Some Olim are rebuked by those back in the Old Country: "Okay, you lived in Israel for a while. You saw that miracles can help you survive without much money. Fine. You've proved your point.
"Don't you want to come back to the Real World now - the true land of milk and honey? You�ll make more money, you'll avoid the wars and the bureaucracy in Israel. You can use your skills here. Come back."
That's right. We Israelis have to defend ourselves - in more ways than one.
It's a strange situation, and it is quite different from that of people in other parts of the free world. Nobody makes Americans defend themselves, for example.
Americans don't question Yordim. It's assumed that the United States is where everybody would want to be, and it's obvious that they would want to leave Israel after "visiting" there for some time.
Oh, you want a word-for-word transcript? With pleasure:
"Why don't you stay in America where you belong?
"Oh, sure, you did say that you were making Aliyah. You shipped over a big container. You made arrangements for a job. You bought an apartment in Israel. What does that have to do with it? Didn't you get it out of your system yet? Obviously, when you grow up, you will come back where you belong – and not just for visits.
"You must be crazy to live there. Don't you know that the United States of America, long may it wave, is God's country? When will you come to your senses?
"Normal people would love to be get a green card and stay here. You have that privilege as a citizen, and yet you are prepared to give it up? For what? For a small walkup apartment, unsafe roads, and a pathetic salary? Do you realize how much you could be earning here? How much do you pay for a pair of pants there? Do you know how much it would cost here, especially on sale? Do you remember what a sale is?"
That ranting is the immigrant's punishment for moving to Israel.
However, successful immigrants to Israel do not come in order to prove their points to themselves or to others. They came because Israel is their new home.
Yes, some people may want to remain in the Jewish communities abroad, where it is possible to live a Jewish life that is second only to that in Israel.
Others may want the very best for their families.
Many people have good reason to be pleased with their accomplishments in Israel. We have, in the mortal words of Sam Levenson, the comedian, everything but money.
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Keywords: Aliyah, Derision, Galut
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