"The REAL Reason All Jews Should Make Aliyah..."

19 Sivan 5780

Following below is a response from Rabbi Aharon Lubling of RBS (h/t SK) to the video clip that I made and posted on Tuesday night.  The title, "It's Time to Go," was the original title as posted by Torah Anytime.  That's what drew me in to listen.  An American rabbi admitting to American Jews "it's time to go" to Eretz Yisrael?  This I have to hear!  A person can go deaf straining his ears to hear such a message from an American rabbi.

I heard the entire thing and it was just as Rabbi Lubling reports, at some points even worse in my opinion.  It made me cringe.  And it's why I took the clip because I could not in good conscience recommend the rest of it.  But, even in the part I took to pass along, the word that came to my mind was "tragic."  

Unfortunately, and probably for very obvious reasons, the only rabbis calling for aliyah are the ones already here in Eretz Yisrael and for that reason, most Diaspora Jews disregard their calls.  But, when a rabbi from their midst says it, flawed though it assuredly is, it makes a huge impression on the very people who are most desperate for the message.  And that's why I passed it on.  Tragedy is added to tragedy if those hearing the American rabbi's words take them as encouragement to remain at his side.  This is a case of "Do as I say and don't do as I do."  This is apparently the best American rabbis have to offer.  Nebuch!

The thing is, it's already too late even to tell people to drop everything and run. With the coronavirus lockdown just being lifted after months of closed offices, how many months will it take for Jews to get passports or renew outdated passports?  And for those who stayed prepared by keeping all family passports in order with even money set aside to buy tickets, what airline can they fly on?  When will Eretz Yisrael reopen the border to non-Israeli citizens?  Right now, it looks like the door is closed.  It remains to be seen whether it will ever open wide once again.  Virus resurgence can keep it closed.  A war with Hamas and Hizballah could suspend flights again.  That's up to HKB"H.  It's His hand on the doorknob.

In my opinion, 911 was the big wake-up call - the banner raised to gather in the exiles.  The entire world was witness to that event.  Chai (18) years were given as a grace period for all the Jews to make their way home.  New reports inform us that the coronavirus had already begun circulating in the Fall of 2019 (at the New Year 5780).  And while it incubated and spread, there was another 4-5-month grace period.  Then came Purim and the door slammed shut before Pesach.  It looks to me as if the only Jews who are still getting out are those who decided to leave before that time.  

At some point, events seem to outstrip free will and at that point, that's when the choice becomes null and void.  In other words, it's possible to wait too long.  My take.