Ask The Rabbi!!

[TomHagen]

Originally Posted by TanithT

I do have a serious question for the rabbi. I am largely agnostic myself, but was raised in the Wiccan faith. My parents told me quite seriously that I should favor Jews over Christians in business dealings, because during hard times, Jews had a history of compassionately helping Witches, Romany gypsies, midwives, folk healers and others who were persecuted mercilessly by the Christians as "evil". In short, Christians would burn us or try to forcibly convert us, and Jews would respect us and help us. So that was their version of the in-group/out-group story. Any historical verification from the Jewish end possible here?

Jewish religion mandates respect for others and their beliefs. As mentioned in an above post, we do not preach, aim to convert or forcibly subject any non-Jews to embrace Judaism. This might be unique amongst world religions/philosophies. We are a "role" oriented faith, we have ours, you have yours... a non-Jewish persons role includes observing the 7 Laws of Noah (see www.noahide.org) consciously. Most of the nations of the world have embraced them, including our great country the USA.

The Seven Laws of Noah were recognized by the United States Congress in the preamble to the bill that established Education Day in honor of the 90th birthday of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement:

Whereas Congress recognizes the historical tradition of ethical values and principles which are the basis of civilized society and upon which our great Nation was founded; Whereas these ethical values and principles have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws.