The Perils of Facebook (Is Aliyah Really a Good Thing?)

Widespread are reports that implicate Facebook as the culprit and instigator of much dangerous situations: cyber-bullying, sketchy hookups with strangers, etc.  I've had my share of such experiences, one of which I'll share below.

Take the following picture of a real facebook comment and responses from my Facebook account.  This was from last April.  (Names have been purposely blurred to hide the identity of the other facebook users involved.)

It all started with me posting a status: 

I am at a Yom Ha'atzmaut event in Baltimore.   

One of the features of the event was that all the families making aliyah from Baltimore that year stood on stage, and received an official farewell from the community.  After the event was over, I commented on my own status that:

Going up on stage [for the farewell at the Yom Haatzamaut event] was striking for several reasons. I was amazed how many kids there were. I think it's the first year that there are so many young families with little kids going on aliyah. yeah.....!

I go to sleep that night, believing that the conversation was over.  However, I wake up the next morning to 7 new emails from Facebook indicating that people had commented on my status.

First there was Jim (fictional name), who replied that:

Actually, it's too bad so many people are leaving to Israel because it hurts Baltimore's local zionist school and community

(Note: the person's status does not show up in the above JPEG because he erased it after he realized the commotion that it started.)

We all understood what Jim was getting at; it's reminscient of Reuven Spolter's 2004 Orthodox Union article that noted that modern orthodox communities in the U.S. were shrinking because of loss of community members to aliyah.  However, many of my friends are staunch Zionist, and they couldn't let Jim get away with speaking pejoratively about aliyah.

 Mike (again, a fictional name) replies to Jim

Unfortunate? Aliyah unfortunate? Get your emunah together, man. The Jewish future is in Eretz Yisrael. If you are truly a Maamin then you should WANT your US yeshiva's enrollment's to dwindle precisely because so many are making aliyah. Chasdei Hashem that we live in such special times and are wittnessing Kibbutz Galuyot. Get with the program. Hashem's program, that is.

Agreeing with Mike was Nancy, who previously had made aliyah from Baltimore and had stood on precisely that same stage during the Yom Ha'atzmaut ceremony, several years before:

 I'm happy to hear the numbers are going up again. Our year (07) we were more families than that all with 4+ kids. There is nothing sad about it except the families sitting in the audience who still don't realize that a successful Tzioni school can't and shouldn't be able to survive outside Eretz Yisroel. Am Yisroel belongs in Eretz Yisroel and there is nothing more special than that.  What a kiddush Hashem it is for the world to see the Jewish people return home after thousands of years because of choice not neccesity.

The rest of the comments welcomed my family to Israel.

It's beyond the scope of this post to discuss my view point of this matter, but it's worthwhile to note that this is just of many incidents in which a simple, and ostensibly innocent, Facebook status spiraled out of control, serving as a platform for a discussion of various opinions that I never intended.

Book Review of Dan Gordis' Aliyah Memoirs

Like most writers, I am an avid reader, and with aliyah looming on the horizon for us, I have been particularly interested in reading aliyah-related memoirs.

I recently discovered two aliyah memoirs that I had previously never heard of. They are by Dan Gordis, a frequent contributor to the New York Times' Op-Ed Section and Senior Vice President of the Shalem Center (a powerful think thank in Jerusalem). While looking for Gordis' most recent book "Saving Israel" in the library, I discovered that Gordis also wrote 2 memoirs based on his family's aliyah experiences.

Gordis' two memoirs are titled, "Home to Stay" and "Coming Together, Coming Apart." They are both fantastic reads and both are insightful. Here are three things I particularly appreciated about both books:

1. Gordis is able to find deeper meaning in an isolated event. For example, he finds the 2003 collapse of a wedding hall in Talpiyot to be an apt metaphor for the country of Israel at the time: "[t]he wedding hall is a metaphor for the whole country - one layer collapses and destroys everything below, killing everyone in its wake" [Home To Stay].

2. Gordis is really an independent thinker. I lean to the right, and that affects all of my perspectives. You can predict my views on an issue 100% of the time because of my right leaning tendencies. Gordis is different, however; he analyzes each situation independently.  He admits to seeing both sides on the issue of whether the "Gaza Withdrawal" was proper, oscillating between both sides of the issue.

3. Gordis is able to write about abstract situations and feelings that is commonplace to many but rarely expressed in words.  For example, take the following excerpt where Gordis describes going out to eat for his wife's birthday:

"When we went out for dinner for Beth's birthday in September, we were in a restaurant with a whole variety of couples: an Ethiopian couple, some Russians, an Israeli couple, us, and selected others from all over the place. Beth remarked that the whole country was a modern-day miracle, and then asked, "If you have a chance to live your life as part of a miracle, how do you walk away from that?" [Home To Stay].

All in all, Gordis' two aliyah memoirs are the best aliyah memoirs I've come across. I would recommend them to everyone, whether they plan on making aliyah, have already made aliyah, or even heard the word "aliyah" uttered in a sentence.

Negative Feelings Towards Aliyah

"What are we seeing here? Jobs. Jobs, jobs, jobs." - Rachel Berger, NBN

NEGATIVITY TOWARDS THE IDEA OF MOVING TO ISRAEL
The amount of people who have reacted negatively to my decision to make aliyah is overwhelming.

Take Susan S., who has lived in Israel for over 20 years. In response to a post that I wrote on a yahoo listserve, she stated: "I guess you're religious. I can't see why anyone would otherwise want to make Aliya these days. The situation here is pretty terrible from all points of view, and the only good thing is the weather in the winter." Her response was typical. Others responses wondered why I would move to a country that "Amenijad has in his sights" and they believed that "Israel has too many Americans anyways and besides, there are no jobs here." Similarly, one of my former rebbeim from yeshiva happened to be in town last week. He lives in Telstone, Israel and he called me mushugana, mentioning that many of his neighbors are unemployed.

In America, I have received similar luke-warm to outright pessimistic comments. An owner of a local kosher restaurant overheard my wife speaking about our decision to make aliyah. He interrupted her mid-sentence to tell her that he once made aliyah in the early 80s. He shouted - "In Israel, employers won't even give you enough money to cover basic needs!" He was appreciative that his aliyah failed so that his kids wouldn't have to go to the army.

ARE THERE REALLY NO JOBS IN ISRAEL?
The message I received on my pilot trip was drastically different. If my pilot trip was a novel, its theme would be similar to Jacob Richman's CJI webpage: "Reason #843,008 to make aliyah: There are jobs in Israel!." I met with Rachel Berger from Nefesh B'Nefesh's employment division in its large headquarters in Jerusalem. She went through various websites with job listings (such as Linked-In groups). As she went through each source of employment information, she would repeat the mantra: "What are we seeing here? Jobs. Jobs, jobs, jobs."

By the way, the official NBN statistic is that 97% of NBN's olim find a job within their first year of living in Israel.

I also met with successful olim, like Goel Jasper, Paul Shindman, and Paula Stern, who immigrated to Israel years before and were successful in their careers. The official reason for meeting these olim was to spend 20 minutes to find out general information about particular careers in Israel. However, each meeting ended up being an intense session that took several hours. We discussed how they started in Israel, what their Israel experience has been like, and about how there are definitely jobs for Olim in Israel!

Most importantly, I met with a friend, David C., who made aliyah several years ago. David is my hero and in my mind, the epitome of the successful oleh. He could be the NBN poster child. He has worked diligently to make a name for himself in Israel in the field of internet marketing -- and he has been extremely successful. With David as an example, I see that it is possible to make it in Israel.

YOU HAVE TO TRY

Recently, Rabbi Gottlieb of Baltimore's Shomrei Emunah Congregation announced that he will be making aliyah to Israel. In a recent Shabbos drasha, he explained his reasons for making aliyah. He started by giving profuse thanks to the congregation for allowing him to be his Rav. He then proceeded to say that one might wonder why he would give up so much in chutz l'aretz to take such a risk for an uncertain future in Israel. His reply was he concluded - "It's Israel, we have to try...It's our home, we have to try."

I guess my reasons to moving to Israel are similar. Ostensibly, it is totally crazy that I am moving. I have a very decent job, my wife and I are both slated to receive promotions in the near future, etc. However, something inside both of us is screaming that we belong in Israel. Yes, it is risky. However, my wife and I both feel that we have to try to make it in Israel.

Kumah.org Aliyah Revolution

I received a really cool album in the mail today.  It's from kumah.org and was free.  It's called the Aliyah Revolution Album.

Per the note that was included in the album cover:

"The Aliyah Revolution Album" is not about making it in Israel. It is about having the strength to break out of the powerful gravitational pull of America and the other countries of the Diaspora. The purpose of the music collected here is to give you strength and inspiration in those moments when you need a reminder or a boost - when the exile is getting you down. Music is a powerful medicine to mend the broken spirit, and that is what our nation needs now more than ever - spirit! We need guts to wake up, to get up, to stop being afraid. This album is about the freedom of fearlessness and the wings to fly home.


Here is the youtube video advertisement for the album.

Snow "State of Emergency" Best Thing to Happen

Its official.  At this point, this winter season has broken the record as Maryland's snowiest winter ever.

Its like Jadis, the White Witch, has come from Narnia and made it "always winter" here.  We received 3 feet of snow (yes, thats right, 3 whole feet) over Shabbos and only a few days later, another foot and a half of white fluff is being deposited on my steps as I write this blog post.  The Baltimore Sun is now reporting that two more snow storms are on its way for the following week.

Surprisingly, the result of all this snow in our lives has been positive.  Sure, there has been some hysteria (my mother calls every few hours to make sure I'm okay) and rumors of unfortunate events have spread, where purportedly emergency personnel were unable to make it to a "scene" quickly enough to save a life.  And in a more trivial matter, my wife had to wait over an hour to check out at the local supermarket yesterday before the beginning of the storm.

THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF A SNOW STORM

However, the real effect of these snow storms and self-proclaimed "state of emergency" has been positive.  Mainly, the Jewish community here in Baltimore has come together like never before.  Usually, with our houses spread out from each other, with having to drive to get anywhere, and with over 10 shuls within a convenient walking distance, I don't see my neighborhoods.  Its not exaggerating to say that I only see my immediate next neighbor only several times a year.

Why Aliyah Is Important For You

(The following is a post from Kumah.)

Wherever you might be right now there is one thing that is certain, you are a Jew. You might be a Jew living in New York, you might be a Jew living in London, you might even be an accountant. Its even possible that you might be looking for a whole new way to identify yourself, either way no matter what, you are a Jew first and a Jew last. It is important to clarify that because by speaking of Aliyah and its importance we need to understand what being a Jew and living in Israel has to do with each other. There are many countries and regions in the world filled with all kinds of people. There is but one country promised to one people, explicitly stated by G-d, and that is the land of Israel for the Jewish people...

One Woman's Description Of Why Her Aliyah Was Succesful

I do not, and have not regretted or questioned my decision to make Aliyah.

Even once since I opened my Tik with the Jewish Agency in October of 2006 right up until now. Not to say I haven't encountered ˜challenges". I am in my third apartment, and my 5th job.  But one can have these issues in the US, especially these days.

I firmly believe that my Aliyah has been successful because, in addition to all the great things listed on the attached document, I DECIDED that it was going to be successful. All I needed to do was work out all the details.

For anyone considering making Aliyah-while having a contingency plan in mind to address the remote possibility that you would ever return to the  US permanently, consider the following comment I made to my friends when they asked me why I would sell my house, what if I have to come back?

I knew they just didn't want me to go because they would miss me. But, as I told them, if I am making plans for what I would do if it doesn't work out, then why am I going in the first place? My Aliyah IS GOING TO WORK. Period.

And it has.

Nefesh B Nefesh Is Awesome

(This is an interesting blog post that I found defending Nefesh B'Nefesh against an editorial from Michal Hirsh at Jpost).

Michael Hirsch published in The Jerusalem Post an article entitled "American Aliya - An Exercise in Futility." (The article can also be found here, at Matzav.com.) In his essay, Hirsch basically slam-dunks into the ash can the entire program of Nefesh B'Nefesh, apparently because it has not emptied the Jewish streets of America into flights headed for Israel. The article was subsequently published by the estimable Rebbetzin Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler on her "Baltimore Chug Aliyah" list (which can be sought -- and joined! -- at http://groups.yahoo.com).

Departing On Our Pilot Trip

Tommorrow morning we depart on our pilot trip to Israel.

Making Aliyah: You Can Do It

(The following is an old post that I found from the blog Aliyah Revolution by Goel Jasper.  The blog isn't really updated all that often but I thought this post was particularly relevent, especially considering that I will be making a pilot trip to Israel in 2 weeks to see if we will make aliyah this summer)

I had the privilege of speaking with a Tehilla Pilot Trip group the other day, and the following is the talk I delivered. Comments always welcome!

You know, I often have the privilege of speaking to groups of people that are somewhere along the process of making Aliyah. Sometimes, I speak to those who are already here. Sometimes, to those who are still over there.

A Perspective From J-Post on How to Bring US Aliya

American Jews make up the vast majority of the Diaspora, anywhere from two-thirds to perhaps 80 percent. Many national Jewish communities number in the thousands, even in the tens of thousands, but only the United States is home to five million.

A North American oleh blows a Shofar as another holds a Torah scroll upon their arrival at Ben Gurion airport.

Yet the aliya statistics don't reflect this demographic reality. Just 3,000 Americans, out of almost 20,000 olim, make their way to Israel each year. (The figure for 2009 may prove to be as high as 4,000, but it took the worst American economy since the 1930s to achieve that modest increase.)

Chinese Jews Come Home to Israel

Rahm Emanuel's Rabbi Is Making Aliyah and Starting a New Community

"I disagree with many policies of the Obama administration, but I know that President Barack Obama and [White House Chief of Staff] Rahm Emanuel believe that what they are doing is good for Israel," says Rabbi Asher Lopatin, who for the past 15 years has been the spiritual leader of one of Chicago's most active Jewish communities, the Anshe Sholom Bnai Israel congregation.

"Rahm is a tough guy - and I'm not sure he's the best diplomat," he adds, "but I think that ultimately they think what they are doing is good for Israel."

Emanuel had to leave the community when he began began working in the White House, and later moved his family from Chicago to Washington, but Lopatin still sends them occasional e-mail messages.

In fact, the rabbi does not plan to remain in Chicago for long himself. Two weeks ago, community leaders sent a letter to members announcing the rabbi's intention to leave in the summer of 2011. They also asked for the community's support for his plans to settle in the Negev.

Being Optimistic About Eretz Yisroel and Parnasa

I have made inquiries about finding jobs in Eretz Yisroel.  I posted on linkedin various listserves regarding different career ideas I have for after I make aliyah.  Many of the responses that I received were negative. One woman wrote that she wishes she never moved to Israel 30 years ago and that I must be religious because she doesn't see why anyone would move to Israel otherwise.  Another person said that Israel has enough people and I should stay where I am.

It seems that its common for Jews to complain in general, and about Israel in particular.  Parnassa is a common thing to complain about.  Its funny because as we know, tons of Jews currently live in Israel and are making fine careers for themselves.  My friend from yeshiva in fact is making much more money than I am and he is in Israel working for an Israeli software company.

Here is post that I appreciate from the blog Aliyah Blog" before the author made aliyah.

South American olim accompany Peres

Some 25 new immigrants from five South American countries accompanied President Shimon Peres on his return to Israel.

The olim from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay left Sao Paulo, Brazil, with Peres on Tuesday following his weeklong visit to Argentina and Brazil. They were scheduled to arrive Wednesday at Ben Gurion Airport.

In 2009, about 1,200 new immigrants from Latin America will make aliyah to Israel under the auspices of the Jewish Agency for Israel, the agency said.

(Source: JTA)

Acclimating Your Kids To Israel Before and After Making Aliyah

(The following is an interesting discussion from Maalei Adumim's Yahoo Listserve about advice for a woman considering aliyah on how to make aliyah and keep your children intact.)

---

We are considering making aliyah next summer with the help of Nefesh
B'Nefesh. We are looking into different locations to live using the Internet. We are myself (48 year old widow) and my 8 year old daughter. We live in Florida.We are modern orthodox (kosher,do not wear slacks,have a tv)and my child is an excellent student( poo-poo-poo) at a local,orthodox school known for it's high academic standards and Hebrew-language immersion
program. I've heard that English-speaking kids who grow up in an "Anglo bubble"in Israel develop drug addictions and other emotional difficulties. Any feedback? Thanks!

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Hi Rhonda,

U.S. Jews turn to Israel to escape bleak job market

Jewish American math teacher Goldie Burdetsky never expected to find herself working the front desk of a hotel in southern Israel alongside management interns young enough to be her children.

"I mean, for God's sakes, I have a master's degree in education," said the 55-year-old New Yorker. "I expected to be able to find a teaching job in the U.S. without any problems. But I couldn't."

What Prevents Aliyah?

(The following post is from the blog Shiloh Musings, written by Batya. I have to agree with Batya that its very, very scary to consider making aliyah. Me and my wife would like to move to Israel and despite our deep desire to live in the land of our Avot, its so scary to make such a humongous, permanent change).

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What Prevents Aliyah?

This post is inspired by a poll on Arutz 7.

Poll: What's the biggest obstacle to Aliyah?

Baltimore Jewish Times Cover Story: The Adler's Plan to Make Aliyah (hooray!)

Rabbi Elan Adler compares his family’s decision to make aliyah to one of those carnival games in which you shoot a steady stream of water into a clown’s mouth to fill a balloon.

Little by little, the reasons for moving to Israel simply built up, he said. The final straw, according to Rabbi Adler and his wife, Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler, was the decision of their daughter, Ariella, 19, to make aliyah this past September.

The Pains Of Getting Ready For Aliyah

The following is a post from the blog Bat Aliyah describing her experience preparing for Aliyah and the pains of going through one's items to see if those items should be shlepped along to Eretz Yisrael: