Alan, I think you're mistaken about something. I was NOT promoting Jewish status. Nor was I bragging, And I get no self-esteem out of mentioning it whatsoever.

I also don't like your accusation that I was. For a start, I am not American, grew up in a secular home to a Christian mother and a Jewish father in South Africa. I had no contact socially with Jews until I left school. Nor do I know half the people you mention , and I was unaware that half the people you mention were Jewish.

I mentioned what I did because Jews have such a bad name that one has to balance it with their accomplishments. For the record, I have no Jewish friends, do not mix in Jewish circles, and the only time I did was during the period that I converted in order to eliminate all the confusion I had about my identity. I told the Rabbi that. I also told him that I had no belief in god, that my way of being is more culturally Jewish than not.

While I loved the shul I was going to, the rabbi kept hitting on me, bringing up sex, etc. and it repulsed me, and it eventually came to blows. He was a malicious bastard. Then I went to another shul for my daughter's bat mitsvah and enjoyed that as well. Since then, I've been to three lots of shuls in three different countries but I have not found the intellect that is necessary for me to be interested. So I haven't been to shul for about two decades.

I would appreciate it if you would withdraw your accusations. They are not true. And what I said stands. It is necessary for people to understand how accomplished Jews are. Most people don't know a Jew from a non-Jew. They don't recognize Jewish names - I only learnt about that when I went to college after school. While you obviously live in America, and it's apparent to you, there are 8.3 billion people on this planet who have no idea.

I also don't believe that Jews are god's chosen people or that he gave them Israel. I believe that there is a strong historic association between Jews and Israel.