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April 15, 2011
Where our hearts are
Always look for opportunities to return to Israel.
RABBI SHMUEL YESHAYAHU
I see all of these religious people around Vancouver. Shouldn’t they be living in Israel?
According to the Talmud, a Jew can only leave Israel for three reasons: to make a living, to learn Torah and to find a wife. Essentially, if a person lives in eretz Israel, he or she should stay put. But there is some fine print to consider.
It’s 2011 and many Jewish people still live in exile; there is no Temple, we have no shortage of enemies and our very right to exist is constantly challenged. When Mashiach comes, the entire Jewish nation will live in Israel. Until then, however, Jews have missions to carry out all over the world.
Though not actually living in Israel, Jews in the Diaspora can do a great deal for the benefit of Israel. Raising awareness of its needs, being ambassadors and educators, and giving support in the form of tzedakah are some of the important tasks of Jews who live elsewhere.
On a personal level, living outside of Israel provides an opportunity for growth and challenge. To live in Israel is to be fully immersed in Jewish culture. Judaism is the default and living Jewishly requires almost no thought. Living outside of Israel, however, requires more work and more thought. Ironically, it is this very hardship that brings many Diaspora Jews closer to their religion and culture. Since it is not handed to them easily, they seek it out and value it all the more. On the other hand, while the challenges of living as a minority can be a springboard to finding your Jewish soul, they can also create a barrier between you and your Judaism.
As we look at a city like Vancouver, we can see Judaism as a piece of glass. In Israel, the glass is completely clear. The path through it is easy to see. When we put everything in perspective behind this glass – family, culture, spirituality – it only serves to enhance the function of the glass by turning it into a mirror in which we can see ourselves and everything around us. In Vancouver, the same things that can go behind the glass can easily slip in front, blocking our view and keeping us from seeing and valuing our Jewish identity.
Have you heard the joke about the two Jewish brothers who move to North America from Europe? They decide to go for a stroll in a park on Shabbat. As they walk, they notice people smoking and reading Yiddish newspapers. One brother turns to the other and proclaims that he finds this place amazing. “How so?” asks his sibling.
His brother gestures toward the newspapers, replying, “Here, even the non-Jews read Yiddish.”
The “non-Jews” in this story are, of course, really Jews who have strayed from observance of Shabbat and merely turned it into a day of rest and relaxation. This illustrates that while there is the potential for personal and spiritual growth in the Diaspora, there is also the huge risk of assimilation. The rate of assimilation in Vancouver is astronomical and it is very easy to slip seamlessly into this comfortable, secular culture, leaving Jewish culture and religion behind.
While it is not technically a sin to live outside of Israel, it is, in fact, a mitzvah to live there, if at all possible. In addition, living in the Diaspora should always be considered a temporary condition. You really have to think about your motivations. Wealth? Comfort? Personal preference? These are merely cosmetic and don’t really cut it.
Stay away from Israel if you must, but always look for opportunities to return. Seek opportunities to increase your growth and learning, and protect your family and yourself from the loss of their identity. Kids need to know that Judaism should come first in their lives. If you don’t create a home in which Judaism is an integral part, you should not be surprised if Judaism is not important to the generations that come after you.
Israel is a cradle for the Jewish people. For all of its up and downs, it is home. It is a haven for the promotion and protection of the ideas and traditions we hold dear, the ideas and traditions that have kept us strong for thousands of years. Every Jew has the freedom to travel all over the globe, but never forget, when it comes to Israel, there’s no place like home.
Rabbi Shmuel Yeshayahu is head of the Ohel Ya’akov Community Kollel. He wrote this article with Camille Joseph, a writer living in Vancouver.
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