If you are Jewish, what stops you from moving to israel?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is mind boggling- the question itself is offensive but the comments from some Jews are the most disturbing part.

How many Jewish responders have actually been to Israel?!?! The country is mostly secular! Tel Aviv is one of the most progressive cities on earth.

I love Israel and have traveled there many times. We have extended family there. When we are older and retired, I’d love to have an apartment in Tel Aviv if I can afford it (doubtful).

Jerusalem is our ancestral homeland and perhaps I will move their one day but life in Israel is different. I’m a 3rd generation American raising American kids paying my American taxes like everyone else. We are as American as you are.

Would you ever ask a Muslim American why they don’t just pick up and move to Mecca or Medina?

No, I wouldn’t ask that because Muslim countries are not nice places.

You kind of underscored why I asked the question - Israel is a nice place!

That was the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you asking this only of Jews and not, say, Canadians or Germans currently living in the U.S.?

+1. or the irish, italians, swiss, greeks, portuguese and others.

? Do those countries extend birthright citizenship to anyone in the world of their same background (religion/national origin etc.)? I know Ireland has provisions for people of Irish extraction to move there, but do those others? I thought Israel was pretty unique in this regard.

Some of those countries do but none of them are as straight forward as Aliyah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is mind boggling- the question itself is offensive but the comments from some Jews are the most disturbing part.

How many Jewish responders have actually been to Israel?!?! The country is mostly secular! Tel Aviv is one of the most progressive cities on earth.

I love Israel and have traveled there many times. We have extended family there. When we are older and retired, I’d love to have an apartment in Tel Aviv if I can afford it (doubtful).

Jerusalem is our ancestral homeland and perhaps I will move their one day but life in Israel is different. I’m a 3rd generation American raising American kids paying my American taxes like everyone else. We are as American as you are.

Would you ever ask a Muslim American why they don’t just pick up and move to Mecca or Medina?

No, I wouldn’t ask that because Muslim countries are not nice places.

You kind of underscored why I asked the question - Israel is a nice place!

That was the point.

All Muslim countries? Your answer is MIND BOGGLING. Have you been to all Muslim countries since you just generalize like that?

[Anonymous]

The threat of being blown up while riding a bus

[Anonymous]

You seem to think the default would be that Jews would want to move there, like salmon swimming upstream. What "stops" you...as if we are on the move there. We are not Israelis.

[Anonymous]

OP, I've been trying to figure out why I'm so bothered by your question. Most Jews don't see ourselves primarily Jews who happen to be living in a country. Many of us see ourselves as Americans who happen to be Jewish. Judaism is a huge part of my identity, but so is being American.

There are as many Jews in America as there are in Israel (sometimes more or pretty close depending on which numbers you use).

Your question shows that you see Jews as an "other" group that doesn't belong here.

[Anonymous]

My neighbors daughter went to Israel. She left after high school, served in the army and lived on kibbutz
Years later she came back with her husband and small kid
She said she hates the Summers and every year hates it even more
Her husband had done 3 years in the army

Young people here almost have a degree in their pocket by the time the Israelis are only starting out and getting their education.
The military is also draining taxpayer funds
Despite aid
Both of them struggled to find work.

Her friends from high school were also married by then and lived in homes they owned, they were not in that stage yet

You grow up in almost a military state, kids get used to seeing military guys in the street at a young age. I was quite old when I saw a man in army uniform, my home was that insulated

Many who leave do so to save their kids from the military, or they move because of unemployment

[Anonymous]

Jews are not Israelis. Israel’s economy and job opportunities aren’t as good as the us. College is more affordable obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My neighbors daughter went to Israel. She left after high school, served in the army and lived on kibbutz
Years later she came back with her husband and small kid
She said she hates the Summers and every year hates it even more
Her husband had done 3 years in the army

Young people here almost have a degree in their pocket by the time the Israelis are only starting out and getting their education.
The military is also draining taxpayer funds
Despite aid
Both of them struggled to find work.

Her friends from high school were also married by then and lived in homes they owned, they were not in that stage yet

You grow up in almost a military state, kids get used to seeing military guys in the street at a young age. I was quite old when I saw a man in army uniform, my home was that insulated

Many who leave do so to save their kids from the military, or they move because of unemployment

Is unemployment bad there? When i've been on work trips, it seems like a very dynamic environment full of intelligent go-getters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My neighbors daughter went to Israel. She left after high school, served in the army and lived on kibbutz
Years later she came back with her husband and small kid
She said she hates the Summers and every year hates it even more
Her husband had done 3 years in the army

Young people here almost have a degree in their pocket by the time the Israelis are only starting out and getting their education.
The military is also draining taxpayer funds
Despite aid
Both of them struggled to find work.

Her friends from high school were also married by then and lived in homes they owned, they were not in that stage yet

You grow up in almost a military state, kids get used to seeing military guys in the street at a young age. I was quite old when I saw a man in army uniform, my home was that insulated

Many who leave do so to save their kids from the military, or they move because of unemployment

Not to mention - it is literally a crime not to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces as a citizen. If you don't join at 17, they can and will arrest you. You are required to serve a minimum of 24 to 32 months.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-idf-military-service-refusal-pacifism-noa-gur-golan-palestinian-territories-hebron-haifa-a7887821.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is mind boggling- the question itself is offensive but the comments from some Jews are the most disturbing part.

How many Jewish responders have actually been to Israel?!?! The country is mostly secular! Tel Aviv is one of the most progressive cities on earth.

I love Israel and have traveled there many times. We have extended family there. When we are older and retired, I’d love to have an apartment in Tel Aviv if I can afford it (doubtful).

Jerusalem is our ancestral homeland and perhaps I will move their one day but life in Israel is different. I’m a 3rd generation American raising American kids paying my American taxes like everyone else. We are as American as you are.

Would you ever ask a Muslim American why they don’t just pick up and move to Mecca or Medina?

I agree and they could be trolls for all we know.

The home country of Mecca and Medina has never espoused the view that they are the rightful home of all living Muslims across the world. If anything Saudi Arabia would prefer Muslims to come for the pilgrimage, pay your respects, and get out so they don't have to share oil revenue with a larger population.

Israel was founded on the premise that it is the place where Jews, no matter their ethnicity and background, belong. Aside from all that - they also extend birthright citizenship to anyone of Jewish descent who can prove a religious/heritage claim.

Kind of hard to argue its the same thing from a Christian or Muslim perspective.

You are out of your cotton picking mind, troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is mind boggling- the question itself is offensive but the comments from some Jews are the most disturbing part.

How many Jewish responders have actually been to Israel?!?! The country is mostly secular! Tel Aviv is one of the most progressive cities on earth.

I love Israel and have traveled there many times. We have extended family there. When we are older and retired, I’d love to have an apartment in Tel Aviv if I can afford it (doubtful).

Jerusalem is our ancestral homeland and perhaps I will move their one day but life in Israel is different. I’m a 3rd generation American raising American kids paying my American taxes like everyone else. We are as American as you are.

Would you ever ask a Muslim American why they don’t just pick up and move to Mecca or Medina?

No, I wouldn’t ask that because Muslim countries are not nice places.

You kind of underscored why I asked the question - Israel is a nice place!

That was the point.

...if you are Jewish

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is mind boggling- the question itself is offensive but the comments from some Jews are the most disturbing part.

How many Jewish responders have actually been to Israel?!?! The country is mostly secular! Tel Aviv is one of the most progressive cities on earth.

I love Israel and have traveled there many times. We have extended family there. When we are older and retired, I’d love to have an apartment in Tel Aviv if I can afford it (doubtful).

Jerusalem is our ancestral homeland and perhaps I will move their one day but life in Israel is different. I’m a 3rd generation American raising American kids paying my American taxes like everyone else. We are as American as you are.

Would you ever ask a Muslim American why they don’t just pick up and move to Mecca or Medina?

I agree and they could be trolls for all we know.

The home country of Mecca and Medina has never espoused the view that they are the rightful home of all living Muslims across the world. If anything Saudi Arabia would prefer Muslims to come for the pilgrimage, pay your respects, and get out so they don't have to share oil revenue with a larger population.

Israel was founded on the premise that it is the place where Jews, no matter their ethnicity and background, belong. Aside from all that - they also extend birthright citizenship to anyone of Jewish descent who can prove a religious/heritage claim.

Kind of hard to argue its the same thing from a Christian or Muslim perspective.

You are out of your cotton picking mind, troll.

Find some research that says Saudi Arabia is willing to give every Muslim in the world (from Indonesians to Canadians) citizenship as long as they can prove a Muslim familial background. You can't. That's just facts.

signed,

not a troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is mind boggling- the question itself is offensive but the comments from some Jews are the most disturbing part.

How many Jewish responders have actually been to Israel?!?! The country is mostly secular! Tel Aviv is one of the most progressive cities on earth.

I love Israel and have traveled there many times. We have extended family there. When we are older and retired, I’d love to have an apartment in Tel Aviv if I can afford it (doubtful).

Jerusalem is our ancestral homeland and perhaps I will move their one day but life in Israel is different. I’m a 3rd generation American raising American kids paying my American taxes like everyone else. We are as American as you are.

Would you ever ask a Muslim American why they don’t just pick up and move to Mecca or Medina?

No, I wouldn’t ask that because Muslim countries are not nice places.

You kind of underscored why I asked the question - Israel is a nice place!

That was the point.

...if you are Jewish

^^ I think this whole thread is terrible. The whole point of being American is being American. You cannot consistently have dual loyalties. There is no situation in which the US and and any other foreign country have identical interests. None. This notion that all Jewish people are supposed to be more loyal to Israel than the US, and all long to live there, is anti-Semitic, imho. You can be Jewish and not consider Israel home, even if you acknowledge its religious and political importance as your homeland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honest question. i'm not jewish but my family is clearly in the US because our home country isn't developed enough. If it was one of the twenty most developed countries in the world, we would leave. The US is an economy, not a home or a civilization.

I'm curious given the option that jewish people have, and israel's economic strength and development, that jewish people choose to stay in the US.

Very odd statement. Why do you think this?