Who Will Prevail?

In a poll conducted for the B'nai B'rith World Center 46 percent of the respondents, believe every Jew should make aliya, while on the flip side, 41% expressed agreement with the statement that "Jews should live dispersed in various communities in the world, as diversity and global support is the only way Israel and the Jewish people will be strengthened." [Read Article]

The sentiment that all Jews should live in Israel was particularly strong among soldiers, National Union-National Religious Party voters and Sepharidim; 63% of each of these groups held this view.

People who voted for Kadima (57%), Gil Pensioners (55%) and United Torah Judaism (52%) were the biggest supporters of a Jewish Diaspora.

So post-Zionists, retirees, and chariedim see the Galut as a valuable phenomenon, while soldiers, religious-nationalists, and salt-of the-earth folks believe that Israel is the home for all Jews. 41% of Israelis are pro-Galut, 46% are pro-ingathering.

These numbers represent yet another facet of the underlying split we have here in Israel. The split is about vision - how we perceive ourselves, and through which prism. This split is clearly NOT about Torah values and is seen by the Chariedi vote. Even the Torah can be seen through this prism.

The prism is about the redemptive process. The pro-Galut crowd does not see Israel as the final ingathering, while the pro-Aliyah people see the Israel as the "final-stop" on the long train-ride of Jewish history. Kadima, Gil, and UTJ do not believe we are in a redemptive process. Kadima folks would love to move to the US (as have Olmert's kids have), Gil folks are are not ideological, and UTJ folks have a powerful presence in the Diaspora and an ideology of waiting for Messiah. Soldiers, on the other hand, do not want to die for nothing, they want to believe that Israel is a core value. Sefardim have "kishkes" Judaism, and they sense that Israel is the home of the Jews. NRP has an ideology of redemption, ingathering, and third Temple.

How we see the Diaspora is a reflection of how we see Israel. If you see the Diaspora as an important part of Judaism, then Israel's centrality is diminished. If we see Israel as central, then the Diaspora is something we hope dies out. Furthermore, the question of Aliyah vs. Diaspora rests on the attractiveness of Israel. When Israel is a winner, more people see Israel's miraculousness, and when Israel is a loser people distance themselves, and become attached to the Galut.

There is also a very important economic factor to this theoretical discussion. If you believe that the exile is "over" - then you put money into Aliyah-education and "saving" whoever you can. If you think the Diaspora is an important component of Judaism, you will spend money trying to maintain Galut-Jewry.

Some theorize that we need a good galut to run to if Israel fails, or we need a remnant of Jews in the US in case Israel's Jews get nuked. Others point out that soon, the majority of Jews will live in Israel, and the Galut will continue to diminish. Intermarriage, low-birthrate, and Aliyah will naturally end the Diaspora. Which view of Israel will pervail?