14 Comments

As a moderately religious American Jew, I’m visiting Israel and I’m ready to move to Israel ! The folks I know there are more real, warm and caring for one another, than many I know in other countries… especially in America.

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Kol Hakavod to you. I spent 2 weeks in Israel "rescuing" fruit and vegetables that were ripe, but for which there were not enough farm workers (most of whom were foreigners from Thailand). Good luck on your aliyah

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These are all very sad stories. It is easy to understand their responses to the disappointment of seeing their government abandon them.

I do want to express two caveats. First, it is important to understand that wherever you go, you will always be a Jew, and the country that you go to will not be able to protect you (although it may try), because there is (so far) no inoculation against antisemitic feelings and actions. Second, almost from the founding of the state in 1948, Israelis have emigrated to other places in the world and while some have found success and happiness in other lands, many have not and have returned.

I do want to direct you to listen to Jonathan Podhoretz's recent interview with Dan Senor (on "Call Me Back") about the state of the American Jewish community and its present concerns.

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Thank you for this and all your insights. Nothing is ever as simple as the broad sweep of history tells it. every individual has to make his or her own decision. The unrelenting hatred of 75+ years driven into Palestinian children for generations has made a seething mass of evil just over a fence or an invisible line into a terrifying reality. How do we - normal, rational people in the world, some of whom happen to be Jewish - work to put an end to this evil insanity which destroys everything it touches? How do we create a "Marshall Plan" for Israel which brings peace and let's both Palestinians and Israelis find a way to work side by side, without one side trying constantly to murder the other? Is there such a way forward or is Israel just Kashmir - what should be a paradise perpetually torn apart by violent tribal hatred?

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I have no right to find fault with those who left or are planning to leave Israel. After all, I'm srcibbling this in the comfort ( albeit fears of antisemitism grow daily) of my N.Y.C. apartment. Thousands of years ago, Hamas existed under the name of Canaanites. Many refused to live with those giants. Perhaps, we should focus on the many who made aliya, the many who joined the IDF, the many who volunteered to pick fruits and vegetables, the many who weren't afraid of the Canaanites.

Ruth Moser Riemer

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Despite everything, how optimistic and life-affirming are these young Israelis! Compare it with the culture of death and victimhood of the Palestinians. Thank you again for sharing these things as well as the somewhat more pessimistic pieces. It's so important.

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Is Portugal the destination of choice for Israelis or is it just where the writer of the article did their research?

It feels like no Jews are happy where they are. I read this article just after my NYer relative who's in Israel for the next few months told me they're dreading returning to the U.S.

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There is a paywall after the first paragraph. Oh well.

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If you are referencing the podcast, then google dan senor and choose applepodcast. That should work. If you are referencing the Commentary article, then try https://www.commentary.org/articles/john-podhoretz/antisemites-coming-after-jews/

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I understand individual decisions in a stressful time and disappointment in government. What was not mentioned is that Iran and the Arab strategy against Israel is to make Israel unlivable except for a smaller population of strong Zionists or those who can't live elsewhere and then defeat/destroy them.

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I keep seeing this fellow who seems to be orchestrating everything all over instagram. Who is he and where does he get his funding to be paying for all the gifts that he seems to be giving out to wounded soldiers.

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The young couple in the clip had me in tears, as an old man. The stories of those wishing to leave are very sad; but understandable. As is the choice of Portugal for an alternative: England's oldest ally (before there was a 'UK'), and proud of it. And one of the last outposts of common sense in Western Europe. But I cannot leave MY Country, as a 'First Natuion Briton', to the scum who are being deliberately imported by our Politicians. Our own children deserve better than Islam!

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War always has consequences. If an individual feels the risk is greater than the reward, he or she has made that decision and they stay or leave. The zionists who fought in 1948 understood the risks and the potential benefits. We all know the results. Israel, although has enemies on their doorsteps, every country faces existential threats, as Ronald Reagan stated…”Freedom is only one generation from extinction “ The battle is perpetual. You just have to think is it worth it?

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Am Israeli 30 years. Born in America. I believe in what written in the bible. All the nation's will come against Israel so few spots will be safe for Jews inside or outside Israel. Things can change overnight. Suddenly under a new president, El Salvador is a great place to live. But when he goes, horror may return. American Jews will perish if they stay there.

Prophesy says Israel will go thru the refining fire and 2/3 will die and 1/3 will survive to greet messiah. Whether you think that's yahshua messiah returning or another, messiah coming to save 1/3 left alive in Israel. It's in the tanach. Don't believe in tanach then no reason for Israel to exist

Israel's leaders are very wicked sold out apostates, but whole western world is the same.

A war criminal fit for a Nuremberg trial is any leader poking experimental German juice into the people by extreme coersion.

Am aware an active airbase near me stood down for 7 hours in an Oct 7, was aware of the stand down before heard any news.

I fault no one for personal decisions. If I would leave, I'd also try Portugal or Bhutan.

But based on the bible, I prefer to ride out the storm in Israel, not happy off course, and help people any way I can here.

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