Part II: Is It Halachly Permissible to Leave Eretz Yisroel To Go Touring?

(To follow-up on my previous post about the prohibition of leaving Eretz Yisrael, here is a shiur from the Gush yeshiva on the same topic. I know a man who lives in the Old City who never left Eretz Yisroel after making aliyah from France because he was in doubt whether it would be permitted according to halacha. Similarly, I heard the one of the reasons that the Lubavitcher Rebbe never visited Israel is becaues he wasn't sure that he would be allowed to leave according to halacha. My point is, based on the lengthy discussion here on whether its permitted to leave Eretz Yisrael, you see how important the mitzvah is to LIVE in Eretz Yisrael.)

Netanyahu: Jewish Minds, Come Home!

"We are also producing more patents, with our 7 million people, than the 2.5 billion people of Russia, China, and India combined," he added.

Getting Diaspora Jewish youth to love Israel

A sense of urgency permeated the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in the capital this week as experts in the field discussed how to bring more foreign students here, and why birthright-israel is only part of the picture.

a guide to jobsearching in Israel – part 2: sharpening skills and expanding horizons

By spending about on hour a day on cold searches and at least an hour or so on warm searches, you should be able to stay abreast of the job market. Your extra time will be spent talking to people, researching the companies for your warm search, and watching tons of TV. I also recommend working on some skills to help you in your job.

Jewish Bloggers Carnival: Haveil Havalim #240 The Aliyah Edition

Let me just tell you that I am more than happy to be hosting this week's Heveil Havalim.

I have been blogging since 2005 and have been aware and appreciative of Soccer Dad's initiative "Haveil Havalim" since the inception of my recreational blogging career.  However, it was only recently that I found out exactly what the Jewish Blogger Carnival was all about.

What is Heveil Havalim? 

Here is a snyopsis of what Heveil Havalim is from the blog Frum Satire:

"The Jewish Bloggers Carnival is hosted each week by a different blogger who volunteers by emailing Jack at talktojacknow@scglobal.net, if you want to submit your post or posts (don’t be greedy – I usually submit one) just use the Jewish Bloggers Carnival Submission Form. Posts submitted get emailed in that form to whomever is hosting that week, then that person
compiles a post with a bunch of links to posts of random blogs."

The most interesting part of the experience for me as host of  Haveil Havalim is being able to be in touch with famous bloggers, some of which are quite famous, from all type of Jewish and religious backgrounds from around the world!  Here are this week's submissions for the Jewish Bloggers Carnival:

Rabbi and Rebbetzin Rivka Adler Radio Interview on Aliyah Revolution

The Adlers were interviewed by Goel Jasper on the Aliyah Revolution about their decision to make aliyah.  Its a very interesting interview to listen to.

Click here to listen to the interview.

Rebbetzin Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler is Finally Making Aliyah

The following is a very important post about an important lady who is finally making aliyah after many, many years in the planning.

(VIDEO) Really Disturbing Anti-Israel Boycott in France in Supermarket

Rav Kook says in different places that the point of antisemitism is to be a wake-up call to the jews in galut to make aliyah.  However, at times, its easy to feel that there is no longer antisemitism in the civilized western world.  Below is a video in French (watch the video anyway - its understadable) where all Israeli products in a supermarket are thrown away in a gesture to be against Israel.

Dvar Torah: Why The Country of Israel is The Center of The World

(This dvar torah below is from Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb, Rabbi of Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore who is currently on sabatical in Israel for the year).

Israel's Growth Outpaces the World

The Central Bureau of Statistics has released the latest population figures for Israeli cities and towns.

Joyous and Efficient Welcome for 200 New Olim

The 200 olim (new immigrants) who arrived in the course of one day – Tuesday, Oct. 13 – were greeted and processed in a special ceremony in Jerusalem on Wednesday afternoon.

A Guide To Jobsearching In Israel - Part 1

For part one, I would like to present a two pronged job search strategy.

The Cold Search – These are the jobs you look for en masse. When you search places like jobnet and jobmeaster, you’re bound to find hundreds of jobs that match your needs. Unfortunately, many of these jobs are (1) not directly advertised from the company looking to hire; rather, from a placement agency, (2) repeats of the same position posted by several recruitment agencies (3) not current. On the other hand, there is the occasional diamond in the raft, so it worth spending up to an hour a day of you jobsearch time responding to these (try to respond to at least 100 jobs in that hour – it is easier than you think). These should be responded to quickly, no cover letter, nothing personal. Because less than 1% of these places will even contact you, spending too much time e-mailing these jobs is a bad return on investment (your time).

Is It Halachly Permissible to Leave Eretz Yisroel To Go Touring?

The gemera in Moed Katan (14a) discusses the Mishnah's (13b) comment that someone who came back from "Medinat Hayam" (i.e overseas, outside of Eretz Yisroel) on Chol Moed is allowed to shave during Chol Moed.

Perspectives From Israel: The Enthusiasm of Making A Sukkah In Israel

The Rhythms of Life (Literally!)

I love the way that our lives in Israel are soaked in Jewish ritual. You simply couldn't live where we are without knowing which holiday is coming up and without being connected to the Jewish calendar. In Judaism, you are supposed to approach a mitzvah with enthusiasm, and do it as soon as you can. So, as soon as Yom Kippur ends and we've scarfed down some break-fast, it's time to take out the sukkah. Even if you don't finish building the sukkah that evening, there is an idea that you should begin to build it. This is showing Hashem how excited we are for the upcoming chag and that we run to do the next mitzvah (building a sukkah) as soon as possible after Yom Kippur.

A New Oleh's Perspectives on Keeping His First One-Day Chag

The only word I can come up with for our first one-day Chag in Israel is: "INCREDIBLE!!!!!!" I can not fully explain in writing how this Chag felt. I will say that:

Israel # 2 In Technological Advances In The World

(NOTE: THE ABOVE CLIP AND THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS FROM A CHRISTIAN TV SHOW ABOUT A BOOK WRITTEN BY A CHRISTIAN.)

Rabbi Breitowitz From Silver Spring is Making Aliyah

Rabbi Yitzchok Breitowitz, like many Orthodox rabbis, has long advocated making aliyah, or relocating to Israel, a place where Jews, he maintains, can enjoy "a special relationship" with God...he conceded...[that]"Maybe it's time to listen to our own words."

Rabbi Yitzchok Breitowitz, like many Orthodox rabbis, has long advocated making aliyah, or relocating to Israel, a place where Jews, he maintains, can enjoy "a special relationship" with God.

Visiting Machane Yehuda

Here is an article by Shmuel Browns for Arutz 7. I am including it here with permission from the author (thank you Shmuel, may you only receive berachot!)

Visiting the Mahane Yehuda Open Air Market

You can learn much about a city by exploring its open air market and listening to its stories. By the end of the 19th [secular] century Jerusalem was growing, with Jews returning to their homeland. In addition, immigrants from numerous nationalities and religions from Europe, Ethiopia, Turkey, and Russia were also contributing to the urban fabric of the city. New neighborhoods were built outside the walls to alleviate the overcrowding in the Old City.

Bircat Cohanim At Kotel During Sukkot (Video)

Israel Knows Exactly Where Gilad Shalit is Held

Israel Knows Exactly Where Shalit is Held

Israel knows exactly where kidnapped IDF St. Sgt. Gilad Shalit is being held captive and has the location under constant surveillance, according to a senior Israeli defense official quoted in a report published over the weekend by Arabic international daily A-sharq al-Awsat.

Hamas Releases Video Confirming That Gilad Shalit Alive (Video)

Israel Professor Wins Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Prof. Ada Yonath of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot was awarded a Nobel Prize in chemistry yesterday, the Nobel committee in Stockholm announced. Yonath shares the prize with Britain's Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas A. Steitz, an American, for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome, a part of the cell that synthesizes protein and translates genetic code in the production of protein.

The Sukkot Shake

(warning: since there are some non-religious folks on this video, some women are not dressed according to standards of halacha)

Chag Sameach

I want to wish all of my readers a "Chag Sameach" for Sukkot and I wish everyone only happiness on this yom tov. I am going away so I am not sure if I will be able to update this blog until after Sukkot.

Chol Moed Trip in Israel: Visit Tel Dan

Tel Dan: Archaeology, Nature and Biblical History

Want to see a sensational archaeological find in the middle of one of the most beautiful places in Israel? Make the trip to Israel’s northeast corner where the Jordan River spills into the always lush Hula Valley, the foot of majestic and sometimes snow-capped Mount Hermon.