WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

My first resolution for goyish new year is to try to average two posts a month. This year was very weak. It is not that I don't have things to say. For those of you who know me well, you know that is impossible. As a matter of fact after good food I think pontificating is one of the things I like to do the most.

One area that I have tried to cross a line on is talking about is aliyah, moving to Israel. I have done this because I consider myself very lucky that I have been able to realize this life long dream and I am fully aware that many other people would love to do the same but can not for various reasons. However when I was in NYC on this last trip ( or as I now call it, Galut) I had a conversation with a friend that got me upset.

I have to start with some background on this friend. This is a person who spends most of his day helping out Jews who need it. This is not a money thing ( which he does as well) but actually providing people with basics and encouragement. As an example there was a woman who wanted to start keeping kosher but her husband did not and told her she could not spend the money. He would routinely drop off kosher food every week to solve the problem. I literally have a hundred stories like that and I know that is just a few of them. The impact he has had on my own life can not be overstated.

I have seen him over the years go to what he would call more religious and so I like to torture him a bit. This time I brought up aliyah. I use my line 'if you are an orthodox Jew today you should be making aliyah or planning on it. That does not mean you will but it should always be on your mind'.

I was not expecting his response.

He said that he did not see the state of Israel ( as opposed to the land of Israel) as a holy place. It is not a Torah observant country. He then said that most of the people making Aliyah are not religious ( his word) and that it would be better for them not to come than to move and desecrate the sabbath in the holy land. He also pointed out that living in Israel is only one Mitzvah out of 613. ( not everyone agrees it is even a mitzvah but I decided to let that go) I said that was ridiculous and he challenged me to name one big rabbi ( again his words) that would support the opposite .

Off the top of my head I said Rav Kook. I don't think that impressed him as most Americans don't know anything about him. I must admit that I didn't either until about a year ago but discovering him has changed my entire outlook ( or maybe affirmed it)

I was a bit taken aback but it was not the first time I heard that point of view.

A few years ago ( maybe 7) I saw the son of another friend of ours in shul on a Friday night and invited him for dinner. He said he had dinner taken care of but that he and some of his friends would come after that. When they did, we started drinking scotch and discussing politics ( two of my favorite pastimes) .

At one point one of the boys said ' do you really think that the modern state of Israel has anything to do with Judaism?'

I was blown away. This kid was not from an ultra right wing anti Zionist family ( as far as I could tell) but here he was sounding like a Satmar.

We went back and forth for a while but it was then that I realized that the State of Israel was losing support from the yeshivish community. It was sobering.

So without wanting to sound preachy or as a messianic fanatic ( rhymes), I would like to point out a few things. These will not be in any particular order but I hope, as a whole, will make my point.

In the Amidah, the main daily Jewish prayer, we mention Zion, Jerusalem, and the return to them, 5 times. Three times a day. Six days a week.

Jews have always been returning to our land since they were thrown out. A true Torah society has not existed since the destruction of the second temple ( and some would claim that it never did)

Beside Rav Kook, both the Vilna Gaon and Reb Menchem Mendel of Vitebsk ( an early hasidic master) believed strongly in resettling the land. 500 disciples of the Gaon and Reb Mendel and 300 disciples moved in the 1800's.

Many religious leaders in Europe were against the Zionist movement because of the secular nature of it. Many told their followers that it would be better to stay in Europe. Many of those followers were murdered by the Nazis. Many of those leaders escaped.

All interesting facts ( to me anyway) yet none of this really addresses the issue of what is the nature of the current State of Israel. Is it something we all should strive to be part of , or is it the evil inclination leading Jews astray.

Before I answer I want to tell you about my shabbat. I was in Rosh Pina as a guest of my daughters in-laws. They decided to make a one year birthday party for our twin grandchildren (oy time keeps on ticking). I went to a shul on Saturday morning. The person who led the prayers was from Scotland. Since the Rabbi was away three people read from the Torah. The first was from India, the second from Yemen and the third from Morocco. The crowd was a mix of many people with many customs. Although it was technically an Ashkenazy shul, whenever there was a cool Sephardic song , it was thrown in by those who knew it.

This is the State of Israel. Not just in the observant community but throughout the whole country. It is true that there are many people who do not hold the laws of shabbat but I can say that 80% of the Jews do not work that day. If you take a actual reading of the Torah , that is what Shabbat is.

Can it be more? For sure but the basic law is not to work.

Does everyone that does not go to work on the sabbath dedicate the day to g-d?

For sure not.

Is that a reason not to move here?

I will let you decide but it is a fact that the percentage of those in Israel who consider themselves observant is growing not shrinking.

The old excuse for a religious person not to move here has always been safety and earning a living. All I can say to that, is the children who are born here, like my grandchildren (oy) do not know what antisemitism is. They will never be called Kike or Jew Bastard. If they are attacked they will know how to defend themselves. They are safer than any Jews in the world. The rest of the world is now more dangerous for Jews and it will not get better.

As far as earning a living , it is definitely easier in other places but the economy here is booming.

Those old excuses just don't hold water anymore. .

Lastly, and I guess it is the thing that puzzles me the most is that the Torah explicitly tells us that one day there will be an in-gathering of the exiles. G-d promises this to us. Not in an allegory or some esoteric way but straight up.

Is this not happening right now? There are Jews from over a hundred countries here. More are coming everyday.

Has this happened before in our history?

Ever?

I am not sure how you can look at what is going n here and not understand that this is the fulfillment of that promise. What else can it be?

I understand why people don't come here. I hope that those who don't or can't will at least prepare the next generation with the desire and ability to do so. What I cannot understand or accept is the excuse that we are not ready as a people for this. I feel sorry for you if that is what you truly believe. The fact is that it is happening , with you or without.