Still "a great nation"

Submitted by Rebecca Moulds (United States), May 28, 2009 at 10:22

In Genesis 12:2 the LORD proclaimed that He would make Abram "a great nation." Abram was of Ur and left with his father and other family members to Canaan. In Genesis 17:4,5 Abram's name is changed to "Abraham" a "father of many nations." Therefore, the Jew was created out of a nation of Gentiles; and from there came my Italian Jewish maternal grandfather---my patrilineal claim to Judaism, albeit it was his mother, not father, who was Jewish. Whether one is Orthodox, Reform, Conservative or non-practicing, seems of little consequence if one can claim even a little Jewish lineage.

If Judaism of any denomination has a future, it is best to go back to the beginning to see where it all started. For the Orthodoxy, more power to them if it is important to maintain their Orthodox leanings. For the Jewish people as a whole, the one thing that they should all be doing forever (Exodus 12:14), is to celebrate the Passover.

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