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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