November 16, 2011
Dear Friends:
You see that the Half-Jewish Network keeps its promises — we are contacting you only once a month! <internet smile>
Here are some news items that I thought might interest you. (I wish to thank Al and Joel — you know who you are — for sending me some of these news articles!)
1. In a 9/1/11 article in the American Jewish newspaper, the “Forward,” titled “Last Ethiopian Jews Finally Make Exodus to Israel,” you will see at the bottom of the article some very disturbing news.
Not all of the remaining Ethiopian Jews are apparently being allowed to make aliyah to Israel. Those who have a Jewish father and a mother who is not Jewish — the patrilineal Jews — are being excluded.
You will notice that I have left a comment expressing my disapproval in the “Comments” section. You may wish to leave a comment of your own.
http://forward.com/articles/142154/#ixzz1dsSM0Ri9
2. “Who Isn’t a Jew?” a 10/23/11 article in “The Jerusalem Post” describes how a well-known Israeli writer with two Jewish parents has had himself legally declared a non-Jew.
He is protesting the fact that because he married an American Christian, his daughter and grandson are officially “not Jewish” in Israel.
http://m.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=84242441&cat=2
3. “Outside the Box” — new film being made by Lacey Schwartz on growing up half-African-American and half-Jewish. The author of the film seeks donations to help her complete the film.
http://www.outsidetheboxfilm.com/
4. “Conservative Synagogues Crack Open Door to Intermarried Families,” published in the “Forward” on 8/31/11, discusses how some Conservative synagogues are allowing interfaith couples full membership in their shuls.
http://www.forward.com/articles/142112/#ixzz1dsb38a89
5. There are very few studies of the Holocaust that mention half-Jewish people, so I thought some of you might be interested in “Jews and Intermarriage in Nazi Austria”:
6. Some of you have expressed an interest in occasionally hearing about half-Jewish people who lived as Christians. I recommend an excellent essay about the poet Denise Levertov, who was raised in the Church of England.
Her father came from a Hasidic Jewish family and is said to have been a descendant of the founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch dynasty. He became an Anglican minister. Her mother grew up in Wales and was raised as a Congregationalist Christian.
Levertov was interested in both of her “halves” and wrote much spiritual poetry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_Levertov
7. If you are interested in receiving a free weekly email newsletter with information about Israel and interfaith families, plus other topics relating to Israel’s current problems in this area, I recommend that you subscribe to:
http://religionandstateinisrael.blogspot.com/
8. Holiday Reminders: I wish all of our American readers a Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24.
Erev (the beginning) of Hanukkah falls after sunset on Tuesday, December 20 this year and lasts for eight days. Christmas will take place (except for the Eastern Orthodox Christians) on Sunday, December 25. The Eastern Orthodox Christmas will fall on January 7.
9. I am continuing to notify the over 1,000 members of the Half-Jewish Network who contacted us over the last six years that we have a new website and that they can now subscribe to this email blog/newsletter.
Some of them have changed email addresses, so I may not be able to reach them all. I am slowly reconnecting with as many of them as I can reach, one by one.
10. Don’t forget to check the “About/Message Board” on our website and help me respond to the questions from half-Jewish people from all over the world:
http://half-jewish.net/message-board/
Cordially,
Robin Margolis, Coordinator
The Half-Jewish Network: Welcoming Adult Children & Grandchildren of Intermarriage 