayit to make sure we are gunning for sovereignty in the center of it instead of "under" it like Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert were just fine with. No, all I hear is about protecting Israelis' rights to live on land even when in many cases the building that took place there was done without proper permits from the ISRAELI government. If we had as much passion about Har Habayit as we do about protecting people who have recklessly put crappy trailers on some disputed hilltop in the Aravah desert, then we might be on the heels of restarting korbanot right now. Instead we just wasted 4 years of an unprecedented right-wing government playing word games about the legality of settlements by confusing our rights under current Torah law with our rights under current international law.

By: Robert Taylor

Robert Taylor — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 02:30:32 +0000

I think that following Mr. Rosenberg's suggestion would go a long way–if not all the way–to arriving at definitive answers to MANY of the basic questions which surround the whole issue. And since nothing else seems to have worked for many decades now…why not give it a try?

By: Zahava Englard

Zahava Englard — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:20:17 +0000

Thanks for reminding me, Dana! I forgot to give Yisrael the virtual high-five in my comment!

By: Zahava Englard

Zahava Englard — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:20:17 +0000

Thanks for reminding me, Dana! I forgot to give Yisrael the virtual high-five in my comment!

By: Greg Smith

Greg Smith — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:18:19 +0000

Kind of careening down the side of a steep alpine mountain, aren't you. You seemed so moderate before, now plummeting headlong into hyper-conservative insanity.

Just by increasing the numbers of observant/religious people in a given area, doesn't make it any less barren, spiritually, if they themselves are missing the presence of God.

Am hoping you hit a bump on the way down, wake you up in time to, hopefully, stop your slide and regain truly sound footing.

By: Dana Meijler-Gross

Dana Meijler-Gross — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:15:18 +0000

I do think, even though I don't agree in the slightest, that it was a courageous post. Maybe you are a masochist but I think many of TOI most fervent commenters think much like you, I am predicting lots of virtual hgh fives and fist pumps for you. For my part, I just don't have the energy to get into another one of those discussions this week.

By: Jay Yisrael Rosenberg

Jay Yisrael Rosenberg — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:08:26 +0000

David Brent: I understand you completely. I even understand my friends on the left. But truthfully, if we don't assume a proactive approach, instead of just RE-acting all the time – we will be forced into far more painful, even existential dilemmas. V'pashut HAVAL.