There is one thing very wrong with the idea that any place in the Christian or Muslim world can be a permanent refuge for Jews. Jew hatred is endemic in many places in the world. If we survive and prosper we become a controlling force to be feared. If we are poor and downtrodden and wish to better our condition we are feared as dangerous radicals and enemies of society.

One reason for our survival is our dispersal. There are places we can go. When we were driven out of Spain and Portugal we went to Poland, Italy and some of the Muslim lands.

There are many who would destroy us. Who can predict where they will take control? I am uneasy at the idea of Jews concentrated in one small area of land in the midst of Muslim countries..

One thing very wrong with the idea of Israel or any place else as a place of refuge for all Jews is that it is easier to destroy us if we are all gathered in one place. The Diaspora was our refuge. If we were slaughtered in one place we survived in another place. Israel will go down fighting, but I can't see it lasting another century.

As long as Christianity and Islam exist some can be driven to destroy us. A possible solution is for Jews to migrate to China, India, Japan and other areas which are neither Christian nor Muslim. Another possible solution is for most people to abandon religion as a relic of a pre-scientific age.

Dear David F.,

«Another possible solution is for most people to abandon religion as a relic of a pre-scientific age.»

Then how do you define Jews and if they are only an ethnic group, then why would you be so keen on preserving them?

If religion (or at least what socially passes for religion) does not matter and Judaism is only a race, then you have millions of Jews already living in Arab lands, mostly as Muslims but does it matter? Also millions of Jews already living in Europe, Australia and America, some as Christians, others as atheists, but does it matter?

Dear Yuyutsu,

If Jews disappear peacefully by becoming voluntarily absorbed in the surrounding population like the Manicheans or Burgundians that's ok with me. If they disappear by being slaughtered that's not ok.

I don't enjoy interacting with you so will not continue this dialog.