I had a comment regarding the post I did Top Ten "Reasons" Not to Make Aliyah that I wanted to comment on.
I believe that all of those reasons are legitimate reasons for not making Aliyah, and I do agree with Yaakov, that some Orit's statements were out of line a a little harsh. But all of those reasons are not permanent reasons not to make Aliyah.
My analysis:
1. Regarding Family left behind: I do agree with Orit on this, but it may only because I don't speak to most of my extended family and my immediate family will be coming a few years behind me anyway. But I do think that once someone makes Aliyah the family issue doesn't seem as much of an issue then as before you go. This is partially to do with the whole country feeling like one family to begin with, and the likelihood that you'll find family there that you didn't even know you had.
2. Regarding not being able to make a living: I again agree with Orit on this issue. It will be hard the first few years, no doubt about it. But Nefesh B' Nefesh has done a great job in help with this area. They have and incredible 95% success rate in in people placed through their job placement program, and people all over the country are looking for English speakers. Does this mean that you'll get the exact same job that you did while living in the States? Probably not, and there is a good chance that you'll have to 'reinvent' yourself after you make the move. But Israel wants everyone to succeed. The government has training programs as well as paying for three years of university, so the parnusa issue isn't as bad as it seems. I do not agree with Orit's statement that over time you can live as comfortably as if you were still in America. But why would you want to? I can't wait to not have to drive everywhere, all the time when I want something, and a smaller house means less clutter and more time that's not spent cleaning it.
If you aren't doing well on the financial side now, that is not an excuse to write off Aliyah. You're planning not to have any money next year? How about five years? Ten years? That is not an excuse, especially if you have kids in Jewish day school. Making Aliyah can save you $40,000 a year alone!
3. Regarding not being able to speak Hebrew: I have spent my entire life in Jewish schools and I barely speak or understand Hebrew. Whenever someone says something to me in Hebrew that I don't understand, my reply is "5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 5 months." You do get Ulpan and the best place to learn Hebrew is to be around Hebrew speaking people. If you move to a largely Anglo community this will be difficult for you, (but probably not your kids) but if you are determined to speak Hebrew once you spend time practicing it, is actually more simple to speak than English.
I don't speak because I've never had a chance to seriously practice it. (Also because up until about 3 years ago I wasn't proud of being Jewish, and therefore didn't see why I should waste my time learning a language I thought I would never need. Three years later - go figure.)
4. Regarding fear for life: Obviously terrorism is a very real threat in Israel, but besides that and car accidents there is really a very small chance of losing your life. It is actually much more dangerous living in America for many obvious reasons. One being that you are at the mercy of a foreign government and all other types of street crime that goes on in the major populaces in America. Street crime is almost unheard of in Israel (albeit it does happen) and it is possible to not read the news in Israel and have never have any sense that you're in danger. It's places like CNN that give you the sense that Israel is this really dangerous place, but that simply is not true.
5. Regarding dislike of the mentality: Hello! It's still a foreign country! One of the beauties of Israel is the cultural diversity, and the mentalities that are brought by Jews from all over the world. Israel is a much more bearable place now than it was 20 years ago. This is largely due to the large amount of Western Jews who have come on Aliyah, and it's only going to get better as time goes on.
As one person I know who put it very well, "I love the Israeli mentality, they're much more efficient then Americans. In America they waste so much time by being trivial and saying 'please' and 'thank you."
6. Regarding not wanting to live under Olmert and Peretz: This is stupid. Governments change. Case in point Peretz is already gone and Olmert will soon follow. You hear people in America who hate Bush, but you don't hear about a lot of Americans who leave their country because of it.
7. Regarding doing more for Israel in the US: This is a flat out excuse not to move to Israel. I was at the Anti-Israel Rally a few weeks ago and the turnout for the pro-Israel rally was very small and majority Christians. I even made a point in my post that Jews are not turning out for the rallies. If they want to write letter to the people in the US government I believe we still have e-mail. Your congressman will receive the email whether it is sent from Miami or Rechovot.
8. Regarding spouse not wanting to make Aliyah: This is a tricky one. I agree with Orit that Aliyah should be discussed before marriage, but it is definitely a difficult subject to touch upon.
I was listening to The Aliyah Show on Israel National Radio last week and a caller brought up this issue, he wanted to go, but his wife didn't. What he was doing was taking his family for the summer. They were renting an apartment, not staying in a hotel, and he told his wife to be open minded about it for the future. Not pushing her but kind of helping her along.
Now this isn't a viable option for everyone but there are ways to open up your spouse to the idea.
This is a perfect example, we had a neighbor that made Aliyah in 2001, he a wanted to go and he brought her to Israel kicking and screaming. She said they were staying for 6 months and that was it! They didn't sell their house in America because she was sure they would be returning in half a year.
Well, they sold their house after 2 months and she wondered why they hadn't made the move years ago.
9. Regarding being a Rabbi or educator who is needed in America: I'm going to paraphrase Goel Jasper who says the massive Western Aliyah won't happen until Rabbi's start coming. I know that pulpit positions in Israel are not as esteemed as in America, this is part to do with the fact the in America, you go to the shul for your 'Jewishness,' in Israel your whole life is Jewish!
Now there are certain shul's in America where the Rabbi is given quite a few incentives for staying at that shul. Like the shul paying for his big house and nice car and other comforts. This situation is hopefully very rare, but not unheard of. If this is his situation, and he is staying in America for physicality, and that is inexcusable.
Now there are Rabbi's who simply are not able to go because they have things in America that keep them here. But as Rabbi Fass said, he should definitely make it know to his congregation that he encourages it and he should plan, even if it won't be for ten years, that he will make the move.
All in all the most important thing for Chutz Jews to do is to not have in the back of their mind that they are staying in America forever. And it is best to have a date. If not a 2 year plan then a 5 year. Or a 10 year. It is possible to do it, and thanks to great organizations like Nefesh B'Nefesh and AACI it is getting easier and easier every year.
Now here is a response to Orit's posting from a Jew who made Aliyah 35 years ago and is currently living in the Gush. She has a great response to the posting. Namely that we shouldn't for get that everything is in G-d's hands.
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I believe that all of those reasons are legitimate reasons for not making Aliyah, and I do agree with Yaakov, that some Orit's statements were out of line a a little harsh. But all of those reasons are not permanent reasons not to make Aliyah.
My analysis:
1. Regarding Family left behind: I do agree with Orit on this, but it may only because I don't speak to most of my extended family and my immediate family will be coming a few years behind me anyway. But I do think that once someone makes Aliyah the family issue doesn't seem as much of an issue then as before you go. This is partially to do with the whole country feeling like one family to begin with, and the likelihood that you'll find family there that you didn't even know you had.
2. Regarding not being able to make a living: I again agree with Orit on this issue. It will be hard the first few years, no doubt about it. But Nefesh B' Nefesh has done a great job in help with this area. They have and incredible 95% success rate in in people placed through their job placement program, and people all over the country are looking for English speakers. Does this mean that you'll get the exact same job that you did while living in the States? Probably not, and there is a good chance that you'll have to 'reinvent' yourself after you make the move. But Israel wants everyone to succeed. The government has training programs as well as paying for three years of university, so the parnusa issue isn't as bad as it seems. I do not agree with Orit's statement that over time you can live as comfortably as if you were still in America. But why would you want to? I can't wait to not have to drive everywhere, all the time when I want something, and a smaller house means less clutter and more time that's not spent cleaning it.
If you aren't doing well on the financial side now, that is not an excuse to write off Aliyah. You're planning not to have any money next year? How about five years? Ten years? That is not an excuse, especially if you have kids in Jewish day school. Making Aliyah can save you $40,000 a year alone!
3. Regarding not being able to speak Hebrew: I have spent my entire life in Jewish schools and I barely speak or understand Hebrew. Whenever someone says something to me in Hebrew that I don't understand, my reply is "5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 5 months." You do get Ulpan and the best place to learn Hebrew is to be around Hebrew speaking people. If you move to a largely Anglo community this will be difficult for you, (but probably not your kids) but if you are determined to speak Hebrew once you spend time practicing it, is actually more simple to speak than English.
I don't speak because I've never had a chance to seriously practice it. (Also because up until about 3 years ago I wasn't proud of being Jewish, and therefore didn't see why I should waste my time learning a language I thought I would never need. Three years later - go figure.)
4. Regarding fear for life: Obviously terrorism is a very real threat in Israel, but besides that and car accidents there is really a very small chance of losing your life. It is actually much more dangerous living in America for many obvious reasons. One being that you are at the mercy of a foreign government and all other types of street crime that goes on in the major populaces in America. Street crime is almost unheard of in Israel (albeit it does happen) and it is possible to not read the news in Israel and have never have any sense that you're in danger. It's places like CNN that give you the sense that Israel is this really dangerous place, but that simply is not true.
5. Regarding dislike of the mentality: Hello! It's still a foreign country! One of the beauties of Israel is the cultural diversity, and the mentalities that are brought by Jews from all over the world. Israel is a much more bearable place now than it was 20 years ago. This is largely due to the large amount of Western Jews who have come on Aliyah, and it's only going to get better as time goes on.
As one person I know who put it very well, "I love the Israeli mentality, they're much more efficient then Americans. In America they waste so much time by being trivial and saying 'please' and 'thank you."
6. Regarding not wanting to live under Olmert and Peretz: This is stupid. Governments change. Case in point Peretz is already gone and Olmert will soon follow. You hear people in America who hate Bush, but you don't hear about a lot of Americans who leave their country because of it.
7. Regarding doing more for Israel in the US: This is a flat out excuse not to move to Israel. I was at the Anti-Israel Rally a few weeks ago and the turnout for the pro-Israel rally was very small and majority Christians. I even made a point in my post that Jews are not turning out for the rallies. If they want to write letter to the people in the US government I believe we still have e-mail. Your congressman will receive the email whether it is sent from Miami or Rechovot.
8. Regarding spouse not wanting to make Aliyah: This is a tricky one. I agree with Orit that Aliyah should be discussed before marriage, but it is definitely a difficult subject to touch upon.
I was listening to The Aliyah Show on Israel National Radio last week and a caller brought up this issue, he wanted to go, but his wife didn't. What he was doing was taking his family for the summer. They were renting an apartment, not staying in a hotel, and he told his wife to be open minded about it for the future. Not pushing her but kind of helping her along.
Now this isn't a viable option for everyone but there are ways to open up your spouse to the idea.
This is a perfect example, we had a neighbor that made Aliyah in 2001, he a wanted to go and he brought her to Israel kicking and screaming. She said they were staying for 6 months and that was it! They didn't sell their house in America because she was sure they would be returning in half a year.
Well, they sold their house after 2 months and she wondered why they hadn't made the move years ago.
9. Regarding being a Rabbi or educator who is needed in America: I'm going to paraphrase Goel Jasper who says the massive Western Aliyah won't happen until Rabbi's start coming. I know that pulpit positions in Israel are not as esteemed as in America, this is part to do with the fact the in America, you go to the shul for your 'Jewishness,' in Israel your whole life is Jewish!
Now there are certain shul's in America where the Rabbi is given quite a few incentives for staying at that shul. Like the shul paying for his big house and nice car and other comforts. This situation is hopefully very rare, but not unheard of. If this is his situation, and he is staying in America for physicality, and that is inexcusable.
Now there are Rabbi's who simply are not able to go because they have things in America that keep them here. But as Rabbi Fass said, he should definitely make it know to his congregation that he encourages it and he should plan, even if it won't be for ten years, that he will make the move.
All in all the most important thing for Chutz Jews to do is to not have in the back of their mind that they are staying in America forever. And it is best to have a date. If not a 2 year plan then a 5 year. Or a 10 year. It is possible to do it, and thanks to great organizations like Nefesh B'Nefesh and AACI it is getting easier and easier every year.
Now here is a response to Orit's posting from a Jew who made Aliyah 35 years ago and is currently living in the Gush. She has a great response to the posting. Namely that we shouldn't for get that everything is in G-d's hands.
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To potential olim:
I sent the ‘10 excuses why not to make aliyah’ article to my friend who lives in the GUSH & made aliyah about 35 years ago. Here is her reaction. I might add, she has never left
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I thought the article a bit harsh. The trouble with the "excuses" is that they are all true: How can you leave an aged parent when "Honor Thy..." is part of the Ten Commandment? Making a living is extremely hard and don't buy that line that with "hard work" you can go back to a lifestyle that you had in the States. You can't and never will...get used to it… it is different and less than what you had. The Israeli personality? What personality? The entire Middle East is nervous, jumpy, angry and the only place you can go to get wished "good day" is the
Enough?
1 comment:
This is a comment left by Sora. I do not want (at least for now) to have any hint of who the real author of this blog is actually on the blog. Sorry about rejecting the comment.
Any ways here's her comment but without the incriminating, guess-who's-writing-this-bog line.
Alright, I know this is really pointless, but I'm bored and many of your points sparked up my drive to debate with you. You may completely ignore this comment, if you like, but it will make me cry. :o(
I'm not going to go point by point. I haven't the patience for that.
As was stated by the woman who responded to Orit's list, the bottom line of Aliyah is you do it because you genuinely want to. You do it because you feel the connection, because you love the land. It's a known fact that when you really want something you will hurdle almost ANY obstacle to get it. The problem is, not everyone WANTS Israel badly enough to sacrifice and brave the challenges. Now, I want to make clear what I'm saying. These excuses are not made up, and they are not just there to fuel someone who just doesn't want to go. And I'm also not saying that these people DON"T WANT TO GO. Many people have the desire, but it just isn't THAT strong. So these very real issues become insurmountable barriers between them and Aliyah. (I say them, but in many ways, this is me.)
What I'm saying is that these issues are much bigger to someone who doesn't have an overwhelming connection to the land, and a longing to be there. Whereas to you, or other Olim, the strong drive to be in the land of Israel completely overrides the challenges you will face. It's, "Okay, so I can live without my family two feet away." or "So, I may have to change my job, no biggy." To someone else, it may be quite a biggy.
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