Naming Home: A Personal Look at
American-Jewish Perspectives in Israel

By Alana Sobelman
Ben Gurion University, Be'er Sheva

Upon meeting other Americans in Be’er Sheva, a city that has been my home for almost a month now, I am guaranteed to be asked one of two questions and often both: Did I make aliyah? And, where do I go to shul? That I may or may not have immigrated to Israel answers the important question of my religion. Obviously, if I made aliyah, I’m Jewish. Where I go to shul uncovers another fact that has never seemed more crucial to me than among particular people here: with what stream of Judaism do I affiliate?

These questions of aliyah and where I choose to practice Judaism are interlinked in many ways—those who make aliyah often see themselves as being a particular "kind" of Jewish. They pray, they keep Shabbat, they keep Kosher homes, their children go to day schools, etc. They are making a religious return to Israel by making aliyah; not a future-oriented move towards a "new" Israel. What matters most in life to this person is faith. For others, myself included, this move to Israel has a stronger futuristic quality to it. I feel very strongly about the right of Jews to the land of Israel, but I also believe that the word Homeland can take on a number of definitions.

Most of the North American olim (immigrants to Israel) I’ve met are Modern Orthodox. Though there seem to be many "kinds" of Modern Orthodoxy, what ultimately binds them together is first faith, then practice. Every Friday and Saturday, the thirty-or-so young North American olim I’ve met get together and walk to one of the three shuls most popular among English-speakers living here. They have dinner afterwards and then lunch on Shabbat. It’s extremely difficult to find "Masorti" or Conservative Shuls in Be’er Sheva and Reform Judaism is simply not recognized here. And I believe that because Reform and Conservative Synagogues are a rare find, so are Jewish organizations devoted to political social activism—more on that later.

I have experienced a great deal of pressure from others regarding my own religious beliefs and though I’m certainly not obligated to attend an Orthodox shul or Shabbat dinner (since I don’t speak Hebrew), it’s become quite necessary at this point if I want to make any friends. And I’ve been happy to do so, but it’s also been quite frustrating attempting to merely imitate the motions and melodic prayers without knowing what I’m doing or why. And it’s up to me to learn, if this is what I feel I should do. Both of my roommates keep Kosher, which I have found to be a good experience. I’m realizing that the mere act of paying attention to the food I’m preparing, or the dishes I’m washing brings a particular mindfulness. But even now, as I write about the experience, I feel as though I am obligated to have a "higher purpose" in partaking in this act.

The Israelis I have spoken to on this subject seem to have a more liberal mindset. In fact, it’s the English-speaking Israelis in whom I confide about my concerns regarding the pressure I feel from American Jews who have moved here. They seem to be used to the different streams within Judaism, as well as the great variety of different religions and affiliations throughout the country. "I wouldn’t worry about it," is generally the response I receive.

In an essay titled "Another divide: American versus Israeli Jewish culture," a Stanford University Press News Release, an important distinction is made between American and Israeli Jews:

"Jewish traditions have been reshaped ‘spontaneously’ by Jews in America...whereas they have been reshaped in [Israel], since the early 1900s, with the political aim of creating a nation-state. That involved ‘uprooting God from Judaism’ from the 1920s to the 1950s, and has meant attempts to relocate some ‘local or ethnic’ Jewish cultures to the margins of mainstream Israeli culture. The American aim, on the other hand, was "to compromise within another culture."

This passage sheds an interesting light on the issue of Jewish-American versus Jewish-Israeli response to religious affiliation in Israel. It seems that Israelis have been working (perhaps not even consciously) for some time to create a nation founded not on religion, but on politics. And for Americans who relocate to Israel, it’s obvious that many are of the opinion that Israel is the Homeland that must be defended in the name of religion. Political aims may follow, though only for all practical purposes. This is also perhaps the reason why a Masorti organization is more likely to adopt a politically conscious message. Ironically, it seems to be the Conservative Movement that is more "Israeli" than the American Modern Orthodox one.

The Masorti Movement strives to create a positive and socially conscious environment through Conservative practice, instead of alongside it. In fact, one of the ten goals laid out on the organization’s website is the creation of "public, political and legal activities to promote religious pluralism in Israel, official establishment recognition of the Movement, its congregations and its rabbis, and the implementation of the rights ensuing from such recognition." This movement or "stream" seems to be one that is more to the liking of those Jews who desire to help build a more politically conscious and open-minded Israel.

I’m beginning to wonder if the attitude taken up by many Jewish American olim isn’t idealistic, but perhaps naive. It seems that returning to Israel without the strong desire to also help create a nation that is at peace with other nations, specifically those that, for their own political and religious reasons, would rather see Israel disappear is an empty promise.

When assimilating into a new culture, it’s important to consider all of those perspectives found in that culture. One can then decide independently if these are the opinions, beliefs, and principles one desires to adopt. Being among other North Americans in Be’er Sheva, however, has made me feel like I’m returning as well, not to Israel, but to America.

Alana Sobelman is a Masters Degree student in Linguistics and Literature at Ben Gurion University in Be'er Sheva, Israel. Her study interests include Jewish American and Israeli poetry and literature, Holocaust literature, literature of Middle East Conflict, and Jewish Civilization. Currently, Alana is putting together an online children's poetry anthology on the subject of the Israeli-Arab conflict and is writing on politics, religion, and everyday life in Israel at www.dustycompass.blogspot.com.

[Posted 8/23/06]