[…]neo-neocon » Blog Archive » The Jews of NY District 9[…]…

They did not vote for the Jew, just because he was Jewish. Instead, they voted for the best candidate, based on that candidate’s views. It did not matter what his ethnic background was, but is that candidate what is best for America? Clearly, a Conservative, who wants less intrusive government (in all matters) is that candidate.

Israel is EXTREMELY important to the entire Jewish community — if it disappears, then do we start wandering again for another 2000 years?? Never again!! Diaspora Jews see Israel as a source of pride, a political/cultural haven, and a spiritual/religious home, whether we live there or not.

your comment as to their zeitgeist (world view) is spot on in a comedic way…

Why die? Go Supply!
Stay in the rear, count the gear!

Louis Hershey where are you, hurrah, hurrah,
Louis Hershey where are you, hurrah, hurrah.
If they’re gonna get me, then I’m gonna get you,
Chorus And we’ll all be dead by the winter of Sixty-nine.
Gets worse.
You pick your own date for the chorus, presuming you have any idea who Louis Hershey was.

I don’t think anybody here suggested that. The point being made was whether orthodox Jews, in Israel, serve in the armed forces, not those living here. The main focus of the debate was whether Orthodox and secular Jews in both Weiner’s old district and within Israel itself have any attachment to the homeland. I argued nay while others supported your view. It appears that, for now, the yeahs have it.

On the military question, hardly any American Jews of any persuasion serve in the Israeli military; they are not required to nor is there any expectation of them to do so as they are not Israeli citizens.

Those who have stated otherwise would be correct if they were referring to military service among Israeli Jews (i.e. those who live in Israel and possess Israeli citizenship). By and large, (plain, non-ultra) Orthodox Jews living in Israel are vastly overrepresented in the military, including in the officers corps, and they are consistently the highest-morale, most-motivated people in the IDF. The ultra-Orthodox (living in Israel), on the other hand, generally have refused to serve, though even that is slowly starting to change as more and more ultra-Orthodox are realizing the many and varied implications of their refusal, which is a whole topic in itself.

The same goes for the ultra-Orthodox population that is seen, justifiably or not, as “sponging off the state.” This is true in Israel, much less so in America. American ultra-Orthodox all work for a living and are mostly self-sustaining, even to the point that they send lots of money to Israel and Israeli institutions (mostly ultra-Orthodox ones).

This brings me to my final point. American Orthodox Jews, ultra or non, may not serve in the Israeli military, but consider that a Jewish military is a brand new phenomenon in the grand scheme of time, and military values are barely entrenched at all in Jewish culture. Jews, of course, are the People of the Book, and nothing illustrates Orthodox Jewish support of and identification with Israel like the fact that nearly every family sends their children there for a year (or increasingly, many years) of intensive Jewish studies (this after K-12 education in private Jewish schools), and American Jewish emigration to Israel is overwhelmingly (though not exclusively) Orthodox (I think mostly non-ultra but that’s just a gut feeling).

Hope I’ve made this a bit clearer.