Rudy Rochman , 30, is a Jewish-Israeli rights activist who frequently speaks at college campuses and to organizations that are pro-Israel. He is also known for his work as an activist on social media, where he has gained thousands of followers and subscribers across platforms and services such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.
— Wikipedia
In the video linked below, Rochman contends that Judaism is not a religion, noting that even if someone does not believe in the tenets of Judaism or perform its rituals, that person can still be a Jew. We agree with that. However, we would argue that the word Judaism does indeed refer to a religion. Being a Jew, on the other hand, can be a matter of family and ethnic background (with or without religion).
For its part, Halacha (Jewish religious law) says that anyone whose mother is Jewish is a Jew, whether or not that person is observant or believes in HaShem. The Nazis, for their part, were not concerned with Jews’ religious observance. To Hitler, a Jew was a Jew was a Jew.
We’re featuring this video by Rochman because it is thought-provoking and may spark discussion on this important topic.
Quote: “An activist is someone who understands the current problems and how they fit into the context of the Jewish people: What are the problems that we face? What is the next chapter of Jewish history? How are we trying to move forward? How are we trying to create coalitions? How are we trying to raise the younger generation? And, how are we trying to find a mission statement that allows us to move forward? That’s more of the mindset of an activist, I think.”
— JewishLifeNow.com
Learn more about Rudy Rochman from Wikipedia. ►
Watch “Judaism Is NOT A Religion” [8:43]. ►
Photo: Shutterstock
Whether you agree with Rochman or disagree with him, we welcome your comments. Click here.
