Driving through Jerusalem tonight on the way to the Kotel, I didn't see one Xmas decoration. Not one. "Thank G-d," I said out loud to the passengers in the car. "At this time of the year in America, a Jew is inundated with Xmas and all of the idol worship that surrounds it - on the street, in stores, in the newspaper, and on TV. You can't get away from it. If only for this, it is worth everything in the world to live in Israel. To live in the Holy Land. The Land of the Jews."

Secular Jewish Home in America

Let's face it. Living in America is like living in ancient Greece. It is a totally foreign culture. A Christian culture. A Jew who chooses to live in America (or England, France, Australia, South Africa, and the like) is saying, "I want to be a son of America, or a son of England or France. Judaism is just my religion. My nationality and identity is an American, or a Frenchman, or a subject of the queen." His head is filled with reindeers, Santas, and virgin marys.

In Love with the Diaspora

All I can say is "Thank G-d that I am a son of Israel, a Bnei Yisrael through and through."

"Thank G-d I am living where a Jew is meant to be."

"Thank G-d I am living in a place where there are only Hanukah decorations on the streets."

All I can say is "Thank you G-d for opening my eyes to see the truth. Thank you G-d for taking me out of America and bringing me to Your Land."

And as the Holiday of Lights approaches, I pray that G-d will lighten your eyes also, and let you see the darkness around you, and bestow upon you the miracle that He bestowed upon me by bringing me to His Holy Land where He wants all of His Jewish children to be.