Aliyah - my two cents

amother

Blue

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:33 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

But who said anything about special tzedaka funds? I thought the OP mentioned the government trying to do this.

I said tzedaka funds or on the taxpayer shekel.

If we are going to mass import Jews, let them at least be Jews. And pro-Israel as the Jewish homeland, and respectful of tradition, not shoving pieces of Torah scrolls into their underwear, claiming they want "equality" but never actually showing up other than for the cameras on Rosh Chodesh, and making false claims that the Chief Rabbinate made up the mechitza when in fact the mechitza has been there for a lot longer than Jews have had official right to pray there.

etky

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:34 am

amother [ Blue ] wrote:

Yes, and if they choose to come, that's their right.

I don't think we need to be funding (via taxes or tzedaka funds) special operations to bring in people who work to undermine the traditional majority in Israel, nor do we need to be funding special operations to bring in people who aren't halachically Jews.

They can come if they want (and most of them don't want). They can come via the regular channels and on their dime (yes I know aliya benefits go to all olim equally, I'm referring to special operations and funds).

Plenty of Israeli won't be eager to fund the aliya of American haredi Jews whose children will not be serving in the army.
Just saying....

amother

Blue

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:35 am

sequoia wrote:

Fortunately the Israeli government doesn’t agree with you.

But then it’s not a halachic dictatorship, however much you’d like it to be.

Actually, you would hate living in a theocracy.

I didn't ask for a halachic dictatorship, I asked for people who come in to respect the 80% traditional majority who DO want the mechitza at the Kotel, the 80% who DO respect tradition even if they don't keep halacha 100%, the 80% who see our heritage as holy and G-d given and not something to "modernize" at whim.

blessedflower

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:35 am

As someone who made aliyah last year I'm braking my head from confusion on this thread. What is holding people back? I made aliyah with 0,00€ or $ in saving. Misrad aliyah vklita paid for the tickets. We paid to have our stuff shipped. And we are still renting an apartment. We came without jobs. My dh who was willing to do anything found a fantastic job (doesn't pay well but he got training) after a while. We got 6 months a lot of money from the government for making aliyah. Yes we still live simple and we bought only basic furniture when we arrived. And a lots of things are still in boxes more than a year later. And we have plastic borrowed chairs and a table. But life here is great. I always dreamed of making aliyah and it wouldn't have been possible if not for the help we got from the Israeli government. What else are they supposed to do that they don't do yet?

We get arona for cheaper, help with rent, help with finding a kupat cholim... It doesn't stop

amother

Blue

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:37 am

etky wrote:

Plenty of Israeli won't be eager to fund the aliya of American haredi Jews whose children will not be serving in the army.
Just saying....

That's also true....but most of them also don't want to fund the aliya of people who aren't Jewish or who disrespect our heritage.

There is some middle ground that can be found.

chanchy123

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:38 am

amother [ Blue ] wrote:

No, but if we are talking about funding olim, please let's not bshita fund Reform. Or at the very least, please let's fund only those olim who are actually Jewish.
Half of Reform "Jews" are not Jewish at all.

I guess this warrants a spinoff, but if we start politicizing Aliyah nothing good will come out of it. We do not have a monopoly over EY ever Jew has a right to come here.

grace413

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:42 am

blessedflower wrote:

So happy to read this. Wishing you continued hatzlacha with your life in Israel.

chanchy123

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:46 am

blessedflower wrote:

This is so inspiring wishing you lots of hatzlacha.

etky

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:49 am

amother [ Blue ] wrote:

That's also true....but most of them also don't want to fund the aliya of people who aren't Jewish or who disrespect our heritage.

There is some middle ground that can be found.

Probably true, but my point actually was that we can't start vetting people according to our individual ideologies and preferences. Some Israelis might be bothered by the idea of Reform Jews coming but others are plenty bothered by the idea of a mass Haredi aliya. At the end of the day there is a law that defines who is eligible to make aliya and to receive the attendant benefits and all who qualify are equally deserving under that law.

Rappel

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:53 am

salt wrote:

Are there still Merkazei Klita - Absorption Centres in Israel?
That could be a good start for Olim who can't get an apartment immediately.

Yes there are. I know two singles, and one family, whom started out in them.

Rappel

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:55 am

etky wrote:

True fact. Even the ketoret had a stinky element to it. I've heard that that is meant to teach us that even if we don't like some elements of our society, they're still included as full members of Klal Yisrael.

amother

Blue

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:56 am

chanchy123 wrote:

I guess this warrants a spinoff, but if we start politicizing Aliyah nothing good will come out of it. We do not have a monopoly over EY ever Jew has a right to come here.

Funding mass aliya for American Jews is inherently political.

salt

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:57 am

Rappel wrote:

Of course all Jews are included in Klal Yisrael, but only Jews.

etky

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 7:57 am

Rappel wrote:

Yup. The חלבנה.
(Galbanum for any fellow perfume addicts Smile

Ora in town

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 8:04 am

amother [ Blue ] wrote:

If you start to pick and chose, there might be groups in Israel, perhaps even a majority, who might oppose encouraging or funding the aliya for people who do not intend to serve in IDF...
So it might not be a good idea to pick and chose...

Ora in town

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 8:08 am

amother [ Blue ] wrote:

How is this diatribe polite and respectful?

Ora in town

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 8:10 am

Rappel wrote:

And, the thing it, that you don't always know where this stinky element comes from... it just mixes... but it doesn't say "the stinky element is just here" or "the stinky element is just there"...

watergirl

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 8:15 am

Ora in town wrote:

Why are you denigrating women-of-the wall?
I thought this was supposed to be a forum where all dialogue should be polite and respectful in tone?

Women of the Wall is actually a banned topic on imamother. Do a search and you will see. Ask Yael for further info.

amother

Emerald

Tue, Jun 16 2020, 8:16 am

amother [ Blue ] wrote:

I assure you that 80% of Israelis would be perfectly fine with most Women of the Wall making Aliyah.
And if not 80%, then definitely 60 or 70%.

If you asked an Israeli on the street, who would you prefer make Aliyah, a Reform family whose sons will serve in the army, whose parents are academics and earn good salaries, or a family whose sons will not serve, and who earn so little that they will need government support to survive - which family do you think most Israelis think is 'better' for Israel?

As others said, thankfully they are all welcome here. Thankfully you are not in charge.