an article on Spirituality
May 24, 2020
Just after Lock Down -Tzfat
In light of the coronavirus covid-19 pandemic
In 1966, a movie was produced called The Russians are Coming – The Russians are Coming. It was a comedy about a Russian ship that landed in New England during the cold war. Here in Israel we have another story to tell. It has not happened yet but it is not far off. Let us say, we are on the brink of the greatest mass migration of Jews we have ever seen. It will start out quietly for maybe a year or so but then it will be in the news and it will develop into a mass swarm, and then into a struggle. It is the American Jewish return to the land of Israel.
There is a hush among American Jews regarding making Aliyah, but in a year, two at most, it will change to a cry. In Israel people will say, “The Americans are Coming – The Americans are Coming. Almost all Jews that will be involved at this time, are dreaming about the resurgence of the American economy. It seems impossible for the one who is tied to a job, to family, education, English, American culture, fun, a love for America, and freedom, to give it all up. It will take the greatest change the world has ever seen for a Jew’s pleasure in America to be washed away and replaced by the insecurity and stress of relocation but that is just what will happen. Now they say, I can’t make a move across the world to a small country that speaks Hebrew and is less developed, but that is just exactly what they will dream of and do. Later, people will make a choice, family by family, to start an upheaval, and it will not be because they love Israel. They will have a problem placed on their shoulders and thrown in their faces. It will be the economic upheaval in America. It has already begun but it will get much, much worse, and there will be a rise in Anti-Semitism. Surviving in the midst of those problems will be more difficult than leaving. People will question their future and the future their children will face if they stay in America. It may be that most everyone in America will want to leave at that future date but the Jews will be the ones that have a place to go.
Who will leave? It will be easier for religious Jews since most have visited Israel and they know what to expect. Anyone who has family and friends in Israel has an advantage. Those who know others who have already made Alyiah also have an advantage. Jews who have less connection with the religion may be at a disadvantage. If you hold a negative opinion about Israel, you may wait until the last minute and hope for good news, that America will make a surprise recovery. Then, your doors will be closed.
It will take you around a year to prepare for your move. This is what is done. Someone in the family begins the plan by making a two to three week pilot trip to Israel in search of a future. The trip might include choosing a city to live in and maybe finding a property. Of course, you can choose to rent an apartment but that might not be a wise choice economically because housing prices in Israel will rise dramatically. Then there is a matter of finding a job. In most cases, you will only be able to question employers about jobs because in Israel, “Olim” are usually not hired until they settle in. Then there is a matter of schooling for the children. Many of those who make Aliyah, pay to ship their items to Israel in a container. Everything must be well packed because your container will be in the ocean for weeks. If you own a house in America you need to sell it. That means, you will first fix it up so you can get a good price for it. Beware, the real estate market is likely headed into an extreme downturn so when you want to sell your house a year or more from now, you will likely get much less for it. The one who will buy your car at a later time will pay you $2 on the $100 because already there is a glut of cars. Sending large sums of money from America to Israel will be a problem. It may be that in order for you to change dollars into shekels and wire it to Israel, you will have to immediately use it.
Later on, it is likely that American Jews who are in debt will find it difficult if not impossible to move. Debt will hold you back. It might be that those with debt will find lock doors. In Venezuela years ago, in order to leave the country, at the airport travelers bought a transportation stamp. The cost was around $75 a person. Maybe in America in the future, in order to leave the country, customs will look up your finances. If you have no debts, the customs agent will sell you a transportation stamp for around $75. That means, if you have a mortgage or other debts and you want to fly to Israel, you are not going. That stamp that goes in your passport will be the most expensive “punch” you can imagine.
Be smart and start your plans now. Study the financial markets. Learn the truth about expectations in America in the upcoming years. You do not have to make any life changes now but don’t be unprepared. Look into making Aliyah in order to make your potential plan a possibility. It will cost you little if you stay put in America. Start your paperwork. You can make a pilot trip if you wish. Study your job possibilities in Israel. Choose an area of the country you would love to live in. Nefesh B’Nefesh will be delighted to work with you now. Later on, when lots of Americans want to move out, you will be one face in the crowd and getting accepted for Aliyah will not be so enjoyable. If you wait three years and begin your research you will be caught off guard. Finding your way to Israel at that time may be as hard as stones. Those who are still in America in five years or more will say, “It is what it is.”
Israelis, you will have your greatest opportunity so prepare for it. Americans will need everything and those who can help them will be sought out. If you sell real estate, increase what you know. If you know the housing market in a certain city, get to know the housing market for a greater area. If you sell homes in a town in the Galil, get to know the real estate market throughout the Galil. If you are in the Shomron, learn what you can about the Shomron. Americans who want to buy homes or apartments in Israel will not want to be tied down to a city, they are used to driving long distances to get to work and to visit people. If you know real estate in an entire section of the country, they will come to you. If you have a small vegetable store in a smaller city, you will be moving to a larger store because of the increased demand for your services. Your city will need more space for housing, parks, and synagogues. Builders and contractors will take care of that. This will be a game changer for you.
Nothing on this mass migration is in the air now but in two years, it seems, talk will be everywhere. Many people will have already moved. In five years, the land of Israel will change more than you can imagine. Oh, yes! There may be a national mourning time one day. Many Americans will have relatives that did not move out fast enough.