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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is conflating Judaism with being Israeli. Not all Jews are Israeli, OP. There is a difference. I can support the idea of Israel and vehemently detest the human rights violations going on there. Also, I'm American. I'm not Israeli. Living in Israel sucks-- it's difficult, expensive, and people are generally aggressive and annoying. It's extraordinarily worrisome to me that many do not know the difference between American Jews and Israelis.

Right. But you could go there if you wanted to, unlike trying to move to other countries which wont allow it. The question was "what is stopping you?" which you answered quite well.

“What is stopping you?” sounds like it’s the default plan for all Jewish people.

I think if you phrased it “why haven’t you considered moving?” it would have been better received.

Are there many Jewish people in your home country?

? I wrote that and I'm an American, and I agree the OP could have worded it a little better as you suggest.
I also know a couple of people (granted a small number) who have gone to Israel to live and one who plans to do so when they retire. So some people do do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really odd question, Op. My ancestors are from Europe but I have never once had someone suggest that I move back to Europe. I was born in America, this is my country. I'm happy here, why would I want to leave and go live somewhere that I've never even been before?

You posters who keep saying this seem unfamiliar with Israel's Law of Return, or Right of return, which appears to be somewhat unique in all the world.

My family is from Luxembourg. I had until 12/31/2018 to reclaim my citizenship. I'm not moving back, I think OP's question is naive at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really odd question, Op. My ancestors are from Europe but I have never once had someone suggest that I move back to Europe. I was born in America, this is my country. I'm happy here, why would I want to leave and go live somewhere that I've never even been before?

You posters who keep saying this seem unfamiliar with Israel's Law of Return, or Right of return, which appears to be somewhat unique in all the world.

Not really. Americans could emigrate to many countries, especially DCUM types with professional jobs. Nobody every asks "why don't you emigrate" to everyone in gneral.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a really odd question, Op. My ancestors are from Europe but I have never once had someone suggest that I move back to Europe. I was born in America, this is my country. I'm happy here, why would I want to leave and go live somewhere that I've never even been before?

You posters who keep saying this seem unfamiliar with Israel's Law of Return, or Right of return, which appears to be somewhat unique in all the world.

I think you might be conflating the idea that Jews CAN move to Israel with the idea that Jews SHOULD or MUST move to Israel.

I hope you understand that you are promulgating a pernicious antisemitic trope here. Jews are not secret Israelis. We are not in the US but secretly loyal to Israel, or Israeli agents. We are Americans who have a different religious and/or cultural identity from you - we are not citizens of a different country. The corollary to "why don't you move to Israel, Jews?" is "why do you think you belong here in the United States - get out!"

We belong here because we are US citizens, same as you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is conflating Judaism with being Israeli. Not all Jews are Israeli, OP. There is a difference. I can support the idea of Israel and vehemently detest the human rights violations going on there. Also, I'm American. I'm not Israeli. Living in Israel sucks-- it's difficult, expensive, and people are generally aggressive and annoying. It's extraordinarily worrisome to me that many do not know the difference between American Jews and Israelis.

Right. But you could go there if you wanted to, unlike trying to move to other countries which wont allow it. The question was "what is stopping you?" which you answered quite well.

I don't know why you think that. Americans can move abroad. Do you think everyone except for Jews are banned from living abroad and getting citizenship/residency in other countries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1000

Sorry, OP. You're not getting rid of us that easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1000

Sorry, OP. You're not getting rid of us that easily.

I don't see this sentiment in the question at all. What I see is someone who doesn't want to be here (doesn't see the US as a home, just an economy) and would leave in a heartbeat if they could, if they had someplace else to go. So they genuinely don't understand why people who DO have someplace to go aren't flocking there.

[Anonymous]

My DC has toyed with the idea of moving to Israel. If he does, we would likely retire there (with some trepidation, mostly because the places there I really like in greater Tel Aviv, are very expensive, and the more affordable places, the development towns on the periphery have less culture and few native English speakers - there are of course lots of Americans in the territories, but I would not move there) If he decides to make his career in the USA, we would stay here. Being within reach of any (keneineharah) grandchildren is important to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1000

Sorry, OP. You're not getting rid of us that easily.

I don't see this sentiment in the question at all. What I see is someone who doesn't want to be here (doesn't see the US as a home, just an economy) and would leave in a heartbeat if they could, if they had someplace else to go. So they genuinely don't understand why people who DO have someplace to go aren't flocking there.

Well it's a stupid question then, because many professional Americans DO have other places to go, Jewish or not. We're not confined to living in the U.S. Also, OP didn't start out this thread by declaring that the U.S. is a terrible place and everyone who can should leave. S/he instead seems to take the view that all Jews should want to become Israelis because that's where they "belong". Which is ignorant and questionable for all the reasons that are stated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1000

Sorry, OP. You're not getting rid of us that easily.

I don't see this sentiment in the question at all. What I see is someone who doesn't want to be here (doesn't see the US as a home, just an economy) and would leave in a heartbeat if they could, if they had someplace else to go. So they genuinely don't understand why people who DO have someplace to go aren't flocking there.

Most American Jews, even those with great love for and comfort in the State of Israel, also have a deep attachment to either the US overall, or to a specific place/community in the US. Human beings are complex creatures.

I mean many Jews are staying in France, where conditions for Jews are considerably worse than here (and the economy weaker, BTW) Even though they could move to Israel (as some have done) or move to other (safer for Jews) EU countries. People's attachments are complex and personal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

+1000

Sorry, OP. You're not getting rid of us that easily.

I don't see this sentiment in the question at all. What I see is someone who doesn't want to be here (doesn't see the US as a home, just an economy) and would leave in a heartbeat if they could, if they had someplace else to go. So they genuinely don't understand why people who DO have someplace to go aren't flocking there.

Well it's a stupid question then, because many professional Americans DO have other places to go, Jewish or not. We're not confined to living in the U.S. Also, OP didn't start out this thread by declaring that the U.S. is a terrible place and everyone who can should leave. S/he instead seems to take the view that all Jews should want to become Israelis because that's where they "belong". Which is ignorant and questionable for all the reasons that are stated.

Jews (and others) who were born in or had parents who were born in Hungary, can get Hungarian citizenship. Which means they can move to ANY EU country. Ditto Jews whose ancestors lived in Poland in 1919 or later.

[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.

The US doesn't feel like your home, because you aren't from here. Most American Jews are from here. This is their home. They stay here because it's their home, and most people don't leave their home country unless there is something lacking--safety, stability, employment, etc. Why would you expect that people would leave their home just because they could?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is conflating Judaism with being Israeli. Not all Jews are Israeli, OP. There is a difference. I can support the idea of Israel and vehemently detest the human rights violations going on there. Also, I'm American. I'm not Israeli. Living in Israel sucks-- it's difficult, expensive, and people are generally aggressive and annoying. It's extraordinarily worrisome to me that many do not know the difference between American Jews and Israelis.

Right. But you could go there if you wanted to, unlike trying to move to other countries which wont allow it. The question was "what is stopping you?" which you answered quite well.

“What is stopping you?” sounds like it’s the default plan for all Jewish people.

I think if you phrased it “why haven’t you considered moving?” it would have been better received.

Are there many Jewish people in your home country?

Agree. This entire conversation is bordering on the terrifying concept of “deport the Jews.” We know where that leads.

We’ve been there; we are NEVER going back!

NEVER FORGET!

[Anonymous]

OP, it's because American Jews are Americans. Sephardic Jews were here in colonial times. German and Eastern European Jews started coming in large numbers in the mid-19th century. There's actually only a small number of Jews that immigrated post-1920s (when the US instituted racial immigration quotas) -- the small handful of refugees allowed in in the 30s and 40s; and then in the 70s and 80s Russian Jews.

So it is MORE LIKELY THAN NOT that the average U.S. Jewish family has been in the U.S. for as long as the average Irish or Italian Catholic family -- given that immigration for ALL groups was clamped down upon in the 1920s.

For example, in my family, on the paternal side, our earliest U.S. ancestors are German and Irish immigrants from the late 19th centure. On the maternal side, my Grandmother immigrated from England in the 1940s.

This basically means that in terms of roots, my family is likely the same (or even more recent) than the average Jewish family.

To blow you mind even more ... I grew up in California, and my Chinese and Japanese American classmates likely had roots as deep in the U.S. as my family (again, late 19th century)! Certainly, they were more Californian than I was, being able to trace back to their great-grandparents in the state.

Basically, OP, JEWS ARE AMERICANS. Just as much as any other ethnic identity in the U.S. People don't leave their country of citizenship and origin just because. They are AMERICAN. Not Israeli.

[Anonymous]

I hate hot weather. I like living in a diverse society. I don’t agree with the Israeli government. And most of all, I’m American, not Israeli. Judaism is a religion and a culture, not a nationality.