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Michelle Dostie's avatar

Ehud, thanks for sharing a unique understanding of the mind of G-d, and the importance of the Land. I am perplexed by the two diasporas in the Babylon was not mentioned.

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Ehud Neor's avatar

Someone knows her Bible! I did not mention it because it was resolved within 70 years, though that most important of diasporas, the Babylonian, got its start then and in time bequeathed us the Babylonian Talmud and the great period of the Geonim. Thanks for the comment. If I redo this I will include it.

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Michelle Dostie's avatar

* …Yet Babylon was not mentioned.

I’m guessing Geonim means populating the entire globe after the Roman diaspora. Thanks Ehud.

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Ehud Neor's avatar

Geonim {Wise Men). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geonim

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Reb Shlomo's avatar

This is a great post! Thank you for the research and sharing it.

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Ehud Neor's avatar

You are welcome!

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Just plain Rivka's avatar

Really excellent food for thought. A unique take on secular Zionism.

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Disa sacks's avatar

Beautiful essay. How do you understand the growing rifts between not only secular vs observant , but even more disturbing between the religious zionists and the chareidi?

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Ehud Neor's avatar

Hi Disa. The first is non-existent on the grass-roots level, so as soon as the foreign investors realize that they cannot buy a regime change, the money will dry up and so will the demonstrations at Kaplan Street. The second is not a growing rift. It is an existing one based on true ideological differences. It flares up when the big jobs come up for grabs (chief Rabbi) and when we have wars with the inevitable loss of national religious sons, who are always found at the front. Those who say "Shema" twice a day are always, in the end, allies.

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Ian Mark Sirota's avatar

Thank you for the historical insight!

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Ehud Neor's avatar

You are welcome!

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Isha Yiras Hashem's avatar

Innocents abroad is a fascinating read.

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George Grosman's avatar

Profound observations written in fabulous prose. To quote a fellow writer/musician landsman, Ira Gershwin: "Who could ask for anything more?" 🎶 👍

Upgrading as we speak

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Candice's avatar

“Life the good abhors a void “ strikes chord in my soul. As American Jews post WW 2 my parents intuitively understood your thesis of working the land of Israel. Beautifully written work. Gracias.

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