Intermarriage & the future of Jews

Those who follow the Jewish press will notice from time to time the appearance of articles about intermarriage. Many think this is the No.1 threat to the existence of the Jewish people. It is sometimes referred to as a "silent Holocaust".

In case there was any doubt as to the sensitivity of this subject, a recent controversy involving Alan Dershowitz (about whom I have blogged here) has revealed and highlighted the tensions within the Jewish community on this subject .

It has struck a raw nerve and I would not be surprised if the commotion around it grows.

Well what are some of the issues here ? Let’s open it up a little.

One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to recognise that the chances of a Jew or Jewess marrying a non-Jew are very much reduced if one happens to be living in the Land of Israel.If intermarriage is the chief threat to the Jewish people then aliya must be the best and perhaps only solution.

But America, with a Jewish population just over 5 million, has traditionally been a land where aliya hardly exceeds 1,000 families per year. And why should it ? America offers health wealth and perhaps happiness , has been and continues to be, next to Israel itself, the most welcoming country for Jews.

Now if we turn to the Bible and consider foremost Matthew 23:37-39 and also Romans 11:26-29. These Scriptures tell us there must be a Jewish presence in the world and even a Jewish nation centered in Jerusalem when JESUS returns.

Look, if God can bring down the Soviet Empire to “let His people go”, he is able and willing to shake America so it also will “let His people go”.

But perhaps a different kind of shaking will be required.