How do we see Israel, - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

How do we see Israel, Aliyah, Religion and Politics, and how should we see Israel and Aliyah?

Back to basics! Going back to Biblical times we are told that Israel will be an inheritance for the us. We can see from

psukim

how eager our forefathers were to go where

Hashem

asked them to go. Slide2

MicrocosmTanach is a microcosm for Future Jewish history:

Eg

, Strife between Yitzchak and

Yishmael

, and their reconcile (Jewish-Muslim conflict and our future reconcile),

Yakov

and

Esav

relationship: Jews-Edom (

christianity

).

Marriage between tribes had certain hiatuses and certain points, (despite major celebration when the tribes could marriage each other, we put certain artificial barriers on this among ourselves in the orthodox community

ie

. making it a condition to only marry among ones own group, be it

Askenazi

,

spehardi

etc). Sadly not all have learnt the lessons of the past to make for an easier and better future, by learning from the history of

Tanach

and

followng

it’s

exmaple

.Slide3

The importance of being in IsraelWe can see examples of how important it is for us to be in Israel.

Ramban

in his commentary in some sense chastises the action of

Avraham

for leaving Israel due to the famine. Someone of his stature it seems, the

Ramban

feels should of stayed and demonstrated the level of

emunah

that G-d would provide.

"His [Abraham's] leaving the land concerning which he had been commanded from the beginning (see Genesis 12:1), on account of the famine, was also a sin he committed, for in the famine God would redeem him from death.  It was because of this deed that the exile in the land of Egypt at the hand of Pharaoh was decreed for his children" (

Ramban

on Genesis 12:10

). Of course there are others who do not explain this episode this way, but it shows the importance of being in Israel. Slide4

Further examplesThere are additional cases where it is permitted to temporarily leave the Land of Israel to engage in certain mitzvot

, like visiting parents, raising funds for institutions in Israel, or promoting 

Aliyah

[immigration to Israel]

. 

Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to recall the example of our Sages, who when leaving the Land of Israel to do a mitzvah in the Diaspora, suddenly stopped at the border. Recalling their love for 

Eretz

Yisrael

, they tore their garments in mourning, cast their glances down to the ground, burst into tears, and cried out the verses, 

"You shall dispossess them,"

 and,  

"You shall dwell in their land."

 Immediately, they turned back and returned to their homes, saying, 

"Dwelling in the Land of Israel is equal in weight to all of the commandments of the Torah" 

(

Sifre

,

Reah

, 28. For an in-depth discussion of this subject, see 

the book, "

Torat

Eretz

Yisrael

 ," Chapters 7-9). Slide5

Exit from EgyptThe is a Midrash that tells us that many did not listen to Moshe

Rabbeinu

when he came to deliver his message from

Hashem

.

Some of the Israelites lived quite comfortable as lackeys to the Egyptians. Giving this up was not something they wanted. The

Midrash

tells us that it was these people who died during the plague of darkness. Slide6

Generational problemFrom the writings of our sages, the level of devotion that we should have to the land that gives us is clear. Throughout the generations one of the major reasons we have not come back to our home is money and material comfort.

Our ability to integrate into host nations has been both vital, yet is one of our biggest weaknesses. Slide7

It begins with integration which up to a point is ok, and can be beneficial. Some people chooses the road of assimilation, which is a tragedy.Yet even those of us who cling onto our religion and are able to fuse true Judaism with the modernity of our hosts, a sadly large number seem to loose the yearning of returning to Israel for more than a visit. Slide8

Further on in HistoryWe can see during the time of Ezra, when once again we had the opportunity to return to Israel, and rebuild the temple, a minority did so. This lack of desire among our nation, only 42,360 of our people, accepted the offer to ascend to Israel. (this was besides the 7337 salves and 200 male singers and female singers accompany them) (Ezra 2: 64-65.) This is one of the great dangers of living under foreign occupation. We loose our longing, it plagues us till today.Slide9

JeremiahWe are told in Yirmiyahu 29:10 that the exile would last for 70 years, and then

Hashem

will return us to Israel. Given this promise how so many Jews decided to remain in

Glaut

is astounding.

Hashem

then indeed gave us the opportunity to return as and it seems we should have been partners in the sense of accepting the offer. Within 70 years we already lost our desire as a whole nation which we need to recoup.Slide10

Interestingly (side bit) This consequence of Exile also affects others, I saw a clip of a “palestinian” who has his job, home etc, in Jordan and when asked about if he wanted to “return” to what he calls “

palestine

” he answered along the lines of, not really, why would he, he has his life in Jordan etc. Slide11

NehemiahNehemiah we are told gave up the position as a royal courtier to return to Israel and help save the small settlement from demoralization.We even know the

midrash

that Hagar proclaimed better to be a maidservant in the house of

Avraham

, than to be a princess in the house of

phaero

.

Slide12

religionWe can see it is clear from a Jewish perspective, living in chutz

laaretz

is sub optimal, and the sources give strong backing and harsh statements against living sojourning outside. Whilst from a

halachik

perspective there is a discussion of what the

chiuv

is today, there is clear support for the position in strong terms that being outside of Israel should be nothing more than a temporary status.Slide13

PoliticsIt has never been easier in terms of logistics and accessibility for us to return to Israel. Aside from the ease of transportation, visa vie the past, we as Jews are encouraged by Israel to return with incentives. Which other country opens it’s gates and even pays it’s people to return home? Slide14

ZionismInitial (secular) Zionism did not seem to be concerned with a religious bent to settling back in Israel. They wanted to have a place safe of persecution. Whilst the Zionists may not have been concerned technical

halachik

details, there seems to be religious overtones in terms of the connection with the Jewish people and Zion (Israel).Slide15

The Uganda projectThe British agreed to a Jewish settlement in East Africa and was brought to the 6

th

Zionist Congress in Basel on August 26

th

1903.

Slide16

The Uganda projectIn 1905 the Uganda project was finally rejected as in interim place to have Jewish settlement for Russian Jews in immediate danger. This was not Herzl's long term goal, as the destination ultimately wanted was Israel, but Uganda as well as other places where deemed unsuitable. Slide17

Galvestone Around 9300 Jews came to America (south west, particularly Texas) with the support of Jacob Schiff, an American Jewish banker, between 1907-1914 through the emigration bureau of the

territorialist

organization. The JTO failed at that time to bring a definite plan to settle Jews back to Israel, due to being unable to secure a definitive project, coupled with a lack of sensitivity towards historical and traditional sentiments of Jewish identity.Slide18

None of this however over powered the dream of Jews returning on mass to Israel.There were various forms of proto Zionist ideologies in the 1800’s , but by the time the mid 19

th

centaury took hold the early proponents of Zionism where coming to the fore. Rabbi

Yehuda

Shlomo

Alkalay

(1798-1878) and Rabbi

Zevi

Hirsch

Kalischer

(1795-1874), where among the first to purport the notion the settling Jews back into

Eretz

Yisrael

would be a pre stage to the coming of

Mashiach

.Slide19

HerzelTheodor Herzel was the father of political zionism

, and was born on may 2

nd

1860. (died

july

3

rd

1904).

After the failure of the interim Uganda project, and other expeditions, the Zionist Congress finally committed itself to pursuing a Jewish homeland in IsraelSlide20

Fusion of Politics and ReligionUnderstanding and internalising the imperative for us as Jews to live in Israel, our homeland, something we have longed for, for over 2000 is finally in our reach. From a religious perspective the precedent to be there is clear. From a political, social, economic perspective thank G-d we have been given national autonomy to live in the our country (the only country) who when push comes to shove, will be there for us.

Slide21

Continued....Heading the messages of the past, and opening our eyes to today and what will be tomorrow, religious zionism is a fusion of providing a spiritual G-

dly

dimension to being in our Land, and our state.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xoTewcOodKMSlide22

SourcesTanach

Artscroll

Haggadah

http://vbm-torah.org/archive/intparsha71/13-71shemot.htm

http://www.jewishsexuality.com/leaving-the-land-of-israel

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Zionism/Uganda.html

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Zionism/ugandaplan.

Wikipedia