Going Up (and up and up)

A quick scan into the Farsi and English sections of all the national Jewish Persian publications shows a great number of Israel-related articles from Jerusalem Post, Israel21C, Aish.com and from many local contributors. This indicates a great love and pride that we Persian Jews feel for the modern day state of Israel and her accomplishments.

There has been a mini-revolution going on for the past 5 years by North Americans who have decided to go up and make Israel their home; to make Aliyah. Gone are the days that the olim were the rejected, downtrodden and the persecuted Jews of the Eastern Europe and the Middle East, including Iran.

Nefesh Be’Nefesh is an organization that has been facilitating North American Aliyah since 2002, bringing many successful professionals, businessman, and ordinary Jews from all spectrums of religious observance to Israel.

Do we, the Persian Jews feel such a strong bond to Israel that will compel us to leave the shores of the golden medina called America and settle in Israel? Perhaps now that we even have a Jewish Iranian mayor in Beverly Hills the question is irrelevant, but is it really?

For some moving Aliyah testimonials click here.

image courtesy of Nefesh B’Nefesh