Where does a Jew Belong?

It shouldn't be such a tough question.  Just simply answer it in your head, and think.

France?  No. 

England?  No. 

Russia?  No. 

China? No.

Anywhere in the Diaspora?  No. 

Israel?  YES! 

We just celebrated 62 years of Independence yesterday.  While no country is perfect, and news headlines usually focus on bad news as opposed to good news, I thought it would be good to pull back the lens a bit and get some perspective of just where we should be focusing: on the miracles of the re-gathering of the Jewish people from the 4 corners of the earth, back home, in preparation for the redemption. 

- By the way, the Prime Minister's 15 year old son, Avner, won third place in the Bible Contest yesterday. Pretty good!  (It was won by girl by the way  -heh heh-  her name is Or Ashoel, from Kfar Saba).   I also heard a rumor that PM Netanyahu is in turn reading the Torah, maybe studying with his son turned him on?  Anyway, that's good news.

But back to the miracles of Israel.... I acknowledge that there are some in the Diaspora that cannot come because they have legitimate reasons; they are divorced and don't want to abandon their children, or they have elderly parents, etc... but those who cannot join their nation here, should at least have a yearning to come, and I know that many do!

But for the others, they are facing a serious consequence. And keep in mind, even the 'G-dless' secular Jews in the 19th century picked up their roots and came to the Land of Israel, a land ruled by the Muslim Turks (Ottoman Empire), a land that was infested with malaria and poverty. But they rolled up their sleeves and went to work to change things.

Please view these two videos below before continuing to read further.

Lest someone think they are too good to come here, too good to roll up their sleeves, too good to work and mold this country, and too good to 'lower' themselves in their standard of living, or too good to not have their dream job waiting for them, or not having their political demands met,  let me state something here... History will not wait for you. 

You will miss the train, deaf to the sounds of its chuga-chug-chug, from the sound of your voice complaining, or from the sound of your key board pounding out a zillion excuses why Israel is not 'ripe enough' for you. 

A Jew belongs in his home here in Israel. Period. And History won't wait for you.  The gates of aliyah can close at any time.  Even a volcano knows that.

Happy '62' to those who are here and are grateful to G-d for the privilege of living in this land.  We left the Diaspora, because we know where Jews belong.