Living (the Chareidi Life) in the Land

Just as I was beginning to wonder if I will have anything to blog about until our next trip to Israel, I was given the opportunity to review a newly published book. Perhaps this will be the start of a new direction for my blog. And I can think of no better way to begin broadening my blogging horizons than with Living in the Land by Yoel Berman, published by Mosaica Press.

For some time, I have been a subscriber to Reb Yoel’s email group “Avira d’Eretz Yisroel” (loosely translated as “the holy atmosphere of the Land of Israel”). There, and on his website www.aviraderetzyisroel.orgReb Yoel focuses on promoting successful “chareidi” Aliyah from North America – a goal that he shows to be practical, attainable, and worth striving for – by educating and informing his readers about communities, old and new, that are appropriate for American “bnei Torah and their families”. 

Living in the Land gives you all that education and information – then ices the cake with the inspiration and empowerment to take the plunge. The beautiful cover (painted by Yehoshua Wiseman) immediately sends a subliminal message about the colorful spectrum of Israel’s Jewish population. Yet, statistics show that Aliyah from the “black hat” demographic of Anglo Jewry – and from the United States in particular – is underwhelming. This book aims to turn the tide.

Personally, I am hyper-sensitive to the slightest whiff of “If I made Aliyah, you can/should, too.” No one knows enough about what’s going on in another person’s life to tell them where they should be when. While the book does contain a bit of that attitude, its overriding objective is to whet the reader’s appetite to live in the Land and to help them follow through.

To that end, Reb Yoel introduces us to 50 chareidi families who pursued their dream (or didn't even know they were dreaming until their dream came true!) and are now blossoming and growing on holy soil. To read their stories is to celebrate their accomplishments even if, for now, to live vicariously through them. For those who are not yet dreamers, these stories might inspire them to dream; for those who have been dreaming, these stories might inspire them to act; for those who are already in the process, these stories will surely give them that extra shot in the arm to keep their eyes on the prize and fight the forces that are bound to try to hold them back. Even those who are already settled and perhaps starting to take their Aliyah for granted would do well to read this book and renew their appreciation of the brave, life-changing decision that they made.

The author divides his storytellers by their location. Appropriately, first is “The City of Yerushalayim” which allows us to Remember Jerusalem as the Eye of the Universe that it is. Then, he highlights communities “A Short Ride Away” from the holy city. Lastly, we read about the rest of “A Very Beautiful Country”, in which section I was pleased to see my children’s new hometown of Afula well represented. Regardless of where in Israel one is heading, Aliyah is never “easy” whether logistically, financially, physically, emotionally or socially – and sometimes all of the above. But as we know, it is not meant to be. Our sages from time immemorial have told us that one “acquires” the Land through the trials and tribulations of the effort invested. Those who undertake that effort pray that where there is the will, Hashem will provide the way. More often than not, His kind, compassionate, helping Hand is apparent, as we see in so many of these stories. 

But this book is not just “Storytime with Reb Yoel and Friends”. The final section lists, describes and provides contact information for numerous organizations to help plan and execute a successful chareidi Aliyah. These essential resources and the opportunities they offer did not exist when we moved to Israel. I can’t help but wonder where we would be now if they had been available to us then…

One of my favorite vignettes in the book was written by a Breslever chassid. He explains that “There is an important teaching of Rebbe Nachman (of Breslev) to keep in mind – the middah (character trait) of arichus apayim (patience) is a prerequisite for being zocheh to (meriting) Eretz Yisrael...Be excited, but don’t jump into things; you must have bitachon (trust, based on faith) but be careful and calculated.”  

Those (and many other) words of advice in this work might ring true anywhere on the planet. But the rewards for those who heed them in order to find their place in Eretz Yisrael are astronomically greater than outside Israel. Living in the Land is a glimpse into exactly that and it’s worth every minute of the read.

In his preface, Reb Yoel asks that “if you would like to share your own thoughts and experiences for a future volume…please email me…”. May we all merit to be featured in future volumes of Living in the Land – until there is no Jew left in chutz la’Aretz (outside the Land) to need the inspiration and information therein.

Living in the Land can be found in bookstores in Israel and the U.S. or ordered online in the U.S. by clicking here.