“There is no clear historical link between the Knights Templar, which were dismantled in the 1300s, and any of these other organizations, of which the earliest emerged in the 1700s. However, there is often public confusion and many overlook the 400-year gap.”

Hmm. Orthodoxy’s a big branch. This dragging around of “people who thought they were second generation Catholic” stuff doesn’t sound that stam Orthodox – but it does sound quite a bit like Chabad. Firouz, any chance that you’ve been hanging out at Chabad House someplace?

I’m not sure I know what you’re referring to. This particular Jew was a Knight Templar. He grew up Reform – thanks guys! You should have heard the ridiculousness coming out of his mouth when I first met him. He thought the kippa was a condensed witches hat, and that Jews recite incantations to cause all sorts of mischief. No joke. He actually told me quite a bit about the Knights. Apparently, a lot of their religious ritual stuff is taken from parts of the Zohar, which the Knights brought back after the Crusades. Which shows, once again, how dangerous Jewish mysticism is in the wrong hands.

So is Firouz a kiruvnik or not?

Kiruv is more an Aish thing, no?

And yes, I do like some Arabic music, although I will readily admit the scantily clad women won me over before the music did. I have performed Nancy Ajram’s Oul tany keda (no youtube link because we’re counting Omer) for a select group of friends, but that’s a secret. Shhh!!!

And yes, I don’t know what your experiences are, but on my campus we encountered all kinds of Jews – Catholic Jews, Bahai Jews (from Iran), Muslim Jews (from Saudi!), Budhist Jews, Knights of Templar Jews, Russian Jews, Iranian Jews, Argentinian Jews, secular “bagels and loks” Jews, even (gasp!) “atheist” Jews. It was quite a smorgasbord of Yidden.

And yes, we made sure that each one knew they were a Jew, with a Jewish soul and a Jewish inheritance, and that each one had every opportunity to connect with their Yiddishkeit.

Please, kill me now.