MORE ANSWERS FOR GILEAD...

Here is the original letter that I posted earlier:

Dear Yishai,

I'm really hurting.

I have filled my Aliyah papers for my family and I, yet the more I read the news the more sick I become.

I DO NOT WANT THE TAXES I PAY TO FEED MY ENEMIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>From Gilead

Please give me some words of chizuk!

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Gilead,

This is Simcha Shapiro from The Aliyah Revolution show. My friend, I am afraid that you seriously misunderstand the nature of Aliyah. Do you think that the money that you pay in taxes where you live now, do not go to your enemies?! Our obligation and right to live in Eretz Yisrael is completely independent of Midinat Yisrael. I would hope that our government would be straight and honest, and Torah minded. That being said, even if it were the most corrupt and destructive government in the history of the world, we would still have an obligation and right to live in Eretz Yisrael. You are needed here! The greatest thing that you can do to counteract the actions of our enemies and those who support them, is to LIVE HERE IN SPITE OF THEM!

Hatzlacha in doing what is right!

Simcha

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Dear Gilead,

Shalom! I received your e-mail from Yishai, and thought I would reply.

Look - none of us want our taxes to feed our enemies. But ultimately, that's not what life in Israel is about!

There are many ways to think about your aliyah:

1. You can think about how your aliyah serves YOU - your children's significantly advanced Jewish/Torah education, raising them with a sense of community and belonging, never being without a minyan, signing your checks with the date on the Hebrew calendar, eating special milk and honey flavored yogurt around Rosh Hashanah time.

2. You can think about how your aliyah serves ISRAEL - increasing the Jewish presence, adding to feelings of Jewish pride/growth/strength, growing children who will grow their children, and their children, and their children... adding to the brain trust and the spiritual power of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel.

3. You can think about how your aliyah serves THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE - Showing Him that you choose His land, that you buy into His Torah, that you love His people, and that you would rather spend your life fighting and struggling to bring His light into this world than sitting comfortably in America, far away from the birth pains of a growing Israel.

This is not a time for despair. Frankly, we don't have that luxury, and you should not allow yourself to give into those feelings (believe me, I know how much they want to suck you down into their vortex sometimes). When faced with such an evil impulse, you should smash those feelings and renew your determination to keep your eyes on the prize, to fully invest yourself in the biblical events we are undergoing.

Never forget the incredible love that brought you to consider making Aliyah in the first place - that revelation is one of the greatest truths you have ever experienced.

Good luck, and G-d speed. We look forward to seeing you soon.

All the best,

Malkah