en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/7161796 Comments by wanamatcha http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment732216973 That is very true that some mizrahi communities, especially in the states, try to keep their peculiar Nusach. I do not see anything wrong with that. But I doubt they shall be successful for many generations. Wed, 9 Oct 2013 22:51:13 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment732216973 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731924696 During the last decades, all sefardic and mizrahi Jews have been expelled from their countries and became refugees mainly in Israel but also in France and to a lesser extent in other places. This forced migration has by itself unified the different Edot haMizrah and most of the old minhagim are disappearing by merging. It is just a question of time. Most Sfaradim now refer to the Yalkut Yosef, they pray together with the same Siddurim either in hebrew or in french, they send their kids to the very same schools and they marry each other. Even if many old people want to keep the peculiar tradition from their birth place, their descendants just cannot and they usually define themselves as plain Sfaradim. The work of Rav Yosef has been to guide this historical process and unify all the different sefardic and mizrahi communities around a common banner in terms of Halakha, Minhag and politics. You can simply observe that Shas MK are equally originating from North Africa, the Middle east and former Soviet Republics. Also, we did not divide ourselve in different theological movements as the Ashkenazim did with their reform, conservatism, orthodoxy or ultra-orthodoxy. We just consider ourselve more or less religious and observant but we all go to the same rabbis. As a consequence, this unification process has an impact on every Sfaradi at some moment of his life. Wed, 9 Oct 2013 15:06:59 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731924696 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731915691 Bigots ? No just proud Sfaradim ! Since generations, enlighted assimilated Ashkenazim look down at their traditional sefardic brethen as stupid uneducated bigots who are worth nothing. Then came Rav Yosef who united us in the tradition of our fathers. He was our strength and he gave us back our pride. We are not second class Jews anymore. Rav Yosef's teaching will live though our kids and grand children when yours will not even be jewish anymore. Wed, 9 Oct 2013 14:45:19 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731915691 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731903795 Good point, but as a great rabbi of the state of Israel, Rav Yosef was in a position of power to take decisions which had a direct application on millions of people. His heritage in the Yalkut Yosef is already binding for all Edot haMizrah. Whatever the quality of his halakhic and kabalistic woks, the Ben Ish Haï was never in such a position to influence so many people in so a short time. Wed, 9 Oct 2013 14:16:06 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731903795 http://forward.com/articles/185194/being-jewish-in-france-was-harder-thirty-years-ago/#IDComment731521282 70% of french goyim think it is easier now to be jewish in France. I guess they never tried having a walk in Paris with a kippa. Tue, 8 Oct 2013 21:13:09 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/185194/being-jewish-in-france-was-harder-thirty-years-ago/#IDComment731521282 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731502745 100% agreed ! Whatever the trolls writing in Forward have to say, Rav Yosef was a rabbinic authority never seen in our sefardic community since the Rambam. Millions of mizrahi Jews anywhere in the world turn to the Yalkut Yosef when halakhic guidance is needed. Tue, 8 Oct 2013 20:26:09 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731502745 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731501030 I could not say it better ! Tue, 8 Oct 2013 20:21:37 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185231/#IDComment731501030 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185222/#IDComment731387009 Yes, but also the attachment of all Sefardim to Rav Yosef. Tue, 8 Oct 2013 15:38:44 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/185222/#IDComment731387009 http://forward.com/articles/184985/pew-findings-reject-bleak-narrative-of-jewish-decl/#IDComment730964341 Nice answer ! Mon, 7 Oct 2013 20:22:01 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/184985/pew-findings-reject-bleak-narrative-of-jewish-decl/#IDComment730964341 http://forward.com/articles/185141/rabbi-ovadia-yosef-sephardic-kingmaker-of-israeli/#IDComment730957817 I just cannot decide if your comment is just a simple show of ignorance or a deliberate insult to the Sefardim. Mon, 7 Oct 2013 20:03:26 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/185141/rabbi-ovadia-yosef-sephardic-kingmaker-of-israeli/#IDComment730957817 http://forward.com/articles/185141/rabbi-ovadia-yosef-sephardic-kingmaker-of-israeli/#IDComment730955536 Despite his sometimes rude talking and his intellectual shortcuts, Rav Ovadya was still the Gadol haTorah and the ultimate Possek of the mizrahi world. It is why millions of Sefardim will mourn him worldwide. Unfortunately, I am not sure you can understand that. Mon, 7 Oct 2013 19:57:14 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/185141/rabbi-ovadia-yosef-sephardic-kingmaker-of-israeli/#IDComment730955536 http://forward.com/articles/184985/pew-findings-reject-bleak-narrative-of-jewish-decl/#IDComment730929440 You can add water to wine and still count it as wine. But some day, there will be so much water in your wine it will be tasteless. Mon, 7 Oct 2013 18:44:05 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/184985/pew-findings-reject-bleak-narrative-of-jewish-decl/#IDComment730929440 http://forward.com/articles/184986/american-jewry-loses-middle-as-orthodox-and-unaffi/#IDComment730928931 A very short but very true summary of the Pew report. Mon, 7 Oct 2013 18:42:33 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/184986/american-jewry-loses-middle-as-orthodox-and-unaffi/#IDComment730928931 http://forward.com/#IDComment730916773 A Jew converted to another religion is still jewish according to Halakha and whatever we believe, Halakha is binding for religious Jews. As an example, a few years ago the french Great Rabbi said Kadish for the jewish born Archbishop of Paris in front of Notre-Dame during is burial. Mon, 7 Oct 2013 18:18:22 +0000 http://forward.com/#IDComment730916773 http://forward.com/articles/185103/jewish-girl--stabbed-by-west-bank-intruder/#IDComment730349039 רפואה שלמה Sun, 6 Oct 2013 14:05:32 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/185103/jewish-girl--stabbed-by-west-bank-intruder/#IDComment730349039 http://blogs.forward.com/jj-goldberg/184982/#IDComment729439761 So true, there is nothing to celebrate in this report results which just shows how quick the american Jews are becoming jewish Americans. Let us wait for 50 years of assimilation at this rate and the american Jewry shall be reduced to a mere million of Haredim. Fri, 4 Oct 2013 13:11:34 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/jj-goldberg/184982/#IDComment729439761 http://forward.com/articles/184844/conservative-jews-brush-off-evidence-of-dramatic-d/#IDComment728197576 Since reform Judaism does not ask much more commitment than buying a seat for Tishri holydays, it is easy for them to keep their numbers. On the other side of the spectrum, orthodox growth is due to them having many kids and investing a lot in their education. Conservative Jews have a low birth rate, a very small school system but their denomination is asking real religious commitment from its members. With such parameters, they seem to be quite doomed. Tue, 1 Oct 2013 19:07:12 +0000 http://forward.com/articles/184844/conservative-jews-brush-off-evidence-of-dramatic-d/#IDComment728197576 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/183757/#IDComment719263863 Dude, at first you just seemed to be a confused mind. But i can now understand that you are just another antisemite spilling his hate on jewish websites. Sorry mate, but there is no therapy for your condition. Fri, 13 Sep 2013 09:56:24 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/183757/#IDComment719263863 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/183757/#IDComment718999061 Dude, you must be quite a senior person to still think of Canada as a british dominion : FYI the Canadian Forces are not anymore part of her Majesty Armed Forces since WWII. By the way, I am very happy to learn that 65 Jews served in the British Army eight years ago but cannot relate it to our discussion. Thu, 12 Sep 2013 23:12:37 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/183757/#IDComment718999061 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/183757/#IDComment718917831 You should tell that to the Canadian Forces which provided me with kosher food and regulatory kippa during my time as a combat officer... Thanks God, Canada is a beautiful country exempt of bigotry except for a few francophone separatists and some short minded people posting on internet. Thu, 12 Sep 2013 19:23:49 +0000 http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/183757/#IDComment718917831