Independent Media Center, Israel http://indymedia.org.il Spinoza and the Jewish futureWednesday 26 Feb 2003 author: Rowan Berkeley (rowan_berkeley@yahoo.co.uk)

This is very gratifying. I have just abandoned a very protracted attempt to convert to some (any) form of Judaism, although my emphasis has always been on acquiring Jewish nationality rather than accepting any form of the Jewish religion. Spinoza has been my escape route from this doomed attempt. If anybody visits my web-site, they will also notice a certain attachment to Aleister Crowley. Many Jews find it impossible to live without ideology-- either Orthodox Jewish religiosity, or some form of Marxism. However, the recent elections showed that the Jewish-Israeli public will vote for a secular alternative only when it is NOT significantly Leftish ( a lesson lost on Yossi Beilin and his latest proteges, the Societies of Secular and Humanistic Jews ). Spinoza never abandoned his Jewish nationality, though he left the religion "Judaism". Can anybody help me to take a leaf from his book and become a Jew of his persuasion?

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