Thoughts on Moving to Israel

Last week – it was Wednesday, as a matter of fact, the day after the election – I took my bicycle to a local shop to have it boxed for shipping to Israel.  When I explained what I was doing, two people in the shop smirked about my leaving the country as soon as Mr. Trump was elected.  I didn’t feel obligated to explain to these perfect strangers that I was actually happy about the election results.  But I began to reflect on the fact that my decision to live in Israel has confused some of my friends.  After all, I have spent 28 years of my life in the service of the United States, wearing the uniforms of the US Navy and Air Force.  I thought an explanation of this new development was warranted.

My first trip to Israel was in 1987, right after the loss of the EA-3B ‘Ranger 12’ off the USS Nimitz.  I was sent to the USS JFK for a planned operation that, by the time I reached the ship from my station in Athens, Greece, was cancelled so that the ship made a port visit in Haifa the day after I arrived on board.  Not long afterward, I took my first personal trip to Israel as a tourist.  Of course I was instantly enchanted as many diaspora Jews are when they first visit Israel.  I could speak decent Hebrew and therefore found myself able to experience the land on a deeper level than the typical tourist.

In 1991, having left the Navy to study to become a rabbi, I found myself returning to Israel:  this time to live and study in Jerusalem for a year.  During the course of the year, I became engaged to, and Married, my wife Clara who is a native Israeli.  Although she would have been happy to remain in Israel and for me to complete my studies and pursue a career there, at the time I preferred to return to the US, finish school, and then serve as a military chaplain.  She agreed to follow me wherever my calling took me, while saying – and reminding me periodically since – that her heart would always be in Israel.

In the summer of 2015, our son Eyal made Aliyah (ie, became an immigrant), specifically out of a desire to serve in the Israeli Army.  He is now completing the first year of that service.

As our time in Australia wound down, I decided that this would be a good time for us to finally make the move to Israel.  With our son there, and with Clara’s mum getting on in years – my mother passed away recently – perhaps it would be a good time to relocate.  Although I did – and do – feel the pull of living in the USA also, I decided to go live in Israel.

So the personal decision had little to do with ideology.  But since you asked about ideology…

I do not believe that every Jew should feel obligated to live in Israel.  Many do, and some of those actually take the big step of Aliyah (immigration).  It is not an easy decision to implement.  Many of these olim (immigrants) eventually return to their countries of origin as it isn’t easy to establish oneself in a new country.  But many persevere, and find that their lives in Israel are totally satisfying – not least, from a standpoint of Jewish religious life which is ingrained into the rhythms of life there.

I do believe that every Jew should feel obligated to be connected with Israel through visiting, cultivating relationships with Israelis, and activism on the Jewish state’s behalf.  For some Jews, these activities lead to a decision to make Aliyah, and for others they do not.

Jews of most nationalities can establish Israeli citizenship without giving up citizenship in their country of birth.  That’s certainly true of Americans.  There are approximately 200,000 US citizens living in Israel.  Most maintain strong ties with the US through family, friends, commerce, and political activity such as voting in US elections.  In the city where I’ll be living, Ashkelon, there is a lively English-speaking community, many of which are olim from America.

Throughout my rabbinate, I have been teaching the principle that every Jew should be connected to Israel.  Of course, thanks to family ties, I’ve not found it difficult to establish and maintain such a connection.  Now my making Aliyah, while motivated more by family concerns than ideology, fits in well with the ideology that I’ve been propounding for 20 years.  Let the adventure begin!