Rushkoff

It is official. Douglas Rushkoff is now Jewish in my book. Qua Jew, the only thing he really has to say is that everyone is out to get him.

I really generally do like Rushkoff, but his Jewish stuff is really way off. With the exception of really fringe groups, no one thinks he is not Jewish for 1) not believing in God, 2) not unconditionally supporting Israel, 3) doing Yoga (if he does) 4) wanting to talk about Judaism. . .

The persecution complex is not becoming. There is no UJA/reform movement/Jerusalem Post/Zionist conspiracy against him.

Move on, Doug. Accept the criticism of your book, not as a personal attack on you, but rather on the fact that you need to look more closely at what Judaism is really like, and how the vast majority of Jews see Judaism. Then adjust your critique accordingly.

Most Jews, myself included, do not think that The Satmar Rebbi, Anne Roiphe, or Ariel Sharon speak for us on Jewish matters. They may not like what you say, but so what? For the most part their (and anyone else's criticism of you (as was mine)was fairly substantial. It was not "Hey, what do you know, your not really Jewish!" This is not the type of criticism one take seriously enough to respond to. So you don't liek bagles. That is not the point.

Telling someone that you have "the Truth" about something is hardly (as inthe book's title) compatible with your professed willingness to "talk". Can we talk? Sure, but talking needs to be both ways. Calling us all racist, and telling us that we must think poorly of you for this reason or that, is not the way to open dialogue.

Deal with your real critics, not with the straw men who just don't like you.