��� ��� ���� From time to time, Jews from affluent Western countries who have difficulties or problems in their home country come - or are sent - to Israel.
They don't want to stay in Israel, of course. They just want Israel to use its magic bag of tricks to fix them up. They would not want to put in any effort themselves. They expect their problems to be solved by smelling Israel's pure, holy, healthy, and (so far) untaxed air.
Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Israel is certainly a healthy place to live, but the country is not known for its magic. To the contrary, Judaism frowns upon most forms of magic. Our forefathers were always encouraged to leave the forbidden magic behind in other lands.
Yet, some people "use" Israel for this very purpose. They may send their weak, impoverished, problematic, and disabled to Israel, so that they don't have to offer them legitimate assistance. By building unwarranted hopes, they are doing those unfortunate people a disservice.
Some other people are sent to Israel in order to remove the burden of guilt from their relatives and community. Their misguided support group may want to demonstrate that they are "doing something." It would be more honest to say that they send these difficult or problematic people to Israel in order to wash their hands of their problem in a socially acceptable manner.
Their behavior is wrong. People who perform such improper and incorrect actions should be reprimanded. Israel should not be a dumping ground for those with problems. The Holy Land should be treated with the respect that it deserves. Wouldn't you be insulted if people would be sent to your neighborhood in order for you to fix them up?
From the turn of the 19th century, millions of people passed through Ellis Island. However, many were returned to their countries of origin because America developed standards. They refused to accept everybody who came knocking at their doors.
Israel does not refuse people, but that is not a reason to expect Israel to fix everybody else's problems.
We have enough problems of our own, thank you, without adding yours.
��� ����:
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[Breathing] Israel's air
contributes
to one's intellligence.
- Rabbi Zera, Talmud
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