[FreepShop1]

Religious Jews like myself have contempt for Jews-In-Name-Only (JINOs) who have replaced Akiba with Alinska and Moses with Marx. They are “Reform” (we say “Deformed”) JINOs, and if you have ever had to suffer through a sermon from one of their female, hyphenated-name males or gay “rabbis” , then you know how utterly detached from Judiasm they are. They are intermarrying, becoming athiests, turning gay and having abortions. And I could not care less. Because my Lubovitch (Orthodox) friends average 8 kids per family, and within 25 years will dominate American Jewry. By the way, 77% of them voted for John McCain last year, as opposed to the 84% of Deformed JINOs who supported the Jew-hating Obama.

[Nachum]

Truth is; observant Jews like us have to redouble our efforts to reach out to our less observant brethren. The efforts of Chabad and of the non-Chabad kiruv movements have been hugely successful. This study may say that large numbers are unobservant, but here in Los Angeles I see nothing but tremendous growth in the religious world here. Many new schools, many new shuls, neighborhoods bursting at the seems with new families. I just do not buy it.

What troubles me about this "study" is that it does not seem to differentiate between Jews who are born of Jewish mothers or not. How many of the Jews in this study aren't Jews at all?

[Jewbacca]

“Religious Jews like myself have contempt for Jews-In-Name-Only (JINOs)”

I disagree with them, but I recall that is not a Jew’s job to force a fellow Jew into observance — that breeds resentment and a stiff neck and “fake” observance.

That is, observance that lacks the heart and faith behind it, which is pointless.

Love them, be kind to them, and help them the best you can. By far, that is the best strategy.

(FWIW, I am Israeli, was deemed “secular” in Israel, and am leaning toward some sort of non-kabbalistic Orthodox in the States.)