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Maskil

About Me

I am a freelance writer, blogger and pamphleteer, currently living in Johannesburg, South Africa and writing under the screen name Maskil.
I am also progressive Jew and Green Zionist.
My passions are Jewish affairs, the environment and technology.

You can contact me at: mailto:maskil@maskil.info
Maskil's digital stream here: http://stream.maskil.info/

Basic Info

Member since:
12/31/2006
Last Logged In:
06/17/2009
Age:
49
Gender:
Male

Posted in: Op-Ed: Don't fear 'God,' 'Torah' and 'Judaism'

Joel Alperson makes some very valid points here. We need to get to grips with the idea that the ethnic “Jewishness” that served us so well until the end of the 20th Century is not adequate to cope with the challenges of the 21st. If the answer to the fundamental question “Why Be Jewish?” does not have a spiritual or religious component, then that answer is not a long-term one. Jewish continuity for its own sake has taken us as far as it can, and the generations now looking for a reason to be Jewish (or not) are no longer satisfied with the old answers. We need a Jewish renewal that includes a revival of Judaism.

Posted in: Newly ordained Colombian rabbi vows to help Conversos

Well said, Robin (Margolis). Isn’t it ironic that those who continually raise the spectre of a shrinking Jewish population are usually the first to reject anyone with the “wrong” Jewish parent or grand-parent? Instead of “welcome home”, they are met with “who are you?” According to one estimate I read, fully half of the current generation will end up in an inter-faith relationship (IFR). Instead of decrying this fact and writing them off, Jewry needs to throw thought and resources into drawing them and their partners and offspring into the Jewish community.

Posted in: Israel drops objection to next UNESCO boss

Did Farouk Hosni apologise for his anti-Semitic book burning remarks at the time, or only due to the pressure of the campaign to keep him from assuming leadership of the Paris-based UNESCO? The apology came only now, when the campaign threatened to derail his coronation. Israel has its own reasons for giving way on the issue, but I see no reason why Jewish NGOs should follow suit. Hate speech is OK, so long as it’s only directed at the Jews. Each time we allow a raving anti-Semite to assume high office makes it just that much easier for the next to get a pass.

Posted in: Chabad rabbi aims to clarify remarks on killing civilians

It’s time that progressive and traditional Jews stopped being so tolerant towards the outlook and theology of movements such as Chabad. It’s time to get rid of our “Fiddler on the Roof” view of Hassidism and ultra-Orthodoxy and to realise that attitudes such as these are a threat to Jews and to the soul of Judaism itself. It’s time to start saying that not only is this not the only authentic form of Judaism, it’s not even an acceptable form of Judaism.

Posted in: Rabbis urge soldiers to disobey orders

I eagerly await the follow-up story where the Israeli AG announces that all the rabbis involved have been arrested and indicted for incitement to mutiny, and that all have been denied bail.

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Updated 07/06/09 @ 10:40AM EDT

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