So goes the Nefesh b'Nefesh ad for aliyah that one sees everywhere. Actually I used to see it. Somehow the Internet or Google or some vague big powerful invisible forces know not to send me those ads anymore. Now that's scary.
Is it a dream here? Is it fulfilling and wonderful as one person proposed to me?
It's fulfilling in the sense that it's a mitzva, a comprehensive one. It's wonderful to be in a country that overall is a better match for my values and provides a more complete Jewish life for my family.
It's neither of those things in the sense of olam haba in this world, which is what Americans generally seek. Many insist on it.
The NBN ads all showing smiling faces, and by smiles I mean ear to ear smiles, against the backdrop of brand new homes against the ocean and the land. American advertising at its best. It's advertising that suggests olam haba in this world.
It's not like that here. How could it be?
There's many things that aren't any better in Israel. I haven't found the religious opportunities to be any better. At least not for me personally. I come from the NY area where there's quite a lot going on. It's about the same here, with less kiddushes. I'm not knocking either place, just saying they are about the same.
I haven't found the people to be any holier, for the most part. They are about the same. The exception might be the Charedim though. They have been the most pleasant surprise. There is something very special about B'nei Brak and Beit Shemesh B. The Charedi neighborhoods in Jerusalem I haven't seen yet, so I can't comment. But then again, Lakewood, Williamsburg and the Breuer's community in Wash. Heights are pretty special too. So overall, I think it's about the same.
But there are differences. Materialism is one of them. There's less stuff here and less talk about stuff. Not much less really than Passaic. But less than Teaneck and the Five Towns. There's less traife on the billboards. Those horrible smart phones are everywhere. But I don't see what they are seeing, thank the Lord.
There's way less sports talk.
Another difference is the freedom to be Jewish. I feel less self-conscious here.
Manners aren't as good, but they aren't as bad as people make them out to be. But countering that is the increased compassion that one feels in people. If you are late for the train here, the people in the station want to see you make your train. Many American train people, particularly in NY, seem happy that you are missing it. But in the Midwest they are quite helpful. So I can't formulate a rule. I could propose that people help each other out more. More than once people have asked me to watch their strollers as they pay the bus fare. People help mothers and invalids get on the bus. Stuff like that. Overall, it's a gentler place, more than NY, but that's not saying much. Then again, ask an Israeli for directions and 90% of the time they'll shrug their shoulders. In Michigan, they'll walk you a quarter mile to your destination. So I'd say overall, it's about the same.
The police are different. They are not hulking, steroid using, angry, and terrifying. They are Jewish men with jobs as policeman. It's a whole differ vibe with them. That for sure is different. But there's nothing like American policemen anywhere in the world.
There's much more nature here, at least compared to NY. I feel almost overdosed by it. Mountains and farms. It's lovely.
There are more buses, but not many express buses. So you make lots of stops. Compared to NY, there are less trains. But the train system is pretty good, basically on time, basically comfortable. It covers the country well.
Jobs are tougher to come by for non Hebrew speakers.
So I could go round and round. You see how complicated it is? Some things are better. Some are not as good. Contrary to the feelings of dreamers, geulah has not come, even in Israel. This still is a battered nation. And it's not a dream here in the way people mean it. But it's a better life as far as I'm concerned. Life is a struggle. Here it's more of a Jewish struggle. And that is a dream.
Is it a dream here? Is it fulfilling and wonderful as one person proposed to me?
It's fulfilling in the sense that it's a mitzva, a comprehensive one. It's wonderful to be in a country that overall is a better match for my values and provides a more complete Jewish life for my family.
It's neither of those things in the sense of olam haba in this world, which is what Americans generally seek. Many insist on it.
The NBN ads all showing smiling faces, and by smiles I mean ear to ear smiles, against the backdrop of brand new homes against the ocean and the land. American advertising at its best. It's advertising that suggests olam haba in this world.
It's not like that here. How could it be?
There's many things that aren't any better in Israel. I haven't found the religious opportunities to be any better. At least not for me personally. I come from the NY area where there's quite a lot going on. It's about the same here, with less kiddushes. I'm not knocking either place, just saying they are about the same.
I haven't found the people to be any holier, for the most part. They are about the same. The exception might be the Charedim though. They have been the most pleasant surprise. There is something very special about B'nei Brak and Beit Shemesh B. The Charedi neighborhoods in Jerusalem I haven't seen yet, so I can't comment. But then again, Lakewood, Williamsburg and the Breuer's community in Wash. Heights are pretty special too. So overall, I think it's about the same.
But there are differences. Materialism is one of them. There's less stuff here and less talk about stuff. Not much less really than Passaic. But less than Teaneck and the Five Towns. There's less traife on the billboards. Those horrible smart phones are everywhere. But I don't see what they are seeing, thank the Lord.
There's way less sports talk.
Another difference is the freedom to be Jewish. I feel less self-conscious here.
Manners aren't as good, but they aren't as bad as people make them out to be. But countering that is the increased compassion that one feels in people. If you are late for the train here, the people in the station want to see you make your train. Many American train people, particularly in NY, seem happy that you are missing it. But in the Midwest they are quite helpful. So I can't formulate a rule. I could propose that people help each other out more. More than once people have asked me to watch their strollers as they pay the bus fare. People help mothers and invalids get on the bus. Stuff like that. Overall, it's a gentler place, more than NY, but that's not saying much. Then again, ask an Israeli for directions and 90% of the time they'll shrug their shoulders. In Michigan, they'll walk you a quarter mile to your destination. So I'd say overall, it's about the same.
The police are different. They are not hulking, steroid using, angry, and terrifying. They are Jewish men with jobs as policeman. It's a whole differ vibe with them. That for sure is different. But there's nothing like American policemen anywhere in the world.
There's much more nature here, at least compared to NY. I feel almost overdosed by it. Mountains and farms. It's lovely.
There are more buses, but not many express buses. So you make lots of stops. Compared to NY, there are less trains. But the train system is pretty good, basically on time, basically comfortable. It covers the country well.
Jobs are tougher to come by for non Hebrew speakers.
So I could go round and round. You see how complicated it is? Some things are better. Some are not as good. Contrary to the feelings of dreamers, geulah has not come, even in Israel. This still is a battered nation. And it's not a dream here in the way people mean it. But it's a better life as far as I'm concerned. Life is a struggle. Here it's more of a Jewish struggle. And that is a dream.
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