You are so right, CPA. The rise and fall of every civilization throughout history has followed demographic trends. What is happening in Israel does not bode well.

Thank you.

Please tell us what scholarship is coming out of New Square? Please tell us why Footsteps is a cult? Ultra-orthodox Judaism is a cult, a very effective one at that.

CM, as of this writing, you have received a net of 2 thumbs down. How anyone can disagree with what you have written is beyond me. Perhaps to those that gave you a thumbs down, it is ok to claim one lives in Bloomingburg just to vote there, even though they really live somewhere else. This is fraud, but, I guess to those 2 individuals, that is ok. Perhaps they were never taught the importance of ethics.

One wonders where the board of directors and the audit committee of the board were during this period of time? Where was the audit firm? No reputable independent audit firm would tolerate this. They would fire their client.

Were the directors independent of the CEO? Did they violate their fiduciary responsibilities? This is not the first time that a Jewish charity has run into financial difficulties. No one should make contributions to this charity until the current directors are replaced with completely independent directors and the audit firm fired and replaced by another one. Not one penny of contribution. Too much sleaze and dishonesty.

When some ultra-orthodox adults can't find employment to support their huge families because they were denied a secular education and therefore must take welfare provided by those who work and pay taxes, this ultra-orthodox cultural norm deserves criticism. A fundamental value of all civilizations, except for segments of the ultra-orthodox, is for a father and/or mother to provide for their families,

The following article appeared in YNet News on Feb 10. "Women want Jerusalem modesty signs removed." "After Beit Shemesh residents win battle against signs disrespecting women, Jerusalem councilwoman and two social activists call on mayor to remove offensive signs from capital's haredi neighborhoods." When the ultra-orthodox disrespect women and behave in a misogonistic way, especially towards non ultra-orthodox women, they deserve criticism.

Azkenamer, you often try to divert the discussion away from the ultra orthodox by criticizing the non orthodox, but every reader knows that is an ineffective argument. Why don't you address the issue directly?

So, you feel that as the leader of his sect, Rabbi Twersky has no responsibility to protect his sect's children? Do you know what a real leader does? Rabbis in Australia are being forced to resign because they placed their cultural norms above protection of the children.

Quite frankly, I don't care that de Blaiso doesn't agree. He would sell his soul for votes.

To quote the article, "A Forward expose by Frimet Goldberger published in December found that Twersky, who is seen as nearly godlike by his followers, failed to act on allegations of sexual abuse in his community."

If true, if Rabbi Twersky was any kind of leader, he would protect the children of his community ahead of protecting its cultural norms. Most readers of the Forward have no knowledge of the ultra-orthodox child abuse scandal in Australia currently being investigated by a Australian Royal Commission. It's a shonda.

Hatikvah is a beautiful and moving song. The less we listen to Haredi rabbis, the better off Israel is. Much of what they say never makes any sense.

in my post, I stated, "... the ultra-orthodox and I share no cultural norms ..." I did not say "orthodox," I said "ultra-orthodox."

Many ultra-orthodox communities disrespect women and treat them in misognistic ways. In some ultra-orthodox communities, child abusers are protected at the expense of their children. Some ultra-orthodox communities vilify, threaten and shun parents of abuse victims who go to the police. Some ultra-orthodox rabbis protect abusers, effectively permiting them to abuse other children. Are you aware of the huge scandal currently occuring in the Chabad community in Australia? You should read about it. It will make you sick.

In many ultra-orthodox communities, children are not given a secular education which permits them to go out and get a job to effectively support their large families. In fact, in many ultra-orthodox communities, because the husband does not work, the family needs to rely on welfare provided by taxes paid by those who do work. I could go on and on. These are not my cultural norms. These are not the cultuural norms of those Jews who are modern orthodox. Are they any less Jewish that the ultra-orthodox?

By the way, both my children married Jewish spouses and belong to synagogues, as do my wife and I (conservative). You don't need to share any of the cultural norms of the ultra-orthodox to be Jewish.