To bring more Jews to live in Israel than ever before, there is no need to blame. There is only a need to take note of the opportunities available to strengthen the ability for people to make Aliyah. Both those currently outside of the Land of Israel, and also those inside of Israel can play a role in this.
No More Blame Game
It's not a machine that needs repair, it is a social plight that needs to be healed. Let's step outside of our preconceived perspectives for a moment. If your best friend was considering moving to your neighborhood. What would you say? Would you say, "What took you so long?" Would you accuse, "You have an assimilated exile mindset!" Would you say, "A true friend would have moved closer to me already!"
Or would you say and do things to assist him or her? Would you be positive about what your town has to offer in education and the like? Would you share a link or brochure to a job listing in your area? Would you reminisce on the fun you can have together?
Negativity is the last thing one should do who wants to sell something. Here are some proactive and positive steps people can do to help improve the situation.
What Those in Exile Can Do
See the writing on the wall, and take note of the prophecies on the matter. In the Tanach (Scripture) in more than 10 expressions, God promises to bring the great redemption with mercy. Including in Deuteronomy chapter 30, Isaiah 54, Hosea 2, Jeremiah 31 & 33, Zechariah 1.
But on foreboding verses, the Talmudic literature warn of the increasing danger outside the land even as Israel goes through a period of wars. Israel is the safer place.
Part of God's mercy to us is having a place like Israel to go to, rather than being forced to attempt to hide in Amsterdam, or arm oneself in Warsaw.
Your former friend now marches with terrorist supporters? People shout at you to "Free Palestine"? Time to take note and take appropriate action.
Although there are potential halachic (Jewish legal) leniencies to remain in exile as found in the Shulchan Aruch, in the face of danger, these are not to be relied on if one has a safer option.
What Israelis Can Do: Removing Impediments to Aliyah
Work Visas
Work visas should be automatic to anyone eligible for Aliyah. All too often, people who wanted to make Aliyah were told they can't get hired until after they make Aliyah, this as a matter of legal policy.
If they do not have a significant nest egg and zero debt, what are they supposed to do?
If the concern is to protect Israeli citizens from foreign residing people taking their job opportunities, then that could easily be fixed by a government office that guarantees the job on condition that the applicant pledges to immediately file for Aliyah. If they fail to make Aliyah, the job guarantee is automatically rescinded.
Demographic Liberty
A change of mindset from targeting specific demographics, to a natural free-market type immigration policy.
Too often Aliyah representatives encouraged mainly two groups of applicants to make Aliyah, more than the rest.
- Young families with many children who can serve in the IDF.
- Rich families who can start businesses or otherwise increase financial investments in the State.
You can invite Non Israelis to Israel for medical treatment, but you can't invite a poor Jew to join you in the Land Promised to us all?
If the chesed (kindness) is extremely selective and or limited, don't expect the Aliyah to be unlimited.
Why wait for violence to get worse chutz leAretz, outside the Land? Expand your mind and be open to less explored demographic pools of potential Aliyah applicants.
Underuse of the Jewish Agency sponsored Merkaz Klita Absorption Centers is a notable example. Imagine if initially free housing were to be made available to all those making Aliyah. Imagine if there was free housing everywhere in the country that have jobs for olim (immigrants.) One often needs to be close to a job, to have hope of landing said job.
Who does not need Merkaz Klita? Anyone with a lot of money already earned. Therefore a pattern of discrimination against the poor is something to investigate and clean up if found to be occurring.
Restoration of Merkaz Klita Absorption Centers on a scale greater than before would be a boon to Aliyah, because it would give hope to the poor, that they need not remain poor forever.
The inherent hope of the Promised Land is powerful. So we should utilize it in our Aliyah methodology from now on. May it soon be so, B'Ezras Hashem Yisborach, by the grace of God.
