In the previous post, the future (or lack thereof) of England was discussed.
At the risk of sounding like fear-mongering, I just want to point out that one of England's leading Conservative activists, Douglas Murray, is the one who's saying that the British people don't have an "Israel" to go to when the tide changes.
And he's made this point several times. Here are just two quotes from him...
From his London Central Synagogue speech:
At the risk of sounding like fear-mongering, I just want to point out that one of England's leading Conservative activists, Douglas Murray, is the one who's saying that the British people don't have an "Israel" to go to when the tide changes.
And he's made this point several times. Here are just two quotes from him...
From his London Central Synagogue speech:
"I don't have an Israel. This is it. If you care about a decent, democratic, broadly pluralistic society in which you can live the life you want to live, this is the best deal and I don’t have a get-out option.”
More recently at a Jewish book club event, he repeated:
"Most Europeans don't have an Israel. We don't have another option on this. If we screw this up, then we've screwed up the only thing we have. So why not think about this more deeply? Why not be careful with this?"
It's not coming from us.
Murray and others concerned for England's future are funneling their resources into saving England. The problem, as noted in the previous post, is that they seem unable to focus on either the moral value system or the economic system that could possibly save them.
They refuse to uphold a God-based structure of morality and they refuse to wean their society off socialism. In fact, there is such resistance to a more capitalist society that even right-wing politicians tiptoe carefully around the topic of de-socializing anything.
This is compounded by the overwhelming influx of people from other countries who do not respect even the secular British value system.
And in light of all this, there have been passionate calls for British (and European) Jews to make aliyah on the double.
I think aliyah is a great idea, of course.
However, given the prediction of Chessed L'Avraham, which states that a very small percentage of Jews in Eretz Yisrael will survive the End of Days, I don't think that geographical location is necessarily the secret to survival.
Where you are in your head and heart seem to be just as important.
(Please don't get me wrong; living in Eretz Yisrael is huge mitzvah and one we should do if at all possible, even if it means a descent in one's material standing -- and it usually does mean that for most people, although not all. But what defines "possible"?)
Murray and others concerned for England's future are funneling their resources into saving England. The problem, as noted in the previous post, is that they seem unable to focus on either the moral value system or the economic system that could possibly save them.
They refuse to uphold a God-based structure of morality and they refuse to wean their society off socialism. In fact, there is such resistance to a more capitalist society that even right-wing politicians tiptoe carefully around the topic of de-socializing anything.
This is compounded by the overwhelming influx of people from other countries who do not respect even the secular British value system.
And in light of all this, there have been passionate calls for British (and European) Jews to make aliyah on the double.
I think aliyah is a great idea, of course.
However, given the prediction of Chessed L'Avraham, which states that a very small percentage of Jews in Eretz Yisrael will survive the End of Days, I don't think that geographical location is necessarily the secret to survival.
Where you are in your head and heart seem to be just as important.
(Please don't get me wrong; living in Eretz Yisrael is huge mitzvah and one we should do if at all possible, even if it means a descent in one's material standing -- and it usually does mean that for most people, although not all. But what defines "possible"?)
The Hidden Side of Chutz L'Aretz
The thing is, not everyone stuck in chutz l'Aretz is stuck for reasons of superficiality, mule-headedness, or a fascination with materialism.
I admit that until a couple of years ago, I didn't realize that a Jew could REALLY want to make aliyah, but just can't.
It took the heartfelt pleas for understanding for me to realize the myriad of complex situations some people face, and that I was lucky enough not to undergo (through no credit of my own).
Some Jews in chutz l'Aretz are living hand-to-mouth. To make things worse, they are often surrounded by people who are doing really well and so their "have-not" status is constantly in their face. (I temporarily lived like this once in the US, with very limited finances around people with mansions, live-in help, and even some with the means to rent a helicopter to get to their Shabbos destination. I constantly pined away for my simple Israeli neighborhood and small apartment with my heimish neighbors where I hardly ever felt poor or deprived. There in my fancy address, I often sobbed myself to sleep. It was awful.)
Other Jews are dealing with infirm or ill relatives for whom they're responsible. Some have handicapped spouses or children. Some really can't figure out a way to keep their head above water, financially speaking, in Eretz Yisrael -- not re-create an American lifestyle in Israel, but just stay out of debilitating poverty.
Along with physical illness, some families are dealing with mental illness -- including depression or eating disorders. If a spouse or child is depressed, for example, what is the other spouse supposed to do about it regarding aliyah?
Now it's true that moving to Israel can actually improve mental health, but there's no guarantee of this. (And how to motivate a depressed person do anything in the first place?)
And what about a divorced family? Should a parent abandon his or her young children for aliyah? (There are situation were this can still work, like say if the children are already approaching age 18 and taking into account other factors, but it's not something I would recommend outright. Each situation needs to be examined carefully.)
Some people are very afraid of the emotional and practical upheaval and how it might affect their children. People who are settled solidly -- religiously, financially, socially -- in chutz l'Aretz understandably have a lot of trepidation toward upending all that.
For some people, it's not a matter of giving up a spacious luxury home or luxury cars. (Although for some people, it is about that.) It's much more complex and frustrating.
There's no question that in America, you can get caught up in a lifestyle bursting with meaningless materialism and bestow importance on things that are so NOT important, it's ridiculous and obnoxious already. But it doesn't mean that everyone is like that.
I don't know why I didn't realize all this on my own much earlier, but baruch Hashem, some people spoke up from the heart and explained things.
For example, please see all of Eli's comments in this post #Free Tommy: The Writing is on the Wall. (Aside from Eli's comments, the actual post by Rabbi Brody is very worthwhile reading.)
Please also see Rachel's last comment HERE.
These are just 2 of the most recent I've seen over the past couple of years.
Yes, I think it's important to encourage aliyah. Both the Kli Yakar and the Pele Yoetz have some very strong ideas about it. (Please click "Aliyah" on the sidebar categories for more details about their views.)
But as Eli wrote: "I have encountered too many times the attitudes of some veteran olim, and it often smacks of 'by the strength of my hand'."
It's true that those of us who live in Eretz Yisrael should be grateful and realize it's a tremendous chessed from Hashem that allowed us to be where we are today.
Frankly, just the fact that I not only cannot stand living in the US, but I have no desire to even visit (although I used to want to visit periodically, but now not at all), and am just in love with Eretz Yisrael, is a huge chessed from Hashem. Why do I feel this way? Just because! I didn't do anything to feel this way. I just feel the way I do.
If you managed to learn Hebrew, found decent schools for your kids, found a good community and cherish the neighborhood in which you live, then ashreichem.
Yes, those of us who live here worked for it. And we had to get weaned off a certain amount of materialism, no matter how financially prepared we were for aliyah or how unmaterialistic we were. Some olim sacrificed even more via combat service.
But there is also a lot of siyata d'Shmaya too.
I admit that until a couple of years ago, I didn't realize that a Jew could REALLY want to make aliyah, but just can't.
It took the heartfelt pleas for understanding for me to realize the myriad of complex situations some people face, and that I was lucky enough not to undergo (through no credit of my own).
Some Jews in chutz l'Aretz are living hand-to-mouth. To make things worse, they are often surrounded by people who are doing really well and so their "have-not" status is constantly in their face. (I temporarily lived like this once in the US, with very limited finances around people with mansions, live-in help, and even some with the means to rent a helicopter to get to their Shabbos destination. I constantly pined away for my simple Israeli neighborhood and small apartment with my heimish neighbors where I hardly ever felt poor or deprived. There in my fancy address, I often sobbed myself to sleep. It was awful.)
Other Jews are dealing with infirm or ill relatives for whom they're responsible. Some have handicapped spouses or children. Some really can't figure out a way to keep their head above water, financially speaking, in Eretz Yisrael -- not re-create an American lifestyle in Israel, but just stay out of debilitating poverty.
Along with physical illness, some families are dealing with mental illness -- including depression or eating disorders. If a spouse or child is depressed, for example, what is the other spouse supposed to do about it regarding aliyah?
Now it's true that moving to Israel can actually improve mental health, but there's no guarantee of this. (And how to motivate a depressed person do anything in the first place?)
And what about a divorced family? Should a parent abandon his or her young children for aliyah? (There are situation were this can still work, like say if the children are already approaching age 18 and taking into account other factors, but it's not something I would recommend outright. Each situation needs to be examined carefully.)
Some people are very afraid of the emotional and practical upheaval and how it might affect their children. People who are settled solidly -- religiously, financially, socially -- in chutz l'Aretz understandably have a lot of trepidation toward upending all that.
For some people, it's not a matter of giving up a spacious luxury home or luxury cars. (Although for some people, it is about that.) It's much more complex and frustrating.
There's no question that in America, you can get caught up in a lifestyle bursting with meaningless materialism and bestow importance on things that are so NOT important, it's ridiculous and obnoxious already. But it doesn't mean that everyone is like that.
I don't know why I didn't realize all this on my own much earlier, but baruch Hashem, some people spoke up from the heart and explained things.
For example, please see all of Eli's comments in this post #Free Tommy: The Writing is on the Wall. (Aside from Eli's comments, the actual post by Rabbi Brody is very worthwhile reading.)
Please also see Rachel's last comment HERE.
These are just 2 of the most recent I've seen over the past couple of years.
Yes, I think it's important to encourage aliyah. Both the Kli Yakar and the Pele Yoetz have some very strong ideas about it. (Please click "Aliyah" on the sidebar categories for more details about their views.)
But as Eli wrote: "I have encountered too many times the attitudes of some veteran olim, and it often smacks of 'by the strength of my hand'."
It's true that those of us who live in Eretz Yisrael should be grateful and realize it's a tremendous chessed from Hashem that allowed us to be where we are today.
Frankly, just the fact that I not only cannot stand living in the US, but I have no desire to even visit (although I used to want to visit periodically, but now not at all), and am just in love with Eretz Yisrael, is a huge chessed from Hashem. Why do I feel this way? Just because! I didn't do anything to feel this way. I just feel the way I do.
If you managed to learn Hebrew, found decent schools for your kids, found a good community and cherish the neighborhood in which you live, then ashreichem.
Yes, those of us who live here worked for it. And we had to get weaned off a certain amount of materialism, no matter how financially prepared we were for aliyah or how unmaterialistic we were. Some olim sacrificed even more via combat service.
But there is also a lot of siyata d'Shmaya too.
The End is Nigh...So Pray!
Okay, so how does that square up with predicting the inevitable downfall of England and Europe?
So like I said, it's not just me who's saying that if England doesn't make MAJOR IMMEDIATE changes, then it's over. Douglas Murray says it.
And as far as pure economics, plus politics? England simply is not willing to make the changes their economy demands.
Socially, England is facing shocking and frightening changes. The Conservatives acknowledge this, but no one else does. Objectively speaking, it perfectly lines up with Edward Cline's mathematical observations noted years ago. You've probably read it already, but for your convenience, it's HERE.
(Because it's outdated, England's figures are higher now than portrayed in the original article. England's population percentage now stands at around 5%.)
Of course, this doesn't even begin to cover the upswing of popular support for Leftist extremists, like that Corbyn creep.
Economically and socially, England's policies are simply not sustainable.
So does that mean that you should beat England's Jewish population over the head with plane tickets to Tel Aviv? Should you do that to your French brothers and sisters or your Norwegian ones?
And while I try to facilitate feelings of love all my people, the thought of fully assimilated self-hating extreme Leftists (as some British Jews are) making aliyah does give me room for pause.
Anyway...
If Jews want to come and can come, then they do. If they don't want to come, you can't force them. And if they want to come, but can't...?
Rav Eliezer Papo provided a solution in the Pele Yoetz, back when Eretz Yisrael was under Turkish occupation and was truly a difficult place to live.
Prayer.
Please see A Prayer to Make Aliyah & Live in Eretz Yisrael.
(And as for those Jews who are fully assimilated self-hating extreme Leftists? Prayer can help them too!)
Beseeching Hashem for the welfare and spiritual state of fellow Jews is something tzaddikim always had in common with each other. Whether it was Neviim of the Tanach or tzaddikim of today, the concern for fellow Jews -- even the ones who don't seem to deserve such compassion -- is the common thread running through them all.
May all Jews succeed in coming to Eretz Yisrael smoothly and easily with great joy and nachat.
So like I said, it's not just me who's saying that if England doesn't make MAJOR IMMEDIATE changes, then it's over. Douglas Murray says it.
And as far as pure economics, plus politics? England simply is not willing to make the changes their economy demands.
Socially, England is facing shocking and frightening changes. The Conservatives acknowledge this, but no one else does. Objectively speaking, it perfectly lines up with Edward Cline's mathematical observations noted years ago. You've probably read it already, but for your convenience, it's HERE.
(Because it's outdated, England's figures are higher now than portrayed in the original article. England's population percentage now stands at around 5%.)
Of course, this doesn't even begin to cover the upswing of popular support for Leftist extremists, like that Corbyn creep.
Economically and socially, England's policies are simply not sustainable.
So does that mean that you should beat England's Jewish population over the head with plane tickets to Tel Aviv? Should you do that to your French brothers and sisters or your Norwegian ones?
And while I try to facilitate feelings of love all my people, the thought of fully assimilated self-hating extreme Leftists (as some British Jews are) making aliyah does give me room for pause.
Anyway...
If Jews want to come and can come, then they do. If they don't want to come, you can't force them. And if they want to come, but can't...?
Rav Eliezer Papo provided a solution in the Pele Yoetz, back when Eretz Yisrael was under Turkish occupation and was truly a difficult place to live.
Prayer.
Please see A Prayer to Make Aliyah & Live in Eretz Yisrael.
(And as for those Jews who are fully assimilated self-hating extreme Leftists? Prayer can help them too!)
Beseeching Hashem for the welfare and spiritual state of fellow Jews is something tzaddikim always had in common with each other. Whether it was Neviim of the Tanach or tzaddikim of today, the concern for fellow Jews -- even the ones who don't seem to deserve such compassion -- is the common thread running through them all.
May all Jews succeed in coming to Eretz Yisrael smoothly and easily with great joy and nachat.
Eretz Yisrael
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