Let My People Come?

Friday January 9, 2021 – ה׳ שְׁבָט תשפ״ב

It seems that over this past week there are very few people left unscathed by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus. Positive cases are, yet again, on the rise in unprecedented percentages. In-person gatherings are being canceled, travel stymied, and more and more kids are in quarantine at home – prohibited from attending school.

Israel, which has reputably pioneered the sweeping campaign to vaccinate its population 1, 2, 3, and now even 4 times, has taken drastic measures and barred entry (temporarily) to those coming from “red states” (Covid hotbed countries, not the Republican-voting States). Israel has classified the United States as one of those Covid hotbeds “red states” because of the uncontainable spread of the Omicron variant – which includes barring Israelis from traveling to the U.S. as well. We’re told that these restrictions will be lifted in a matter of days, but this time around the Government of Israel has come under harsh criticism from an unlikely source – the modern Orthodox community. Generally speaking, the Religious Zionist community are among the strongest supporters and defenders of Israel, with much more frequent and regular travel to Israel, often to visit children who have made Aliyah. Many in the Orthodox community see Israel as another of their homes which may be different for most, but certainly not all, in the non-Orthodox world, and is a plausible reason why a prohibition on travel may impact them differently than those who were traveling for tourism.  Yet, once Israel barred entry to non-Israeli citizens they were up in arms.

One such op-ed lamented that:

“The government of Israel is also pushing away Diaspora Jews, who have every right to be offended. We support Israel, we fight for Israel where we live, and we teach our children to love Israel. It is harder to teach that commitment when the Jewish state is shunning us.”

Three points to consider:

1. Welcome to the club. It doesn’t feel very good to be shunned by the only Jewish State, does it?

2. Seriously???  We are smack in the middle of the crescendo of a global pandemic! One in four Israelis has been infected, the testing sites in Israel have 5-10 hour waits, and some Diaspora Jews have the chutzpah to demand that they be allowed in only to add additional burden to the already strained medical workers, testing facilities, and hospitals?

3. I do not recall hearing such staunch criticism when the previous government instituted similar restrictions.

It pains me no less not to be able to travel to Israel right now (or for the past year and a half).

The RZA letter asks the Prime Minister to “consider the impact that prolonged closures are having on the current and next generations’ relationship with Israel. We asked you to do everything to reopen the gates to our shared homeland as soon as possible.”

This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. It is the modern Orthodox community that boasts the highest rates of Aliyah from North America and boasts the longest tried and true culture of gap-year study in Israel. But this demand gives off a sense of entitlement. While many argue that Israel should allow entry into the country for anyone eligible for aliyah,  is this not the exact reason why Israel has a Law of Return?  Instead of bashing Israel’s decisions based on health and safety protocols, why not make Aliyah?

And let’s keep a little bit of perspective here. In the summer of 2021, our Reform Movement sent more students to Israel than in the previous two decades. And we are planning on increasing our numbers this summer.[1] So, aside from my general concern over Diaspora Jewry’s relationship with Israel, the Covid closure policy – essentially a blip on the long-term history of the Jewish people – is not a major factor. Needless to say, there are much bigger issues that threaten the Diaspora Jews’ relationship than Covid closures.

In a letter signed by dozens of Orthodox rabbis, not one of those rabbis raised the central Jewish tenet of פיקוח נפש‎ (pikuah nefesh) – which is the Jewish legal requirement to violate most Halakhot, to preserve human life – including the mitzvah of hakhnasat orchim (welcoming guests).

They failed to remember that the book of Deuteronomy commands us:

“…וְנִשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם מְאֹ֖ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם: (דברים ד:טו)”

“Only beware for yourself and greatly take care of your life:” (Deuteronomy 4:15)

Our halakhic and midrashic sources go on at lengths to warn us from putting ourselves in dangerous situations or endangering others. Now would be a good time to refresh ourselves with this rabbinic wisdom. One such directive comes from the Rambam, based on the verse from Deuteronomy:

“A healthy and wholesome body is akin to the ways of God because it is impossible to understand and know (the ways of God) when one is ill. Therefore, a person needs to distance oneself from damaging influences and accustomed to a healthy lifestyle.”

(Maimonides, Mishna Torah, Hilchot Deot 4:1, translation by Gideon Aronovich)

If the health authorities deem it unsafe to travel to Israel, then we have a halakhic imperative to adhere to the regulations, including missing life-cycle events for family and loved ones.

Personally, I would have loved to be there to celebrate with my closest friends as their daughter is called to the Torah this Shabbat in Jerusalem. I am beyond disappointed, but I just don’t think it is right to castigate the government for putting the needs of the collective above the wishes of individuals when literally lives are at stake.

One Religious Zionist leader chastises the Government of Israel’s decision in an op-ed:

“In making that decision, Israel decided to differentiate between Moshe who lives in Modi’in and his cousin Moshe who lives in Manhattan. Why? Is one Moshe more committed to the Jewish state than the other? Why are Moshe’s residence and citizenship the only criteria?

Yes, I’m sorry to say that entrance to an independent sovereign state is not awarded based on some commitment litmus testing. Residence and citizenship should be the ONLY criteria for determining who should enter. And yes, by living there, one could easily make the argument that one Moshe is more committed than the other, as I don’t think it’s quite fair to not pay taxes to the state or serve the country (no matter how philanthropic or supportive one might be) and call it your home while others maintain the luxury of living abroad only to have Israel ready and waiting for us whenever we want to show up. This raises a larger philosophical question of to whom does the State of Israel belong?  Is it a Jewish State or a State for all Jews?  If the latter, then when Moshe from Manhattan or Sally from Santa Fe arrives, can they also pray and practice Judaism in the Jewish State in the way they are familiar?

Sorry, you can’t have it both ways.

And herein lies the hypocrisy.

When it comes to issues of domestic Israeli policy, such as recognition of the liberal streams, conversion, marriage, and the Kotel deal, we are often reminded that these are the policies of the democratically elected Government of Israel, and if we don’t like it, we should make Aliyah, vote, and change the policies.

I have been the brunt of this rebuke too many times to recall:

“When a million Reform Jews make Aliyah and vote in the Knesset then you will begin to see a change, just like immigrants from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s,” to which I don’t necessarily disagree.

It’s not like the communities and leaders calling for Israel to open its gates are in need of political asylum or refuge from persecution. It is not 1939, and Israel has not issued a similar White Paper.

It is fair to request that Israel communicate clear and consistent guidelines delineating who is allowed in and who is not (especially as it constantly changes). There’s no question that exceptions need to be made. For instance, South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein strongly rebuked the Government calling the decision “a moral disgrace.” His anger is understandable in light of the fact that members of his community were barred entry when trying to come to mourn the tragic loss of their loved one – a 26-year-old soldier who was recently slain by a Palestinian terrorist in Jerusalem’s Old City. However, I do not agree that the future sustainability and success of Israel is in jeopardy, nor does it undermine the Jewish identity of the Jewish State.

Again, so many of us are beyond frustrated and disappointed that we have not been able to travel to Israel. We are yearning for the day when we can safely do so – which will hopefully be very soon. We acknowledge the sadness that comes with each postponed and canceled trip. Our hearts go out to the tour guides and educators who are out of work, to the owners of empty hotel rooms, small business and restaurant owners who depend on tourism to survive, and the drivers of tour buses lodged in their parking lots. We look to move beyond webinars and virtual tours and be there in real life and in real-time. And as the travel restrictions have now been lifted, we look to do so responsibly and as safely as possible.

Only then can we let our people go.

Shabbat Shalom,

Josh

[1] Register here for NFTY in Israel summer program, and here for URJ Heller High semester in Israel.