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FROM THE
Editor

Would This Sermon Make You Angry?

t’s uncomfortable; awkward, speak the language, where you’ll only miracles of 1948 and 1967, through the
even. How does a Religious Zion- own one car and Kedem grape juice ingathering of the exiles, and through
ist rabbi living in New York, Los costs $8 a bottle! the flowering of the Land. Twenty
IAngeles or London speak about I have no doubt Avraham and Sarah years ago, Modi’in didn’t exist; now, it’s
Aliyah to his congregation? It’s a ques- were frightened. How could they not a city of 100,000, with a kosher Waffle
tion I struggled with for over a decade have been? The thought of Aliyah Bar to boot! Ramat Beit Shemesh used
as a rabbi in two different American frightens me too. At least some of to be a backwater; now it has over a
communities. dozen schools for olim. Israel used to
you are tech-savvy and could easily
Despite my strong feelings about the get well-paying jobs in Tel Aviv. But seem like an impossible dream, but
importance of Aliyah, it was easier to me? What would I do? There are more these days, the Master of the Universe
is rolling out the red carpet for us.
talk about other values, like strength- rabbis in Israel than street cats!
ening Shabbat observance or the I’m not here to judge you. Who am I No, this is not my resignation speech.
importance of attending AIPAC con- to judge? I live here in exile too. But I don’t yet have concrete plans or a
ventions and advocating for Israel. It’s as your rabbi, it’s my job to say what scheduled Aliyah date. But I hope, as
hard to preach what you don’t prac- needs to be said: We don’t belong here. every Jew must, to soon see that day.
tice. Telling my congregants “do as I I’m thankful to America – I truly am! Neil Young once sang, “I'm a dreamin’
say, not as I do” felt hypocritical. At For all its faults, no nation has ever man, yes, that’s my problem…” We are
the same time, I was hesitant to focus treated us with such kindness! But this a people of dreamers, and it’s a prob-
on a message more likely to inspire isn’t home. lem we have – thankfully! – never
frustration and disappointment than solved. G-d’s call reverberates in our
action. And so, despite being a 100% You might be thinking: ‘Rabbi, why are souls, refusing to give us rest. Try as
committed Religious Zionist pulpit you giving us a hard time? This isn’t we might, we can never feel fully at
rabbi, I only rarely made Aliyah the what we pay you for! We work hard home in this land.
focus of my sermons. to be good Jews! We spend obscene
amounts of money on yeshivah day Let us find the courage to answer the
But what if I had adopted a different school tuition; we force ourselves to sit call, and follow in the footsteps of
perspective? What if I had viewed through your speeches and pinch our- Avraham and Sarah!
myself not as a hypocritical failure, but selves to stay awake! And now you’re
rather as an idealistic shaliach in the telling me I have to move across the ......................................
Diaspora, on a mission to awaken the world and be an immigrant for the rest
hearts of our people to return to the of my life?’ If your rabbi gave this speech, how
Land of our fathers? What if, instead of would it make you feel? Irritated,
avoiding the topic, I had given the fol- The truth is, you’re right. You are good insulted or inspired? I’d love to hear
lowing speech on Parashat Lech Lecha: Jews! I know how many of you quietly your thoughts at editor@mizrachi.org.
give tzedakah, without need for honor.
Good Shabbos everyone! Today is a day I know how hard you work to get to
to speak frankly, and from the heart. minyan during the week, despite your
This is not a parasha like any other, for busy schedules. Like Avraham and
this is the week when Avraham and Sarah in Charan, we are doing Hash-
Sarah heard the voice of Hashem – and em’s work! Elie Mischel
refused to ignore it.
And yet… As Rav Soloveitchik once
“Go forth from your native land and wrote, “Listen! My Beloved knocks!” Rabbi Elie Mischel
Editor
from your father’s house to the land With clarity we haven’t heard since
that I will show you.” Leave your land, the time of the prophets, our Father is
leave everything you’ve ever known, calling out to us: come home! After two
for an unknown and terrifying future! thousand years of silence, He is speak-
Go to a land where you only haltingly ing to us once again – through the

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