I am glad we left

I am glad we left North America when we did. It seems that nowhere is safe for a Jew anymore. Even here in Eretz Yisrael it is not safe- but I believe that it is safer than anywhere else. Here, say what you will of the government, you are going to be physically protected no matter who you are.

I know there are those who read here who do not agree with Israel's policy and war on Aza- and who would gladly blame the rise of antisemitism in the last few weeks on events in the middle east, but I just do not believe that to be the case.

The terror attacks in Mumbai took place before Israel decided it was time to stop the attacks on her citizens. One of the kedoshim in the Chabad house was from Toldos Ahron community. They are not even zionist! Who owns what piece of land is not of any particular significance to them.

The world is not becoming friendlier towards us. A simmering hatred is slowing starting to come to the surface. The hope is it will never resurface completely, but we are already starting to see bits of the old evil.

Walking around Beit shemesh I have met more and more recent olim from France and England who feared for their safety in chu"l. What we are seeing worldwide is not a rise in antizionism. It is a rise in people who now believe they have a loophole to show their antisemetism in the open.

Stabbing doctors? Stoning cars? Banning professors for their political beliefs? Setting fires to shuls? bomb threats to day schools? In Denmark school adminsterators are asking Jewish parents not to enrol their children in the secular school system (for their own safety).

You can believe the protests we are seeing- the thousands who came out in Toronto to protest Israel's stand against Aza- are merely "peace" protestors, but again I can not agree. What do many of the signs say? Sure I am sure a lot of us saw the sign about someone hating "Juice", but we all know what it was supposed to say. Not "I hate zionists". Not even "I hate people who I beleive took land they did not have a right to". No, it sais they hate Jews. All Jews. You. Me. That child whose kindergarten in Sderot now has a whole in it's roof. That man having a big mac who barely remembers he had a bar mitzvah. All of us.

You may think you are exempt. That you are different. But history has shown us that we are a hated and tormented people. And the cycle is rising again.

So stay safe. Watch your back. Watch your front. Watch your sides. If you are down south watch the skies.

Come home now. come home while you can.