Misguided Aliyah

Listening to the Israeli leadership publicly plead with French Jews to abandon their homes and make Aliyah [emigrate to Israel] in the face of increased antisemitism, culminating with the recent kosher supermarket murders, has made me feel extremely uncomfortable. 

There are several main reasons for this:

· Giving in to threats and violence in this manner is an unacceptable solution. Indeed, this would be contrary to the views of the very same Israeli leadership that is calling for this mass emigration.

· It reinforces and provides some legitimacy to the controversial dual-loyalty debate. In this case not only within France but the possible ramifications are global. Why should Jewish people leave their homes – or is it not really their homes? Is their real home in Israel?

· Ironically, Israel may not necessarily be safer than France. Since the Holocaust, many more Jews have been killed in Israel than anywhere else in the world. Indeed, Israel often refers to the ongoing security threats it faces from various quarters.

· Israel needs supporters and advocates wherever it can get them. 

Obviously I understand and accept a number of important points – some of which include:

· In the last few years the Jewish community in France has experienced an unprecedented level of antisemitism since the Holocaust, including numerous shocking murders. Indeed, antisemitism in general has been on the rise.

· The suspicion and cynicism in which many Jews view the seemingly inadequate response by France (and other countries, especially in Europe) to the growing threats of antisemitism.

· Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people. For some it is the physical homeland while for others it is the spiritual homeland. (And of course for some there is no connection at all.)

· Each and every Jew who would like to make Aliyah (emigrate) to Israel should have the right to do so (as per the Law of Return).

I do not object for Israeli leaders to encourage Jews to make Aliyah. This has been the long-standing Israeli government policy. But I do object to the manner in which it is currently being done – in this case the timing, the inflammatory words by the Israeli leadership and it was reactionary.

With the recent findings into antisemitism in Britain, is the Israeli leadership now going to publicly urge British Jews to make Aliyah for their safety? Which country is next? Where do we draw the line?

Unless this is just all political expediency. But that’s no excuse.


Relevant articles of interest:

http://forward.com/articles/212614/french-jews-feel-conflicted-about-israels-call-for/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alon-benmeir/netanyahus-policies-are-f_b_6472468.html

http://www.jta.org/2015/01/13/news-opinion/world/after-attack-spike-in-emigration-could-deplete-frances-jewish-community#ixzz3Oqs0bJs2

http://forward.com/articles/212695/should-french-jews-stay-or-should-they-go/

http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/routine-emergencies/.premium-1.636482