Personal thoughts on current events, cultural events, Israel, Judaism, Jewish/Israel innovations and life from a Jewish perspective - read into that what you may.

Wednesday, May 30, 2001

The Correct Response of American Jewry

Today's situation in Israel is so unfortunate,
especially following the continued senseless murders
of innocent souls.

In my mind, the response of American Jewry is clear,
the situation today demands a massive aliyah movement
by American Jewry; not rallies, not tzedakah, but
aliyah. But we have no
leaders or Rabbis standing up and explaining to us the
essentail aspects of what it means to be an AM, to
have a homeland, to have the opportunity to live in
that homeland like no other Jewish generation for
thousands of years and, of equal importance, what it
means to have true bitachon in Hashem. No leaders or
Rabbis to tell the amcha that there is more to being a
good Jew than making a good enough salary to pay
for the kids Jewish education, learn Torah, and of
course to give money to tzedakah.

Today more than ever, the solution is for more Jews to
be making aliyah, but our leaders and Rabbis are
silent. When the world, and Israel, would see commited
American Jews making aliyah in droves, the message
would resonate loud and clear that Israel is the
Jewish Homeland. But by not moving there, American
Jewry is convincing the world that the Jewish people
don't take this Jewish homeland thing seriously. The
world will continue to say "Hey, if the American Jews
only pay lip-service to a Jewish homeland, why isn't
that good enough for us too?"

Please, let's answer today's neesayon with the correct
response, let's get together and build the
consciousness for aliyah in today's American Jewish
community.

Avi