tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976081.post9038377349709020685..comments2024-03-15T10:36:55.634+02:00Comments on Bat Aliyah: Chasm Spasm, AgainUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976081.post-38832882438327703662011-06-24T02:07:42.515+03:002011-06-24T02:07:42.515+03:00To my anonymous 20 year-old reader,
I was also bo...To my anonymous 20 year-old reader,<br /><br />I was also born into a non-religious Jewish family. When I was 20, I had a negligible Jewish identity and possessed pretty darn close to zero Jewish information. <br /><br />I spent many years in my early adulthood exploring all kinds of alternate philosophies, thought systems, political ideologies and religions. Ultimately, I rejected them all in favor of the heritage into which I was born but did not initially understand. Once I started studying authentic Judaism, its teachings resonated deep within me and impact nearly every decision I make to this day.<br /><br />I am honored to have you as a reader and I bless you with the hope that you will soon find a meaningful way to connect with your own precious Jewish identity.<br /><br />Bat AliyahBat Aliyahhttp://bataliyah.blogpot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976081.post-8097309268765736792011-06-23T22:29:19.539+03:002011-06-23T22:29:19.539+03:00I find this is such a touchy subject. Until I act...I find this is such a touchy subject. Until I actually started the aliyah process last summer, I think most of my friends and family thought that my desire to live in Israel was just a "nice thought". Now that Hashem enabled me to be able to come home, I find that I can't express my true feelings about how deeply I have always wanted to live in Israel and how I feel that is where all Jews belong. I frequently get the response, "Well, there are so many Jews and so many great rabbis all living in America, so it has to be OK" "It's not a real mitzvah to live in Eretz Yisrael, it's just something nice"<br />Makes me cringe and cry...SaraKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08053908720926177402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976081.post-15264125210229861642011-06-23T11:23:28.528+03:002011-06-23T11:23:28.528+03:00Maybe you can think of Judaism not as a fixed, exp...Maybe you can think of Judaism not as a fixed, explicit entity but as a living breathing thing open to interpretation and at the mercy of those who practice. You cannot deny God is omnipotent and omnipresent. Do you deny that? I feel like you just wrote it off as a song or a rhyme. If you believe in the God of Abraham, you know that's true. Maybe someone's life calling is to be in the United States (or in Spain or Uganda or Australia or wherever). Maybe that is their true place. Could you not see that as a possibility?<br /><br />Anyway, on another note I just want to say I've been reading your blog for some months though and though you and I are entirely different people (the chasm I guess) I have enjoyed following your physical and emotional journey. I am a 20 year old girl born into a non-religious Jewish family. I've spent time in Israel and feel ironically less and less connected with my Jewish identity. I'm fascinated by those to whom it is almost everything. You seem like a very smart, caring and passionate woman. Sometimes I'm frustrated you can't see what I think is a wider, more complex picture of the world--that Israel is indeed special, but by no means a God-ordained piece of land and that Muslims and Christians and whomever have as much right to it as Jews. I also care much more for the idea of a common human identity than to confine myself to a narrow Jewish one. I just wanted to say that even with those sentiments I still am affected by your dedication to your faith, your dream (of aliyah) and your family.<br />You also write clearly and effectively about your experiences.<br /><br />Just wanted to reach out to you. That's all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976081.post-4915155519592508032011-06-19T23:28:46.709+03:002011-06-19T23:28:46.709+03:00This is an exact copy of a conversation I had with...This is an exact copy of a conversation I had with my husband only one hour ago! I was left speechless (that in itself a miracle!) when told by someone that she had no desire to live in Israel. She thought I was so courageous to make aliyah in a month or so. Tell me your family needs you, tell me you have no money to move, tell me ANYTHING but you're an "orthodox" jew not wanting any part of Hashem's gift to us.<br />What an amazing photocopy of my day today!!!Chaminoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976081.post-29179183827791276592011-06-19T11:26:45.042+03:002011-06-19T11:26:45.042+03:00I happy you blogged about your status on Facebook....I happy you blogged about your status on Facebook. I was annoyed reading the comments about not everyone being able to live here and Hashem being everywhere. I think the comments people wrote about being happy where they are and not wanting to go to the U.S. should be able to be voiced w/o having to defend their choice. Israeli Jews not wanting to leave should not offend American Jews. They insulted only America and not the Jews living there. <br /><br />ChaninaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7976081.post-68055650026006698582011-06-19T07:11:07.815+03:002011-06-19T07:11:07.815+03:00I accepted aliyah as a requirement, mitzvah along ...I accepted aliyah as a requirement, mitzvah along with kashrut and Shabbat. It's not a "choice" or "chumra." I don't think chutz l'Aretz rabbis are qualified to posken on questions concerning aliyah either. PC I'm not.Batyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09402874037427009327noreply@blogger.com