Precisely, because my family comes from Germany I go into tertiary sciences. My father was an engineer, their fathers were in sciences and I will be science as well. From what I have noticed, Polish Jews / Northern Litvaks usually tend to go into finance. Germans are more likely to become doctorss, lawyers and scientists. Russians are more likely to do small business, and ones from Spain tend to go into trades. Actually, you can see a similar distribution if you go to Israel in modern times.
Goy literally translated means "Nation", it was used to explain that the Jews will create a nation. When they lost their nation, and therefore no longer had a country...they couldn't be referred to as a goy (Nation). Only a people of the previous nation. In prayers it refers to the people in the land they live, since they don't feel attached to the land in which they are living. So "Goyim" means "People of the nations" , the verse of origin in this context is "All the nations of the earth which received their portions and lands, and we still long for ours" or something similar. It's not as much applicable to Americans, since nearly all of the Americans come from different countries. But at the time it was written, it wasn't uncommon for a person to live in the same city people 7 generations ago lived in. Whereas it was rare for Jews to live in any place for longer than 2 or 3.
....what do you not understand? It later morphed into meaning "non-Jew", but really as just a result of time. Which doesn't really change the definition of the meaning. For example, my family only has lived in America for 3 generations. I don't live where my great grandparents lived, or my grandparents, or my parents.
That's a tough question to answer. Israel is technically a goy. However it doesn't go by the laws that the Torah prescribes. So it goes on a person by person basis, an orthodox Jew living in Israel wouldn't be a goy. However the man who is completely secular might be called a goy. But without a doubt the nation of Israel is a goy.
1) Yes, I described that an Orthodox Jew in Israel might refer to other Jews there as goyim. Also assimilated Jews might be goyim as well. 2) Potentially Armenians, or Kurds and some African tribes.
So look where the thread has gone. A muslim and a jew are discussing certain terms. Underneath this is a deeper struggle. Who is benefited by this struggle? I've got a lot of people who want me to view Jews as each a potential Ubermensch - irony intended - who will pull the strings of the world. I've got a lot of people who want me to view Muslims as each a potential rabid beast with explosives. Who benefits if I view both this way? Who benefits if I join one 'side'? Who is laughing at both groups and raking it in? Who could not possibly have not realized what would happen if you created a Jewish nation that would dispossess the land of certain Muslims (and Christian arabs, etc.) right smack dab in the middle of a group of Arab/Muslim countries? Who benefits? How can we no longer contribute to these benefits?
All good points, all good questions. I don't think there's a single way...accept perhaps that "Off the Chart Living". I think "off the chart living" discludes you from taxes, duty and basically any connection to society as a whole. It's kind of expensive to start-up though.
Klal Yisroel means body of Israel. In modern dialects they have other ways I am not familiar with, which I believe might include yehood. I personally don't like modern hebrew.
