Q: Many Orthodox Jews say they will go to Israel when Moshiach comes. How do you feel in general about people going to Israel now?
A: Should Jews go to Eretz Yisrael today? Well, they are going constantly; who goes more than Orthodox Jews? If you will see the percentage of people who are leaving Eretz Yisrael, you see it is the non-religious; they are the ones who are running away. They are the ones who settle in America and in Berlin; all over the world. The Orthodox are not leaving Eretz Yisrael.
Only sometimes it is not that easy to go. Just to pick up and to go? You have to have a way of making a living. You have to find a place for our children and so on. It’s not that simple. And therefore let’s not blame anybody who doesn’t go. But certainly orthodox Jews are going all the time and they never stopped going. Because who are the ones who started the whole yishuv in Eretz Yisrael? It wasn’t irreligious Jews who came first; it was all orthodox Jews, all frum Jews, they settled in the very first places. And therefore there is no question that the Torah Jew looks forward with longing and with hope to settling in Eretz Yisrael.
TAPE # 405 (May 1982)
