sRepliesHTML = "";iReplies = 61;mReplies = iReplies;iDiv = 7224
AddReply(237675,"Kol HaKavod!","Dina","Skokie","10/09/07","We\'ll miss you in the Chicago community, but it\'s definitely the right thing to do! Mazal Tov!");
AddReply(215808,"#3 and #7the glow of aliyah","josh","Shomron","07/08/07","#3, I\'ve that opinion from a friend in galut. That he\'s staying put in order to the remnant. But I wonder if he\'s realized that without a kipa on his head, statistically, his kids won\'t be around to be remnants.\n\n#7, over 15 years here, the glow of aliyah grows with each day. Baruch hashem I left America.");
AddReply(214841,"prophet","Robert Walk","Florida","07/02/07","   I bless every jew to return to Isreal. I bless to the believers I lift up my right hand and signed it in Spock\'s hand to you.");
AddReply(214837,"prophet","Robert Walk","Florida","07/02/07","The Lord your God command every jew to return to Isreal now. I have sent two Witnesses. Two Olive Trees. They are here to help Isreal to rebuild the Third temple on Mt.Moriah. Every jew must return to Isreal Hecommands.");
AddReply(214677,"remember lot\'s wife!","yahvitz","","07/02/07","lead by example...his cong. know the score..no more excuses...no such thing as galut with el al air non-stops daily....wake up or roast..time\'s a runnin out...eu holocaust was\'nt enough warning?..");
AddReply(214403,"Kol Hakavod","Estell","Israel","07/01/07","To know that there are Rabbis in Hutz La\'aretz who are ready to set an example to their community gives us hope that the members who chose to follow understand their reasons for making aliya.  Kol Hakavod and Behatzlaha");
AddReply(214162,"To #52 and #53 and beyond","Zev Shandalov","Chicago","06/29/07","Avi! Thank  you for such kind words! Looking forward to re-connecting in Israel SOON!\nMiri...we move IYH in 2009. Yes, much can change.\nFinally, I MUST say that the shul where I am Rav, KJBS, has been so amazingly supportive which makes this even more rewarding.\nMay we ALL be Zoche to see Mashiach BEFORE our family makes Aliya....but we need to ALL do our part for that to happen!!!");
AddReply(214068,"Aliyah","Katten family","Jordan Valley","06/29/07","Welcome home.  We came on aliyah almost 29 years ago for the same reasons you mentioned .  Wherever one lives he will face good times as well as challenges.  When one hears the morning radio program begin with \"Shma Yisrael\" every morning, he knows that he/ she is really home.  Kol Hakavod and welcome.");
AddReply(214060,"2007 or 2009","Miri","K","06/28/07","Rabbi, we welcome you with open arms.  The Windy City\'s loss is our gain... but is this move happening in 2007 or at a later date?  If later, everything can change, you may come and find your dreams a reality AMEN");
AddReply(214045,"Challenges are for growth","Avi Anis","Yerushalayim","06/28/07","Having made Aliya 23 years ago I can testify that all people who have come here have gone through some sort of excruciating challenges of one sort or another (and not necessarily related to the actual move).The challenges are Hashem\'s way of getting us to realize our own potential. Naturally Eretz Yirael ,having a higher degree of Hashgacha,is going to be more challenging and in turn more rewarding. Forgive me for refering to the M\'raglim one more time. Targum Yonassan ben Uziel says that Moshe davened for Yehoshua because he saw his humility.This evidently is what made him different than the rest of the spies and made his Aliyah successful. Rabbi Shandalov is an old friend of mine from Chicago an I can testify he and Yehoshua have alot in common. Mazal Tov");
AddReply(213839,"May you be blessed and kept well","Martha","USA","06/28/07","I will pray for you and your family that you have a blessed and wonderful transition. You are doing the right thing and your are fulfilling prophecy by returning to the Land that G-d gave the Jews.\nShalom");
AddReply(213834,"respone to 37","Elyse","Chicago","06/28/07","You are correct! People (big generalization, I know)need to change the way they think and act! \n\nLand, and blood, is not cheap and should not be treated that way like it is now.\n\n I dont know what is worse- people who are zocheh to live in Israel and lead a life that is shameful (in many different ways), or people who live in America because they need an $80,000 SUV!\n\nTo those that say that its wrong to leave a kehilla for Aliyah instead of bringing them with you you have obviously never been in a Rabbinic/ Chinnuch position in a community. There has to come a point in time when it is not considered selfish to do something for your own family and not for everyone elses families! Community leaders need to set examples that Aliyah is the goal, and not just a nice slogan!\n");
AddReply(213831,"why we choose to nmake Aliyah","Dorothy Finlay","Tauranga N.Z.","06/28/07","I encourage you,Rabbi.I congratulate you  for taking the step of Aliyah. I have lived 11 years in Jerusalem & feel so much at home there. Unfortunately I am not Jewish but it is the only place for Jewish people. Can\'t you feel the world\'s hatred,which is evident in the \'scaremonger\' articles in this talkback. Hashem has given you a good land, full of His bounty. Only Jewish people can settle the land.Others can live here but only Jewish people can settle here! Yes, there are giants in the land but what about Caleb who said\" give me this mountain!\" today there are observant Jewish families settled in Otni\'el and Kiryat Arba, the land of the Aniks. The fact that the secular government of the day thinks differently has nothing to do with what Hashem says in Torah. Soon He will come & nations around about will receive their just rewards for their rebellion against Him and His people.");
AddReply(213825,"The Spies","Joey Schwartz","Tel Aviv ","06/28/07","The use of the \"spies\" story (which never even really took place in history) to squelch criticism of my country is despicable.By downplaying the deeply serious problems, as a citizen of Israel I am being done great damage.  ");
AddReply(213821,"A Rabbi\'s Aliyah","Yoel Nitzarim","Skokie","06/28/07","This decision that you and your family have come to is a blessed one. May you bring shalom to the people of Israel and to your heart and soul.");
AddReply(213744,"ONE UNMENTIONED REASON","SHUVA(Return)","JERUSALEM ","06/27/07","BS\'D\n  S-HALOM uvracha, dear Rabbi\n \n  IN ENUMERATING THE MANY VALID REASONS FOR MAKING  ALIYAH THAT YOU STATED....\n\nTHERE IS ONE UNMENTIONED\nREASON WHICH, ALTHOUGH IT IS UNQUESTIONABLY NEGATIVE...\nSHOULD IMPEL AMERICAN JEWS\nTO PICK UP, PACK UP, AND\nCOME HOME TO ERETZ YISRAEL\nBEFORE IT BECOMES TOO LATE!\n (See website:www.shuva.net)\n  \nAS A TORAH-BELIEVING RABBI \nIT IS INCUMBENT UPON YOU TO\nIMPART THIS URGENT MESSAGE\nTO YOUR CONGREGATION AND, \nINDEED TO THE ENTIRE JEWISH COMMUNITY, BEFORE YOU LEAVE!\n  WITH G-D\'S HELP...YOU CAN\nSAVE MANY JEWISH LIVES BY \nDOING SO!\n          SHIFRA HOFFMAN\n             ");
AddReply(213710,"Welcome HOME!","Devorah","Poriyya Israel","06/27/07","Originally from Chicago ourselves!  G-d bless you and welcome home! Stop in sometime and look us up when you get home.  We are in the north near Galilee (Kinnerit)\nAnything we can do to help, let us know.  deborahboer@yahoo.com");
AddReply(213704,"What About The Other 5 or 6 million?","Frank","nyc","06/27/07","I\'m glad the Rabbi decided now because in the future there\'ll be alot fewer good reasons to stay in the USA. In other words ... \"GET OUT WHILE THE GETTING IS GOOD\". ");
AddReply(213656,"ill give you 10 reasons why i will not do aliyah","alan","toronto","06/27/07","crazy drivers\nrude people everywhere\nobnoxious people most places\narrogant people everywhere\ndiscrimination against gays\ncrazy beauracracy\nlitter everywhere\ndont take care of stray animals\ncorrupt government\nrockets fired into israel daily with an ineffective government to deal with it\n");
AddReply(213642,"Cease Fire","Zev Shandalov","Chicago","06/27/07","OK...let\'s get this straight once and for all...NO ONE is saying that Israel is a perfect country and NO ONE is saying it is \"easy\" to live there. It is clear even from those complaining about Israel who are in fact living there, that they accept that it is THE place for a Jew to live. NO ONE is saying that Aliya is simple and NO ONE is saying that one may not be both an idealist and a realist at the same time. No one should make Aliya with blinders on and think it will be a piece of cake. No one should make Aliya and expect perfection. However, I stress one last time...warts and all...THERE\'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME! Maale Adumim...here we come! (well...almost...!)\nPS--thank you to all of those who posted such encouraging words and especially to those of you from Maale Adumim and other points in Israel!");
AddReply(213622,"thanx","aaron g","baltimore","06/27/07","thanx for a beautiful explanation. hope to see you in the holy land soon.");
AddReply(213588,"In partial support of Yaakov #28,29","Hadassa DeYoung","Elon Moreh","06/27/07","Yaakov has raised many important points. Not ONE of his complaints about Israel was not 100% true.         (His critics should note that despite them he\'s still in Israel.) Anyone coming to Israel should be ready to work to make it the country that it should be. Anyone coming to Israel to live should be aware of the realities of life in Israel. Many Americans and others coming from affluent countries are not adequately prepared for the differences and difficulties they will face. However, complaints such as Yaakov\'s should be phrased as helpful advice rather than attacks on the country all Jews should call home. \"Eretz Yisrael is acquired through difficulties.\" Welcome home Rav Shandalov and may many of your congregation follow your lead!");
AddReply(213576,"Welcome to Maaleh Adumim","Rich","Maaleh Adumim","06/27/07","Welcome to Maaleh Adumim, a beautiful city with an incredibly warm, supportive and loving English speaking community, not to mention a significant number of former Chicagoans. Avail yourselves of this wonderful kehila and you will never regret your decision to make aliya.");
AddReply(213561,"Staying in exile will make Israel more Jewish?","Hezy","Jerusalem","06/27/07","To all those self righteous Jews who claim they cant make aliyah because the country is not Jewish enough for them. If the one million Orthodox complainers would get off their butts and move here we wouldnt have this problem. But it appears then as now, they left \"hamushim\" - only one fifth of Jewry made it our of the exile, as our sages tell us. ");
AddReply(213549,"Response to #36","Yaakov","Jerusalem","06/27/07","Look, I love the Land of Israel as much, if not more, than anyone reading this article.\n\nFor many years, I lived out in the mountains around Jerusalem, farming and learning the names of every wild flower.\n\nBut the country, the government, and THE PEOPLE of Israel (yes, the people! -- that means you, reading this comment) are seriously screwed up, and we need to admit this.\n\nOur problems are not going to go away, they are only going to get worse, and things will not change until there is some kind of major shift in the mentality of the people, religious and secular, or until Israel faces a horrible destruction which will force such a change upon us. \n\nUnfortunately, such a destruction is not far off now.");
AddReply(213529,"Nice positive attitude Yaakov  (28, 29)","Elyse","Chicago","06/27/07","So why don\'t you move to chutz la\'artez if there are so many things wrong with Israel?\nB\"eH our family is planning to make Aliyah in the near future as well, and look forward to dealing with all of the things that you have complained about, BUT we are dealing with them in our homeland- our gift from Hashem! \nI\'m not sure if you have ever lived in the States or visited here, but  \"priorities\" here are absurd, and life here is empty. \nI hope you realize how lucky you are to be writing from such a holy place!");
AddReply(213521,"don\'t look back","nan griffiths","stevensville","06/27/07","No longer living as a \"stranger\" in a \"strange\" land. I understand why you  yearn to go home. Don\'t look back.  ");
AddReply(213506,"2 or 10","Zev Shandalov","Chicago","06/27/07","A few years ago, I heard a wonderful line from Rabbi Sidney Gold of Karnei Shomron. When the Meraglim came back from spying out the Ladn of Canaan, 2 of them saw the potential and the good and 10 of them saw that which was GOOD and thought even THAT was bad. He said that we needed to decide if we want to be part of the 2 or part of the ten. I, for one, have chosen to be part of the two. YES, Israel has many issues and problems and yes there are political nightmares and yes it has warts...plenty of them. BUT, it still is the land that Hashem has given us and has commanded us to live in. It is still the only land that has Kedusha, and it is still the ONLY place on Earth a Jew can TRULY call home. ");
AddReply(213493,"Not a \"Nay-Sayer\"-Just not BLIND","Daniel Rossi","NYC","06/26/07","All I am saying is stop idealizing the modern state of Israel or Zionism. Under the guise of a Zionism and MODERN statehood, we have seen every principle of Judaism destroyed and desecrated. When else in history, other than under Nazi Germany, were Jews evicted from their homes at gunpoint? Where else in the world are gays allowed to show their \'pride\' in the holiest place to the normal families? Where else does a government allow a constant barrage of missiles to hit its citizens, and not lift a finger to help them? Or send their soldiers into harms way to \"save\" 2 soldiers, only allowing 180 to die, making matters worse? What government pressures a superpower to legitimize a terrorist group that calls for its annihilation? Please open your eyes- The Israeli politicians hands are tainted with Jewish blood and smell of betrayal and corruption. The list can go on, but time is limited. ");
AddReply(213481,"Kol Hakavod and Baruch Haba","Yehoshua Gavriel","Tel Tzion","06/26/07","My wife, three young children, and I chose to make Aliyah nearly two years ago. We made the decision knowing we had no family here and relatively no monetary savings to fall back on. What we did have (and still do) is great emunah and bitachon in Hashem Yisbarach that we were fulfilling a MITZVAH D\'ORAITAH and that Hashem would take care of the rest. I can honestly say that these have been the most beautiful, exciting, rewarding, enlightening, challenging, frustrating, and difficult years of our lives collectively. In short, its the best decision we have ever made for ourselves and our children! It is a decision that we have never regretted even once, despite all the nonsense the \"chutznicks\" complain about. Baruch Hashem, G-D has provided us with a parnasah, a community unlike any in the world, endless opportunity, and the chance to be part of the LIVING TORAH. Real Jewish history!!!");
AddReply(213472,"to #11!!!","Aaron","Yerushalayim","06/26/07","#11, you said, \"a captain should be the last to leave a sinking ship,not the first.\"\n\nOn the contrary, on the unsinkable titanic which you speak of, the people don\'t believe that it\'s sinking. We need the captains to start leading the way; its seems that the people reason that because their leaders aren\'t leaving, it must be safe.  ");
AddReply(213457,"Is this the meraglim forum?","Shoshana","Gush Etzion","06/26/07","Rabbi Shandalov\'s beautiful letter has unfortunately ignited a modern-day \"meraglim\" forum.\nThe meraglim put a negative spin on whatever they saw and it seems like a lot of responders here are doing the same.\nRabbi shandalov, chazak v\'ematz like Yehoshua and Calev and do not be swayed by these responders. A lot of it is defense mechanisms to justify their unwillingness to uproot and encounter the difficulties of adjustment here (and yes, there are difficulties, but they are well worth it.)\nThe responders should take note that the Gemara says that 3 things are acquired only through yisurim (trials and tribulations)- Torah, Olam Haba and Eretz Yisrael. Somehow, \npeople do not seem deterred from striving to learn and keep Torah and acquiring Olam Haba, which they view as obligatory pursuits. Why, oh, why is Eretz Yisrael relegated to optional status and laid by the wayside?");
AddReply(213450,"More Reality","Yaakov","Jerusalem","06/26/07","- where the land itself is a gift from HaShem;\n\nTHEN WHY IS THERE SO MUCH LITTER ALL AROUND?\n\n- where the spoken language is the language G-d used to create the world;\n\nWITH WORDS LIKE TELEPHONE, AUTO, HAPPENING, SHOPPING, AND OF COURSE THE ISRAELI FAVORITE, MANIAC\n\n- where even secular Jews invoke the name of HaShem;\n\nYES, USUALLY WHEN THEY CURSE YOU, AS IN \"ANI NISHBA L-E--IM ANI AHAROG OTCHA!\"\n\n- that has the mountain upon which the Temple will be built;\n\nWHICH HAS A MOSQUE ON IT\n\n- that we pray for three times a day;\n\nOK, I\'LL GIVE YOU THAT ONE TOO.\n\n- where you don\'t have to explain to your employer why you need to leave early on Friday;\n\nOR THURSDAY, OR WEDNESDAY, OR TUESDAY, BECAUSE WITH DOUBLE DIGIT EMPLOYMENT, YOU\'LL PROBABLY BE OUT OF WORK. ");
AddReply(213446,"Living in a Dreamworld, Here\'s Reality:","Yaakov","Jerusalem","06/26/07","- where the seventh day of the week is Shabbat, and not Saturday;\n\nAND 70% OF THE PEOPLE TREAT IT AS A SATURDAY\n\n- where your elected officials live on your block and pray in your synagogue;\n\nAND THEN THEY GIVE AWAY YOUR BLOCK AND YOUR SYNAGOGUE TO THE ARABS\n\n- where Torah is taken so seriously;\n\nWHERE? WHERE?\n\n- where people do not spend a year\'s salary on an SUV;\n\nTHAT\'S RIGHT. IN ISRAEL, AN SUV IS 2 YEARS\' SALARY. AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF THEM.\n\n- where a person\'s home is not a measure of his success;\n\nYES. WITH 30% POVERTY IN JERUSALEM, IT\'S OFTEN A MEASURE OF HIS FAILURE\n\n- where my forefathers walked;\n\nOK, I\'LL GIVE YOU THAT ONE.\n\n- where the street names are from the Bible or names of Torah sages;\n\nRIGHT. LIKE KING GEROGE STREET.\n\n- where the guy delivering water can tell me where the closest minyan may be found;\n\nHUH?");
AddReply(213442,"Aliyah paradox","wrosencratz","ny","06/26/07","Israelis want Americans to make aliyah to bolster the demographics, but Israel itself doesn\'t have a clear plan for solving the demographic problem that is just waiting to explode. Therefore, Americans don\'t feel it is worth moving to Israel, a country with no good future.\n\nAlso, Israel is a socialist country, not to capitalist Americans\' likings.");
AddReply(213432,"Nice but a little late.","JK","NYC","06/26/07","Rabbi you chose Aliya but you probably have plenty of money for a house and income from a nice portfolio and pension, so you could really live well anywhere, Boca or Jerusalem?, you won\'t be suffering, your kids are probably past the age to serve in the army or like so many who have made Aliyah when your son hits sixteen you leave, or would sit learning, which I agree with anyway despite the unfairness, you get all sorts of benefits the average Israeli who served in the army will never see, you\'re not giving up US citizenship, if you don\'t like it, you could go home, so what is the big deal, you will bring a container with all the American junk, probably a car too, without taxes, where is the sacrifice, and you never will be an Israeli, you \'ve never served, and your Hebrew will stick out like a sore thumb, and you will see that Israelis are really like Cananites.");
AddReply(213428,"Great minds think alike","Fred Casden","Teaneck","06/26/07","We are also making aliyah this summer to Maale Adumim.  Hope to see you there!");
AddReply(213422,"Congregant, KJBS Chicago","Leo","Chicago","06/26/07","Let me add that as a memebr of the rabbis congregation, we are extremely proud of his \"decision\". It is a true inspiration to have a rabbi who leads with actions, and not just words!  Kol Hakavod!! We will miss you.");
AddReply(213395,"baruch haba","savtag","rbs","06/26/07","We welcome u with open arms\nkol hakavod to you and your family. We r here a little over a year and celebrated our 50th anniversary with our children and their children B\"H\nAfter you are here a while, you will add to your list and never stop\nb\'hatzlacha and come to RBS to visit It\'s a great little city and growing");
AddReply(213384,"See you there","Yoni","New York","06/26/07","Rabbi Shandalov,\nMazal tov on the wonderful news... We will be joining you on august 13 God willing.  Vshavu banim legvulam!! :) -Yoni And Leora");
AddReply(213381,"How very beautifully written","Gershom","Tacoma, WA","06/26/07","Rabbi: I thank you for taking the time to fully express these wonderful thoughts. My prayers go with you and your family.");
AddReply(213379,"To Shoshana","Zev Shandalov","Chicago","06/26/07","Yes, we, as you, are doing this FOR our children and not TO our children. Due to the type of upbringing you spoke of, they are 100% on board with this, as well. thx for the comment..");
AddReply(213376,"You are right!","Zev Shandalov","Chicago","06/26/07","YEs, the #1 reason to make Aliya in the first place IS MITZVAT YISHUV ERETZ YISRAEL. I guess as I wrote the article it was just SO obvious that I did not include it OVERTLY. Thanks for the comment!");
AddReply(213371,"COMMENT ALIYAH","MOSHE","JERUSALEM","06/26/07","TO REB ZEV,\nMY FAMILY AND I DID EXACTLY THE SAME.THERES NOTHING LIKE LIVING IN ERETZ YISROEL.");
AddReply(213363,"To #16 and all the other \"nay-sayers\"","Shoshana","Gush Etzion","06/26/07","Eretz Yisrael is called \"The Promised Land\" and not \"The Perfect Land\" or \"The Convenient Land\". \nThose of us who came cherish the land enough to be here despite the logistical and religious challenges, and we do not reject Hashem\'s gift to us.\nDespite the challenges, this is still G-d\'s special land, which America is NOT, even if things are easier or less controversial relgiously in America.\nBarring the sudden appearance of Moshiach (Halvai!), the only way to change things is from within, by being here. The \"revolution\" that #16 calls for would be more likely to occur if more religious Jews would make aliya.");
AddReply(213341,"a double edged sword","Daniel Rossi","NYC","06/26/07","You have beautifully written about all the IDEAL reasons to make an Aliyah. However, sadly, the modern state of Israel is FAR FAR FAR from ideal. My personal experience showed that it was easier to be a Jew in the diaspora than within the borders of Israel. And I almost cracked up when you mentioned that the elected officials doven with you. All Israeli politicians are corrupt, from the rabbis who supported Peres for presidency, to the athiest who prefers a larger Muslim population in Israel than that of orthodox Jews.\nAnd G-d forbid one more soldier dying to save the land that our G-dless politicians give up in a heart beat under the false guise of \'peace\'.\nWhat we need is a revolution and a real leadership to take charge of our Jewish homeland, and put the word Jewish first. Everything else is second.");
AddReply(213340,"Why Israel?","Janice","Denver","06/26/07","Me too and Im not Jewish.");
AddReply(213329,"Beautiful - I can totally relate","Shoshana","Gush Etzion","06/26/07","Our family made aliya 11 years ago and we also encountered a lot of negativity.\nOne relative asked the exact same question just before we left, after three years of planning, \"You still never explained to me WHY you are making aliya.\"\nI held my tongue, but I wanted to say, \"If a religious upbringing and Jewish education from nursery through seminary haven\'t clued you in, no answer of mine will, either.\"\nOther people asked, \"How can you do this TO your children?\" whereas we felt we were doing this FOR our children.\"\nI had also mentioned Avraham Avinu in my responses, explaining that we hoped our move gave nachas to Avraham Avinu even if our closer ancestors (parents) were being \"deprived\" of geographically close nachas.\nB\"Hatzlacha with your aliya and klita - it will be the most challenging but also the most rewarding project your family undertakes.");
AddReply(213318,"Aliyah Blessings To You and Yours","Bonnie","Texas","06/26/07","Wonderful Rabbi. Would that all Rabbi\'s felt as you and your wife do. Can you imagine the effect if all the Rabbi\'s in USA, UK, and everywhere made Aliyah. What a message. With your feet and heart you truly live the words \"This year in Jerusalem\". You show honor to G\'d to his holy name. Those with negative comments must think the USA is a garden of eden and Holy. As we all lock our doors for the second time and turn on the TV to see the most vile of crimes and debauchery and the word god being illegal.  May you and yours breathe the air of Israel. May you and yours feel the sand of G\'d under your feet. May your heart leap for joy on your arrival. Wish I could be with you.");
AddReply(213315,"Why I\'m Making Aliyah","Mark David","occupiedChicago","06/26/07","Why am I making aliyah? I\'ve been asked so many times. I\'ve been told that I\'m wasting my time thinking about making aliyah to Israel. \nI\'m making aliyah b/c  G-d told every Jew lech lechah, go settle the land. I\'m making aliyah b/c it was the dream of my 100 year old Grandma Yetta. It was her dying wish to return home to Israel, or at least one of her children to do so. With tears running down my face I will honor that dream, to return home and make it a better place. To return back to Israel, a dream that I can\'t stop thinking about. I will return home to Israel. I will fulfill my dream and that of my 100 year old Grandma Yetta. All of that generation didn\'t have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of making aliyah. Before 1967, all Jews were locked out of entering Judea and our sacred old city of Jerusalem. We can never never let Jerusalem from our control. Am Yisrael Chai!!!!");
AddReply(213305,"maybe golus needs you?","chaim","melbourne","06/26/07","will you be able have an affect on the same ammount of people in israel?as a rabbi of a synagogue ,dont you feel a resposibility for your flock.doesnt your community need you,surely you should have discussed something as major as this ,with them?have you thought about whats in it for them?rather than your own personal wishes.yes, we all know where we should be;but there is alot that needs doing out here in golus.a captain should be the last to leave a sinking ship,not the first.");
AddReply(213279,"Yeah Shandelov\'s!","Susie","Ma\'ale Adumim","06/26/07","We look forward to having the Shandelov\'s live in our city and are so proud of them for making this big and momentous step in their lives. They will never regret it. I hope this will encourage other Jews, and more important other Rabbis of communities to come to live in Israel where they belong. Come home!!");
AddReply(213274,"COMING HOME AT LAST!","Chaviva & Steve","Karnei Shomron","06/26/07","WAY TO GO!! May you be an example to all your congregants, to the Chicago Jewish Community and to other leaders of the Kehilla!!\n\nLooking forward to having you HOME at last!");
AddReply(213265,"I hope you taught this to your congregation","Y Shomron","Israel","06/26/07","Very nice explanation of zionism from a Torah perspective.  Had the Rabbi taught this to his congregation, many would be going with him and none would be asking \"why?\".  Nevertheless - mazel tov and hatzlacha and welcome home!");
AddReply(213255,"where people do not spend a year\'s salary on an SUV; ","Rubin","Shomron","06/26/07","Yah, it\'s more like four years salary here :-)\nI wish the Shandalovs and all Olim the very best and hope the glow of Aliya doesn\'t desert them too quickly.  Depending on where they choose to live, I hope they are not setting themselves up for a rude awakening.");
AddReply(213249,"Kol HaKavod and welcome home","Hillel Levin","Yerushalyim","06/26/07","Having made the move ourselves last fall, from Chicago/ Milwaukee I can agree with everything Rabbi Shandalov says. In addition to coming home and living among family, this is the ONLY place where there is harmony within the mitzvos and calander. Tu\' B\'Shvat, the trees start to bloom, in Chicago, they are under a foot of snow. \nA few questions for Rabbi Shandalov: What are you doing to instill in your Kehilla to come as a group? How is it possible for someone who is Shomer Shabbat to ask WHY? Does that mean that every time they daven Shimona Esray or Birkat HaMazon it has been a bracha levatalah?\nBrothers, join the Rabbi, vote with your feet and come home. hillel.leib@gmail.com");
AddReply(213244,"What about...","","","06/26/07","what about the mitzva of living in Eretz Yisrael?  Isn\'t that the primary reason?");
AddReply(213243,"Why you made Aliyah","Dan","Jerusalem","06/26/07","Boy are you in for a real culture shock and reality check when you actually arrive and start living here.");
AddReply(213215,"Making Aliyah is committing suicide!","Eric","USA","06/26/07","While Torah and the prophets command making Aliyah, it does so so that G-d can have the majority of Jews in one place to make it much easier for Him to destroy the majority of you. Scripture teaches that only a \"remnant\", which probably means one-third, will survive G-d\'s judgement against your general wickedness, defined as your lack of Hashem-love. Most Jews are not observant, and of the observant Jews, how many just go through the motions, but without love for Hashem? Jews who obey G-d, by rote, are not pleasing to Him. Your obedience, without love, is as distasteful to G-d as was the sacrifices of long ago, but without love. You can program a computer to obey a sequence of commands, but without love, it has no meaning if you as programmer, wanted affection from your computer. So G-d gave His \'computer program\' a will. Mere obedience without love is useless to G-d and useless to you.");
AddReply(213192,"from a friend","yehoshua ben velvil","chicago","06/26/07","go with joy in your heart for it is a privlege to be a jew and to live in the land given to us by ourG-d who loves His people Israel no longer to weep by the rivers of galus");
AddReply(213190,"Thank you Rabbi Shandalov","Yakov Haber","Queens, NY","06/26/07","Our family is making Aliyah BE\"H this summer for very similar reasons. Fascinating how many people -- Americans and Israelis (including those living in Israel!) pose the same question. I would ask, \"Why not?\" Not sure if we implant Ahavas Ha\'Aretz enough in our educational system. Would add to Rabbi Shandalov\'s list two other reasons (although included by allusion):\n1)where you can fulfill a Torah commandment to live there according to many Rishonim every single second.\n2)where you can have a front row seat on the unfolding of Jewish history and not just see it from the \"bleachers\" (from Rav Dovid Miller shlita of Har Nof).  \nThank you for your article and your inspiration.");

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