Last week Mishpacha offered its readers a wide-ranging presentation on the topic of American aliyah to Eretz Yisrael.
As an Israeli Jew whose acquaintance with Jewry in America is limited I have nothing to add to the words of wisdom and experience spoken by the interviewees who expressed their views on the complexities and difficulties and despite it all the benefits of taking the step of aliyah leaving behind the country that has long been known as a malchus shel chesed a land unparalleled in its kindness toward the Jewish People.
Yet as one looking on from outside of the box as the popular expression goes I will permit myself to make a few comments from my vantage point on this vital subject.
1. Undeniably a war is taking place here in Eretz Yisrael a war over this country’s national identity. It is a difficult continual struggle revolving around the question of how the State of Israel will look in years to come: will it have a Jewish face or will it be just another Mediterranean country strongly spiked with imitation-Western flavors? This being the case frum American olim can have a positive effect both directly and indirectly on the strength of the Torah-observant population here not necessarily by doing anything newsworthy but by their mere presence in communities around Eretz Yisrael. Their positive influence can extend to the Jews living in the Diaspora as well. I refer specifically to American chareidi olim who with their self-confidence and their impressive presence make an ongoing contribution to the trend toward a more religious more Torah-observant Israel. In this struggle every immigrant to Eretz Yisrael counts every family of olim has its contribution to make. And thus aliyah is a way of taking an important share of responsibility for klal Yisrael.
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