The ‘Make Aliyah’ Cruelty

Posting about antisemitic events or concerns on social media, which has become an unfortunately common occurrence, isn’t meant to spread fear or worry. It is to raise awareness of the situation, let people speak out against it, and be there for the victims or individuals in danger of an antisemitic attack. Social media is an excellent way to mobilize. Unfortunately, there is a great need for us to mobilize these days, as rising antisemitism in North America continues to shatter all previous records. Sadly, it has come to be expected that when posting about antisemitism in North America and Europe, some automatically respond with: “time to make aliyah!”

This kind of response has become all too common, and its cruelty undermines the very foundation of the Israel-Diaspora relationship.

When the world was astonished by the victory of Zohran Mamdani in the New York mayoral race, leaving many American Jews fearing for their future, Israeli journalist Ben Caspit responded by saying: “I would vote for Mamdani, not because I support him, of course, I don’t support him. I want all the Jews to come to Israel. I’m a long-time, consistent supporter of antisemitism. I’m happy Mamdani won because I’m in favor of… I’m in favor of antisemitism, I’m in favor of all the Jews coming here.”

As American Jews were shocked by the platforming and mainstreaming of America’s leading Nazi, Nick Fuentes, who calls for the annihilation of American Jews, the “aliyah now” crowd was also there to cheer it on. Several of them openly celebrated the rise of Fuentes as they believe it will spur aliyah to Israel.

The notion of looking at Jews in peril and responding either with a “gotcha” or “you should come admit to my ideology” would be less appalling if the same “make aliyah” crowd showed more concern for the over 125,000 Israelis who left Israel in the past two years, but little such concern is shown. Why? Because the same vindictiveness that responds to antisemitism in the Diaspora with a “make aliyah” statement is the one that sees Jews leaving Israel and brands them as “leftists,” “old elite,” and people who are being “spit out by the land.”

In 2014, when the horror of the three boys being kidnapped in Gush Etzion by Palestinian terrorists struck the Jewish world with shock, Satmar’s Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum said: “They [the parents] caused the deaths of their sons, and they must do teshuva for their actions.” The Satmar Rebbe blamed the parents of these boys for sending their sons to study in Yeshiva in Gush Etzion, saying: “I think it would have been preferable if they [the parents] had done teshuva [repentance], if they had said Viduy with tears, in the nusach that is used on Yom Kippur, to repent for their decision to live and learn Torah in a place of barbaric murderers.”

The uproar in the Jewish world was fierce, justified, and came from across the political and religious spectrum, and rightfully so. The cruelty of attacking a Jewish person at a time of grief or when feeling unsafe is not something we can accept. The same is true for those vindictively or cynically using antisemitism in the Diaspora to speak of the concept of aliyah. The idea of telling people in Israel to move to the Diaspora after tragedy strikes Israel should be unthinkable, yet the same is true when tragedy strikes the Diaspora.

There is no question that Judaism places great value on living in Israel, and that it is a central theme in the Torah and Halacha. Discussion and practice of the obligation of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael are important and should be happening. The Zionist ideal of all Jewish people living in the land of Israel is noble and praiseworthy, yet resorting to that discussion as a response to people’s pain, fears, and tragedy is cruel and should be socially unacceptable.

Israel was not built by lazy slurs or dismissive talk. Israel was built by tough work, love, advocacy, and coming together. Anyone who is genuinely interested in having more Jews living in Israel should follow in the footsteps of those who created the miracle of Israel. Offer a vision for Israel’s future, see how everyone can be included in that future, build, create, dream, hope, and persuade others with your message of hope. That begins inside Israel by making sure fewer Israelis leave as they fear division and uncertainty about their future, and continues with reassuring Diaspora Jews that a better future awaits them there.

What has always been true is still true: the only appropriate response to seeing someone hurting, worrying, or being threatened is asking, “What can I do to help?” If not that, it is also okay to say: “I share in your pain” and offer sympathy. As Jews—in the Diaspora and in Israel—face very challenging times ahead, let us refine our ability to be there for one another, do what we can to help one another, and let each other know that we have their backs.