I am really curious about the continuing high level of interest in this article- according to the Blog's statistics. Relative to the times this post has been read there have been rather few comments. Most of those who read the post arrive at this blog by Google with the search terms Rabbi Avraham Goldstein,Mishpacha. The article was posted over two weeks ago - what is the reason for the interest in this article? In addition few of those interested are from Latin America.
Part of the answer is that a few individuals are repeatedly accessing the article. What is so fascinating?
ReplyDeleteProselytization, is the word use in the title of this article, a word that like other words, can be powerfull, and sadly harmfull as well. It's definition: to induce someone to convert to one's own religious faith. Without knowing Rabi A. Goldstein this verdict is far from the truth. More than that, is clear evidence of, hopefully, a missunderstanding or worst ignorance. Why ignorance? to judge a person or his work, one most known clearly who the person is, or how his action are delivered. Clearly the author has no idea of who Rabi Goldstein is, and the sacrifices he makes to help the ones who whish to know and inmerse them selfs in judaism. He is very jelous when it come to teaching Torah, and carefull to whom he does. He lives of his own busisness, and tikes out of his time to GIVE.
ReplyDeleteMy case, it took me 3 months to meet him, before that I had to prove that my interes in Judaism was genuine. My juorny and leaning process has not been easy, but also has been beutiful, one not possible w/o the help of a Rabi. Proselytes have been part of the Jewish history since it's beginig, many of whom have play very important roles, they were facinated by the truth and wisdom of the Jewish people, of knowing that G-d is ONE, just as I am. For those previous proselytes there were possibly rejection by the ignorant, as G-d welcomes does to become part of the brit, but w/o the help from people like Rabi Goldstein, there contribution will had never happened. Is not just the fact that he gives from his time, knowledge, or money, but how he does it, happily. Also this applys when it come to his observance. He is enthusiastic of of the proper guidance and teachings of the propect proselyte, but at the same time sober and realistic, and he turns down,w/o hasitation dose who are not feet to this way of life.
Hope, you the best, and wish that H"S" continiue to open your hearts.
Sincerely, from Puerto Rico
Dr. Akiva Carretero
This is a hot button issue as many of your posts and discussions about Marranos and Conversos have proven in the past, and there is no "one "answr" to your question.
ReplyDeleteIn addition there are probably hundreds of thousands of people looking for connections to get into the Jewish world -- who use Google all the time, and Latinos have discovered that the debacle in Jewish history that resulted from the Catholic Church's Inquisition against the Jews in Spain and Portugal and then carried over to the Americas, and the Marranos and Conversos that it spawned, is a convenient "bridge" to try to see if they can perhaps convert and get free rides to the prosperous State of Israel or to the United States under the guise of being connected to the Jews or being or becoming "Jewish" which may or may not be genuine and sincere.
There is also the factor that, according to all the great rabbis of this and the previous generation, we are living in the ikvese demeshicha (the era of the "footsteps [prior to the imminent arrival] of the Jewish mashiach") with a tremendous stirring among many different types of peoples that they are somehow or other connected with the Jews and or Judaism.
One of the great ironies of modern times is that millions of genuine Jews wish to assimilate, intermarry, apostasize by becoming fully Christianized and become like the gentiles in all ways, while there are many gentiles who are genuinley desirous to become converts to Judaism, and some will indeed become geirei tzedek. Two-way traffic, the closer the world gets to the long-awaited Jewish messianic age.