"I'm Jewish!"

Your comments made me think of Bernard Madoff but also the six months my wife and I lived in Israel. One bad apple may get a lot of publicity but everyday reality is often something quite different. I am embarassed when I think of some of the things I did in Israel because I was worried that someone was going to rip me off only to discover that that thought had never entered their minds. It was a humbling experience. Great observations.

Dear Lori, as usual your video teachings are so true!!! Here is a video and a song by Lenny Solomon Ani Jehudi, no matter if you are ashkenasi, sephardic, we are all JEWS!!! A Gut Yohr un May H' inscribe us and sealed us all of us for a good year in the book of life. Here is the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zw7Kico7Oo&feature=player_embedded

I am a volunteer policeman in Haifa. I can tell you from first-hand experience that some Jews lie, cheat, steal, and far worse. That includes both religious, non-religious, and all ethinic backgrounds. Maybe, in a lot of ways we are like a family. But families have their black sheep. If you trust people only on the basis that they are Jewish, sooner or later you will get fleeced.

This set of stories you put together, Lori, are an area I enjoy these years I have lived in Israel. I do not get tired of this, so I loved hearing your own experiences. Thank you! I also enjoy the many people telling me G-d is here and will help and I hear this from every age, every type person. It helps me to see/hear this.

Thank you Lori for reminding us all of this important message. Wherever there are fellow Jews we should feel like we are in company of our own family ...I wish this were more true in the States

While at the grocery store, I was checking the dates out on each product I was picking up. The clerk in that area must of been watching me do this and came over and asked if something was wrong, and I told her I was just checking the expiration dates. She got offended and said she checks the dates every day and on and on she went. When she saw me checking the dates she took it as the same as telling her, are you doing your job or not. The examples you gave Lori, reminded me of that clerk. The people in Israel were doing their job likewise, and the added "I'm Jewish" they were doing their "job" attentive of being Jewish in addition. They took being Jewish very seriously otherwise they wouldn't of gotten offended in the least. They set an example, you don't leave your Jewishness at home when you go to work. It goes with you wherever you go.

Reminds me of how when missionaries approach us Jews (among other "non-believers") we generally assert that we are Jewish and must avoid getting deceived into believing that we can believe in Jesus and still be Jewish, even though it is really incompatible, given that Christianity itself is a mistranslation/misinterpretation from the Torah and Jewish texts...At least some Jews would also argue, like Avram Infeld - the president of Hillel International that Judaism is NOT a religion, but indeed, a lifestyle.