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Good afternoon!

Hi JerryL!

You correctly pointed out that we orthodox Jews are very much the minority in the US Jewish community (I'm originally from Pittsburgh & even though I moved here 18.5 years ago, I still follow the Steele...the Steele...BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! OK, Andyhill, get a hold o' yerself, it was only a football game )

Sorry 'bout that but that AFC Championship game was...traumatic.

Yes, as I was saying before I got sidetracked, you're quite correct. However, the fact that we orthodox Jews are (temporarily!) outnumbered doesn't detract from the fact that traditional, normative, authentic Judaism is orthodox (orthodoxy being a far broader spectrum than many non-Jews, and many non-orthodox Jews, seem to realize; see for a good summary on orthodoxy & the other, so-called, "movements" within Judaism). The Reform & Conservative "movements" are newfangled movements that developed in Europe (in Protestant northern Germany), in reaction to the Enlightenment. They have junked so many core Jewish beliefs and, in effect, make it up as they go along, influenced by whatever happens to be trendy at the moment & taking care to be "politically correct". This is Judaism??!! I grew up, as I like to say, de jure Conservative but de facto nothing. I looked at what the Conservative movement offered & was thoroughly underwhelmed & unimpressed. Orthodox Judaism is all-encompassing and supplies a deep emotional commitment & spiritual food for the soul. Orthodox Judaism believes that the Torah comes from God; the Reform movement does not. The Conservative movement tries to straddle a middle ground that does not exist. If one does not believe that the Torah is from God, then what's the point? Judaism is not, and never has been, an everyone-for-him/herself religion. Orthodoxy recognizes that there is a certain set of core beliefs that are immutable & which serve to bind all Jews everywhere, much as they have for thousands of years.

Rather than mold the faith to fit the individual, we believe that it is the individual who must mold him/herself to fit the faith . The late former Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth, Lord Immanuel Jakobovitz (of blessed memory) once said that a faith which demands nothing is worth nothing. As a Baptist, would you agree?

I'll climb down from my soapbox now!

Be well!

Andyhill