Dear Jewish Reader Still Stuck In America

The article below is from two years ago, and is available at chananyaweissman.com/article.php?id=254.  My mailing list was fairly small at the time, and I wonder how many people heeded this fundamental lesson from the Torah then.

I wonder how many will heed it now.

Are we satisfied if our persecutors lighten up a little, lulling us into complacency while we remain under their evil thumb, or will we settle for nothing less than complete redemption?  Are we willing to take meaningful actions to bring that day closer, or do we have to wait for more “makkos”?  The Covid tyrants have given us a little breathing room; will we wait for their next offensive against us and be reactive, or be proactive and keep pushing back until we truly win?

More than ever, I can’t understand why any Jew with his head on straight wants to live in America anymore (the same is true for the rest of galus, but the yetzer hara to stay in America was always the strongest).  I’d love for galus Jews to give me one really good sales pitch for a Torah-true Jew to live in America right now, without changing the conversation to Israel’s shortcomings or pretending you’re adhering to some dubious oath you won’t find in the Rambam or the Shulchan Aruch. (Just admit already that was always an excuse. It’s not as if you really make monumental life decisions based on such sources.)

Safety? Getting worse by the day, and you’re hanging by a thread at this point.  Revisit the Anti-Semitism Handbook for Diaspora Jews, especially in light of government overreach these last several years, and tell me any of this is far-fetched anymore.

Cost of living?  You can’t stop complaining about it, it’s spiraling out of control, and it’s hard to argue you have it better over there anymore.  It’s a poor argument at best to stay in galus.

Quality of life?  The rat race is killing you more than your Sundays and occasional vacation can justify.

Spiritual sanctity?  Ha.  A Sodomite would blush at this point.  If you want your children to grow up with a spark of holiness — not addicted to screens, mood-altering drugs, secular values, and materialism — America is just about the last place you should want to raise them.

Israel is run by Erev Rav, some of the worst people around, but it also has the greatest amount of awesome, holy Jews per capita of anyplace in the world, it’s home, and we’re going to get through whatever judgment is coming upon the world.  America?  I wouldn’t want to be there when the shoe really drops.

Oh, and don’t think you’ll be able to “see the warning signs” and get out in time. First of all, you couldn’t see a warning sign if it was flashing neon pink right in your face. That’s the story of Jewish history.

Second of all, you’ve already gotten enough lessons about how fast airports can be closed, flights can be canceled, or travel can otherwise we severely restricted without warning.

And if you’re stuck on the wrong side of the ocean when it gets serious — and it will — don’t think the Israeli government will come and rescue you. You’ll be on your own, and that fancy home you mortgaged everything for won’t feel so safe and luxurious anymore. Assuming you can even stay there.

But don’t mind me, I’m just fear-mongering.  Life in America is great, and you have a Constitution to protect you.  You have rights!  Your community leaders cultivated great relationships with politicians and the police!  Jewish organizations are very influential and totally not corrupt!  And you took a self-defense class with your shul, you Rambo!  And anyway, Israel is even more scary!

I know that very few people will heed the warning, because that’s how it’s always been, and people haven’t gotten any smarter.  But a few might listen, and either way, I fulfilled my responsibility by saying the straight truth.

One more thing: I don’t want people to return home out of fear.  I want them to return home for all the many positive reasons.  But those who want to live in Israel for the right reasons, by and large, are here already.  The overwhelming majority of those who remain in galus do so voluntarily, they have internalized a galus mentality, and they simply don’t want to leave, no matter what.  So as shameful as it is, they will need to be terrorized into waking up.  I hope they wake up as gently as possible, but that’s the truth. Fear remains the best motivator for Jews to become homesick, and in absence of true yearning, they will be made to yearn for home the unpleasant way if that’s what it takes.

This year in Jerusalem. Dayenu.