The Embarrassed Zionist

The demonization of Jews around the world shows no signs of abating, but, not to be outdone, the demonization of chareidim in Israel follows closely behind. Anti-Semites have historically accused Jews of taking and not contributing to society, of being too powerful, and in Israel the copycat view is that chareidim do not contribute to society, that they will soon control Israel, and that they are disloyal to Zionist ideals. (Very unoriginal: See Pharaoh’s similar complaint in Shemos 1:10.)

In light of this, a recent survey is illuminating. When asked if they would leave Israel and settle in another country if they could,  54 percent of secular youth in Israel answered yes, while 91 percent of chareidi youth answered no, even if the opportunities were great (survey of conducted by ERI Group, May, 2023).

What to make of these startling figures which turn on its head all the preconceptions and prejudgments about Israeli chareidim? The figures should not be startling. We have long known that the huge yeridah from Israel consists overwhelmingly of non-observant Jews — hundreds of thousands of secular Israelis live in California alone — while the aliyah into Israel consists overwhelmingly of observant Jews. (One is grateful that the survey did not ask about belief in G-d, Providence, or Creation. I would rather not think about what those responses might have been….)

The implications of leaving Israel for another country are instructive. It is not like moving from the US to Canada, or from France to Belgium, or from Germany to Austria. Leaving Israel does not merely involve a geographical change. It means saying farewell to a concept and an idea and all that Israel stands for: a 4,000-year-old heritage, a Divine promise, an inspiring history of triumph over tragedy. It means abandoning not just a country, but abandoning a way of life, the turning of one’s back on one’s own heritage.