French Jews, Aliya, and You

Imagine that you’re wearing a kippa and tzitzit in the street, you go to the bar and you want to drink coffee. When you come in, all of a sudden, three men spit at you and two women with their babies curse at you. This is not what happened in 1942 during the holocaust; it is the reality in Paris today.

My name is David Attali, I am fifteen years old, and live in Jerusalem. I made Aliya from Paris six months ago in order to fulfill the commandments but mostly to escape the terror against the Jews in France. Paris is not a place of Torah because all the French people prevent us from learning, but in Israel we can study Torah. It is fun!!!!!

Even though I left my friends in Paris, it is a pleasure to live in Jerusalem and fulfill the Torah and the commandments without any problems. (And also because in Israel when it snows, there is no school so it is great!!). In Jerusalem, there is the Divine Presence of Hashem and it makes you want to study. I am happy to be “Jewish” and serve Hashem. I have freedom.

Before the terrorist attacks and demonstrations against Israel in the street, my family and I did not want to make Aliya because in France it was not dangerous for the Jews. It was so good because we could study Torah even in the subway and could wear our kippot in the street. There were no terrorist attacks like now. But now, in the street you cannot do what you want. Everyone is stressed. They are scared that there will be attacks like what happened at the school Otzar Hatorah (in Toulouse, France). It happened 3 years ago in which the terrorist killed 4 people including 3 children. Just recently there was a terrorist attack against the kosher supermarket in Paris where also four people were killed and this happened just before Shabbat… So, a lot of people decided to make Aliya including my family out of fear and of course also in order to keep and fulfill the mitzvot of G-d.

I think that all the Jewish people in the United States and in the world can and “must” make Aliya. I know what you are thinking, that it’s difficult finding a profession and earning money. Even though it is difficult to leave friends and stop your routine that was, you must make Aliya before terrorist and anti-Semitic attacks happen in the United States.

I asked a lot of rabbis in my yeshiva Hedvat Hatorah and Rabbi Gootman said to me that there is an idea to make Aliya fast in order to bring the Mashiach. There is also an idea to make Aliya because a lot of the Torah commandments need to be kept just in Israel: for example to give charity to the High Priest in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem to the Cohen or to the Levi during the holidays… We also have the mitzvah of settling the land of Israel so you see, we must live in Israel!

Rabbi Gootman also says that Israel produces beautiful fruits while at the same time develops a person’s spirituality. So in my opinion and also in my Rabbi’s opinion all the Jews must make Aliya now! It is a commandment to settle the land. The rabbi said to me in class that it is impossible to live outside of Israel because it is not a place of Torah, to fulfill the Torah, we need to be here in our land.

Dear reader in America, I know that you live in a good home, a nice neighborhood, and you have a good livelihood. Yes, America is beautiful and you have a lot of friends and all your family is there but I think that you must make Aliya now because it is obvious what will happen also against the American Jews. You must make Aliya. You mustn’t say that all the non-Jews in America are kind, you mustn’t say: “He is my friend” because at the end he can himself do the terrorist attack because: “Esau hates Jacob.” But don’t worry – you will have friends in Israel – I will be one of them.