Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site unm-la.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!zehntel!tektronix!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!lanl!dspo!unm-la!cs193bah From: cs193bah@unm-la.UUCP Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Racist Ultra-Orthodox Message-ID: <248@unm-la.UUCP> Date: Sun, 3-Feb-85 11:02:27 EST Article-I.D.: unm-la.248 Posted: Sun Feb 3 11:02:27 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Feb-85 07:04:37 EST Distribution: net Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Los Alamos Lines: 44 By using the term "racist ultra-orthodox" I meant something very specific. Most orthodox Jews in Israel (for sure, all "knitted kipa" elements) view the Ethiopian Jews as Jewish. The Chief Sephardic rabbi and his staff have determined after years of study that the Ethiopian Jews were originally from the tribe of Dan. The problem the Ethiopian Jews face is with the Agudat Yisrael ultra-orthodox party and other anti-Zionist entities. These ultra-orthodox parties have exhibited racism towards their fellow Jews at every opportunity afforded to them. In their quest for "yiddishkeit" they divide the world into "yids" and "non-yids." Yids look like disheveled 17th century Polish zorros who don't get enough sun. Non-yids are anything else. I happen to know a couple of Satmer Jews in Jerusalem who I personally like but whose philosophies I detest. They know my Hebrew name, but insist that I should go by my "Jewish name," Velvel. That is, a "Jewish" name is something like "Berl" or "Shayna" or "Yankel" or ""Velvel." If you don't have such a name, well, your Jewishness is suspect. As Abeles wrote, what right do these people have to determine who is Jewish and who is not? It is G-d who determines it. The point is: if a lost community was found in the Ukraine that spoke medieval German (i.e., Yiddish), followed Jewish customs, and looked like 17th century Polish zorros, these ultra-orthodox would send El Al, TWA, and Aeroflot to take these guys to Israel. However, if it's a community in Africa (Africa? where's that?), and the people are EVEN DARKER THAN SEPHARDIM! Well, gosh, the definition of "who is a Jew" is even too broad! Let's make a fence around the Torah! A fence to protect our particular customs and viewpoint about who is a Jew. Can you see the cruel irony of the matter? These European-looking people in black smocks and fur hats with faces like Slavic warriors telling Jews from Ethiopia to get into a mikvah! ------ bill peter {ihnp4,seismo}!cmcl2!lanl!wkp