WATCH: New ad campaign targets Jews 'abducted' by intermarriage

Perhaps there is some validity to the notion that Jews tend to be ethnocentrist. And before the reflex of disgust hits you please consider this. Judging from the Jewish responses to this campaign(both pro and con)we are seeing a willingness for some Jews to part...therefore leaving,by default,the more ethnocentrist of Jews to retain the Jewish identity.IE selective pressures are on display and there is nothing evil or anti Jewish to point this out. I don't suggest Jews are unique in this regard but rather point to the opportunity to learn from this. To learn from that is to shed light on the fact that white identity group membership is on the rise in all the west. What's to be offended about when you can understand?The question progresses to how to deal with this amicably.

First off, I'm guessing from your first name that you at least have some Jewish ancestry and if so, your incorrect response is really shameful. Kevin MacDonald is a known neo-Nazi. Much of what you are saying was a response to hate and discrimination and the fact that Judaism with it's many laws was "difficult" for outsiders, not because Judaism in and of itself was "insular" and purposely shunning the outside world. In fact, before Christianity, some historians believe 10% of the Roman Empire was Jewish, many through conversion. And we can't be "that" insular, Ashkenazim do not look that different physically from their fellow Europeans, why do you think Hitler despite his bogus race theories still needed yellow stars to distinguish Jews from his so called "Aryan supermen"? While those "Y chromosome" studies show that there was very little intermarriage, there's enough outward physical evidence to show we didn't simply come straight from Israel and never "marry out" either.

And noted this in a response to another Haaretz piece on this as well.

...these ideas are dying a slow death. I am a Jewish woman, happily married to a wonderful, black, non-Jewish man. The thought of my children being discriminated against because of their race and/or religion is thoroughly repulsive to me, no matter what side it's coming from. Again, I'm glad these ideas are going the way of the Do-Do bird (as the statistics clearly show), even if slowly.

This is more complicated than presented. The world isn't made of of groups of ethnically 'perfect' people despite the wishes of people who brought us events like WW2. There are lots of non-Jewish people who have a lot of Jewish blood. In many cases, they've had to and have been told by their families to keep their ancestry a secret and are absolutely terrified by what's going on right now. There are quite a few Jewish people who technically have very little semitic blood.

As a gentile American, I can only begin to describe the disgust I feel as I read these comments. I cannot believe my government continues to cater to a state increasingly basing its legitimacy on these ridiculous racial precepts. For shame.

there are only two kind of people in the world, Good People and Bad People the rest is secondary

Interfaith marriages great have problems. Conversion from Christianity to Judaism is not an answer.Keep the faith,

I'm not a Jew, and I don't really care what happens to Jews, but I do feel compelled to point out that in our modern world you can't have it both ways. What I mean is you can't as a group become so welcoming that you lose your ethnic identity and expect to remain demographically viable. If you want evidence, just look at the demographics: branches of Judaism that promote intermarriage are faltering, and those that are much more restrictive are flourishing. I can understand why people get offended by this sort of thing, but the cold, hard fact is it is necessary if Jews are to remain a distinct people. Whether you value personal liberty or your group identity more is up to you, and like I said I don't really care because I'm not Jewish. But it's silly for Jews to pretend they can be both wholly welcoming of outsiders and remain a distinct people in the long-term.

What becomes apparent to anyone who pays attention to the phenomenon, is that Judaism is fundamentally a cult to and of ethnicity. The central element of the Jewish evolutionary strategy has been the perpetuation of ethnic purity, according to Professor Kevin MacDonald, throughout history Jews have stressed endogamy ? marriage within their group ? and have staunchly resisted genetic assimilation with surrounding peoples. As recorded in the Old Testament, the policy of the ancient Hebrews was "to commit genocide rather than permitting intermarriage with the conquered peoples." To prevent group intermarriage in later periods, Jews have sought to separate themselves from others. Separation has been enforced by a panoply of cultural practices: religious beliefs, language and mannerisms, physical appearance, customs, occupations, and physically separated areas of residence.

as a convert to judaism i found the process rigorous and challenging beyond words. what it did prepare me for, however is that being jewish can be very daunting. for someone who has never experienced anything like antisemitism before, nothing can prepare you. i don't agree with scare tactics however, how about using the carrot not the stick! reaching out, including and celebrating what it is to be jewish. that is what got me in!!

These divisions (Jewish, Christian, Arabic, are the source of most problems in the world today). If in 100 years, if these (and their attendant problems) were to disappear would it be a bad thing?

You hit the nail on the head.

I've written this elsewhere before. 100 years from now, the only Jews left will be those in Israel and those in the Diaspora whose ancestors made a conscious effort to preserve their Jewish identity by, most importantly, raising Jewish kids. Sorry if I unintentionally offend any people in mixed marriages out there - and I wish I were wrong - but the fact is a disproportionate majority of mixed marriages end up with the kids identifying themselves as anything but Jews. No-one has any right to judge you. No-one has any right to tell you where to find love and happiness. But don't delude yourselves into thinking it has no impact on your Jewish identity by denying the fact that, statistically, you have most probably chosen to break away from the Jewish people as a result. We'll miss you.

This commercial is so wrong on so many levels. What is the KKK had a commercial arguing against the demographic demise of white people based on intermarriage? Would you support that? What is the difference in what you are doing with your commercial?

than with insulting individuals and families like this. Ties to Israel and Judaism aren't an all or nothing matter like they seem to think.

I date a southern baptist who prefers temple to church. I wouldn't ask her to convert even though she is willing. Our children will be raised as Jewish, and she is fine with that. I don't really care what people say about converting, and archaic religious ideology. I'm from a mixed marriage and it has only reinforced how much I'd rather be Jewish than anything else. Our support for Israel is unconditional and unwavering, regardless of their endorsement of our relationship. Israel is a beacon of light, a bastion of freedom, and a source of hope for Jews thousands of miles away.

Misguided,Counterproductive,Stupid, Insane, Nonsensical, Ridiculous, Primitive, Retrograde. Do they really think they can keep people in by offending their dignity and identity? What unadulterated detritus ....In the 21st c. we need to be more open and universal rather than revert to being tribal, parochial and exclusive.. Shame on the Prime Minister's Office!!!!

As the Coordinator of the Half-Jewish Network, the largest international organization for adult children and other descendants of intermarriage, I formally protest this immoral and wicked video. People like myself are not the children of a kidnapped Jew and a criminal Gentile. We are the offspring of parents who met and fell in love. Many of us live as Jews, despite the endless negative propaganda against us, like this venemous video. For truth information about interfaith families, please visit: www.half-jewish.net

This isn't going to stop intermarriage (and of those already intermarriage, I don't know what they want). It's just going to serve as proof that those opposing intermarriage "don't get it". What amazes me is that this has received funding from Jewish communities like mine where about half the people aren't Halachically Jewish due to intermarriage.

Bravo! I agree with you 100% - your wife and family are very lucky to have such a TRUE Jew like you - we are not bigots - we have been the victims of bigotry but never should we ever adopt and practice those idiotic beliefs.

the intolerance show to those that make my spouse and kids welcome(the progressive movement) by the beit-din and now the government.i will urge all to stop any funds to UIA and target you donations to specific organizations that have tolerance.

I was born in Israel, raised as an orthodox jew in NY and am now not religious and dating a non-jewish woman. I want my kids to be jewish and have a strong commitment to Israel and the jewish people. However, the grueling and often arbitrary orthodox conversion process that any future bride of mine would have to undergo is the MAJOR reason why my children wouldn't be jewish. We should welcome people who want to convert to judiasm rather than put them through a ridiculous process that has no basis in halacah. I won't marry for judiasm but I will do all that I can to make sure my kids will be jewish. If the Israeli government is serious about reaching to jews in diaspora than they need to reform the conversion process ASAP!

What values does an intermarried Jew spread-- matzo ball soup and bar mitzvah parties? What Jewish values will you pass down if you are willing to dilute and destroy bonds of 3000 years? If Jews have to rely on guys like you to preserve our religion, heritage, and culture then you will achieve more to destroy Jewish life in 3 generations than Hitler ever dreamed of doing. Look at U.S. Jewish families who only have the last names but nothing of Jewishness in their families besides Christams, Hanuka, and Bar Mitzva celebrations.

You are already out of the community. And if you want to "gladly" give up your association with the country, please do so. We do not need people like you, that are excited about giving up their association with Israel. But please remember that in 1939, no matter if you consider yourself as a jew or not, and no matter if your children do so, and no matter if you feel a bond with israel or not, you would have been sent to the gas chambers, like everyone. And today, if something like this happens, it will be that state which you seem to feel no relationship with that would come and save you, that would fight to death to bring you back home.

Whether or not you like the ad campaign, it's pretty creepy that when you view the clip on YouTube, the site comes up with a whole slew of supposedly Related Vidoes like "State of Israel - Racism." "Is Israel Racist," "Israeli Racism," and so on. The Jewish Agency might want to check this out. By watching this video clip, the viewer is also led to a whole collection of videos that are not at all what the Jewish Agency wants to present.

Why are these Jews marrying non-Jews? Well, it has to do with the fact that anti-Jewish feeling is rather low, secularism is somewhat on the rise in Europe and the US in comparison to religiousity. Thus, there is less of a rational to simply marry within the ethnic group. And who is simply going to pass up a woman or man that connects well with them just because they aren't Jewish when only a minority of people in the country are Jewish? These people are swimming upstream. Also, some Jews don't want to be associated with lots of historical baggage and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

I can't imagine what they are smoking back in Tel Aviv. If you want to reach out to Jews across the world, insulting half their spouses is a pretty bad way to start.

Sure the more effective, and humanistic approach would be to WELCOME non-Jewish partners into Klal Yisrael. Good for them, good for demography,m good for Jewry.

That would be a disaster for you if you limit your gene pool to 12 millions only ..It will increase the hereditary DS , malformation incidence,birth defects ..etc.etc. Bad Idea , It will not work in the 21 century ,people are very well informed about the risks .

nobody is saying anything bad about other cultures but the role of the jewish agency is to promote jewish continuity and the simple facts are that when jews marry jews then there is continuity. so Bob Cohen - i am sure your wife is wonderful .but and i'm not saying you should care cos that is yr business.... 5000 years of jewish continuity ie your ancestry, your great grandfather, gfather, father etc all of whom carried the faith has been extinguished by you. What Hitler did with gas...we Jews are doing it to ourselves....now had yr wife converted and had you made strong efforts to bring up yr children as jews with judaism in their lives that would have been different. btw i'm as secular as you and an ex boxer so hardly a chasid...get it ?

Their are plenty of Russian immigrants in Israel whose Jewish identity is questionable. Do you think any Israeli would give up his Russian wife/girlfriend if the Israeli chief rabbinate created an ad like this? Here's a better idea. Instead of deliberately alienating intermarried Jews, why not reach out to their spouses and children, get them into our synagogues encourage them to convert. If we can do that on a large scale, intermarriage will double our numbers with each generation instead. Intermarriage is a permanent fact of life in the United States. We need to adjust to this reality. Writing off the children of intermarried Jews will result in our demographic suicide.

The REFORM movement has allowed those of mixed marriages to join the group.The stupidity of the religous right has sent our hildren into the arms of the church down the street

judaism is NOT an religion!a religion is open to other religions and belivings!it is not closed! jews are a sect with just too many mebers to be ignored. that's all!

Bob, We have lots in common. My cleaning lady is also from Venezuela. But I am not planning to marry her. I am looking to introduce her to a spanish speaking catholic. Lets keep everythink in its proper place

Mr. Scharf, Please remember that you are doing a very, very needed job. Best wishes to You and Your Collegues

who meet people who marry out pretend to be broad minded and accepting. what nonsense. the only thing acceptable is if the kids are Jewish. we should be sending our children to Jewish day schools where the secular education is superior and they learn to appreciate being Jewish.All the Ivy's come calling. its worth the sacrifice because the kids succeed as human beings.

to generation. if your children are brought up Jewish ok, if not they are truly missing. its about time we Jews fought the intermarriage problem, we are the foundation of western civilization, not many of us are educated or enlightened enough to know that. we have a vast and proud heritage it deserves to pass on to future generations.

Points well taken. The "water table" is dangerously low. We must pray for "rain" .

Can I keep my wife of 42 years?

A great many people who immigrated to the US and elsewhere were assigned the name "Cohen" by immigration officials, who couldn't be bothered to decipher the exotic-sounding names. Also many people named "Levine" who aren't Levi'im, for the same reason. Part of the reason perhaps why the percentage of people named "Cohen" and "Levine" in the Jewish community seems too large. The Jewish community is an example to the world, willy-nilly. Ideally, it should be a positive role model. Of course anyone can opt out and fade away.

Jewish people, particularly those living in Israel have a higher incidence of several genetic and congenital disorders. Doesn't anyone see the connection between this and the insistence of Jewish culture on marrying inside Judaism? I'm not saying that Jews should actively try to marry non-jews, I'm just saying that enforcing the limitations on the gene pool seems to have similar results to inbreeding. No, marrying jewish is not like marrying your sister, but considering the fact that it's such a small community, insularity is just plain not healthy. Even the rabbis know this; they have very sophisticated practices with family trees, but most people don't take advantage of this, or their family records aren't necessarily available because they haven't been members of the same congregation for generations. On top of this, I think (and slightly hope) that telling people whom to marry as a strategic initiative will backfire when people realize how offensive that is.

it doesn't have anything to do with close-mindedness. you broke a line that was kept going for thousands of years, a line that could be kept because people sacrificed their lifes and suffered to be Jewish and to marry within the fold. your personal choice puts an end to all this. your children and grand children will be americans and not jews. think about it

as a gay jew, i am saddened by your comments. Your children most likely will be lost to judiasm. So many were persecuted and died because they were jews. It is well known, mixed marriages bring on many problems for the children in later years. my boyfriend (mexican) will convert to judiasm

I think I told this story one time. When I was seventeen, I went with my mom to some Jewish banquet in LA. My mom taps me on the shoulder and says, "Hey go talk to my friend's daughter. They live in Beverly Hills." I took one look and I see this girl, who looked to be about 100 lbs. overweight, and whose skin looked like the surface of Mars. I take it back. She looked like she was covered with sores. This is back in the 1970's so it was just on account of diet, I think. I guess my mom should of moved to the Valley but for some reason we lived in East LA and the Mexican Girls were/are very pretty. The Iranian Jewish women when they came over, were really attractive too. But I think it became very obvious right away that they only married other Iranians. I had a Black Girlfriend once but she was too old for me. I have a hybrid wife now. She's not sure what she is. But good luck with this one. Hey! Why not attract more Latin people to Judaism? They used to be Jewish 400 years ago! See ya!

Well now, it depends. Are the children of mixed marriages likely to be more open to ideas different from their own? Are they apt to be more tolerant, more forgiving, gifted with greater empathy? If so, in my eyes, they would be better human beings, and that trumps being better Jews, Catholics, Muslims, or anything else for that matter. If not,then forget it. Judaism will either survive because if offers more and better opportunities to live life like a decent human being, or not.

I married a beautiful, wonderful women from Venezuela and I am certain, for me, there is no Jewish, or Nonjewish women, who compares. For me to marry someone merely because she is Jewish is disgusting. i expect that from the Taliban, not from my fellow Jews to be so closeminded. If Israel does not accept either myself or my spouse, then please tell me and I will gladly give up my association with the country.

a rabbi i know took another view: that jews who married out of their faith were actually spreading judaism. take your pick, paranoic parochialism or embracing real jewish values and sharing them. it's an embarassment that the jewish agency has resorted to scare tactics and paranoia. don't they of all people believe in the positive side of the dream and it's intrinsic value? shame on em.

Best wishes from one of the abductors, you pricks!!