According to the Israel Museum exhibition notes  (http://www.imj.org.il/exhibitions/2008/MNR/english.html)

"...the French government continues active provenance research and restitution efforts. To help illuminate this ongoing process, the Mattéoli Commission, formed in 1997 by then-Prime Minister Alain Juppé to study the matter of Jewish property restitution in France, recommended an exhibition of MNR works at the Israel Museum at the appropriate time."

In light of this statement, we may see this exhibition as more of a PR effort on behalf of France to counteract all the anti-semitic news emanating from there recently. It's in the museum of Israel as proof that France is investing time and money in trying to amend historical wrongs (even as it fails to suppress contemporary religious strife). 

That teaches us something--simply dismissing an art exhibit as boring without reflecting on its cultural and political context does not.

it is that there has never been one correct way to be Jewish. EVER. The story of the Jewish religion is a story of a wide array of beliefs, which continued evolving through the centuries, always in contact and in dialogue with other peoples and religions. 

The Messianic Jews I've met know Hebrew and Halakhah better than most American Jews. and they know their scripture better than Israelis. 

How does allowing Messianic Jews to have a life free of persecution in Israel endanger other Jews (or that ever unsettling, shifting, and fluid category of Judaism)? It does not.

It is just that the some people in the Israeli government feel that their identity (or political support) is so fragile, they cannot tolerate difference and diversity.

good article, Roi. proofreaders at Jewcy could make it better.

although I thought your piece would go in a different direction. If the example of the ethiopian airlift has shown us anything, it is that arriving in Israel is just the beginning of a difficult journey of integration.

Ethiopian Jews face discrimination in Israel, where it's often said that these people came "from nothing," from a land "without culture." This lack of culture is blamed for their socio-economic challenges in Israel. a more productive approach would admit that they come from a culture, it's just not particularly similar to Western culture. 

I've resolved that the practical way to approach an understanding of  all problems (esp. in Israel) is to follow the money trail. Don't get me started on the way the budget of Israel is generated and allocated, but one thing is for sure, it has a problem spending it on non-Jews. 

there are 250,000 foreign workers in Israel, supporting its economy, but Israel refuses to consider offering them any of the benefits of citizenship. even to their children, who were born in Israel and who only know Israeli culture.

these are the problems of a Jewish state. 

I was not suggesting a connection between China's holding of US Debt and the US invading other countries for regime change. When a country holds your purse strings, you're just less likely to criticize it and hold it accountable for its actions. And the Bush administration is demonstrating that quite nicely.

now you just sound like you're out to argue with anything you can. lame. 

There are so many that sound bad in English.
popular Israeli girls' names: Moran, Mor, Yael.

and what makes Carla's piece so engaging is that she is honest and open with her thoughts and feelings (however misguided and regrettable they might be when considered in more rational moments). All of us, unfortunately, have been there. Few of us are comfortable enough with ourselves to confess it. 

it's entirely human to linger in awkward indecision to the detriment of others when attempting to form relationships (especially under the influence of loneliness and winter).

 and for god's sake, bashing the relevant sex and generalizing about them is part of the standard dialogue when discussing the game of love. we all know these words are empty and that we're just waiting for someone to prove them false. Including them in this piece allows us (females) to connect with Carla as a friend---how many times have we spoken them amongst friends and wine? 

Male readers, take it lightly. substitute the gender (as some of you did), and enjoy an interesting exploration of connecting (or not connecting) with others in this modern world.