Not Kedai for most people--Moving to the secular state of israel (SSOI)

Beit Shemesh, 6,500 NIS for a 3 bedroom apt. That means 3 small bedrooms and a small all purpose room with enough space for a small dining room table. That's 2,226.94 United States Dollars a month's rent. In my observation, the typical oleh earns around 5,000 NIS a month. I had two different jobs that paid 5,000 a month. That's less than the rent. I know numerous olim who can't even find steady work at that salary.  In Oak Park, MI you can get a 3 bedroom house for $1,375/mo.  That comes with a front yard, back yard, living room, dining room, and den, i.e. area where kids can play without tearing each other to shreds. You might even have visitors. According to Zip recruiter, "The average salary in Detroit, Michigan is approximately \(\$71,000\) to \(\$83,000\) per year, while the median salary is around \(\$69,000\) to \(\$73,000\)."  5,000 NIS a month is $20,000 a year. So allow me to summarize. If you make aliyah, you will likely earn less than your monthly ...

  The world’s most polite countries 1. Japan 2. Canada 3. United Kingdom 4. China 5. Germany 6. Philippines 7. Sweden 8. Denmark 9. Finland 10. South Africa 11. Australia 11. Switzerland 13. United States 14. India 15. Ireland 16. New Zealand 17. Norway 18. Thailand 18. France 20. Brazil Based on a global survey by Remitly, nearly 5,000 people across 26 countries shared their experiences with politeness, hospitality, and everyday manners around the world.

More than 90% of grain consumption in Israel is from imports, not from locally grown grain.

Sat behind a yeshiva bochur on the bus today. Not such a Harerdi but sort of. He spoke the entire time about violence, how to beat someone up, kick him in the face,etc. Then he talked about car accidents and explosions. Is that just Israel? Are yeshiva boys in London talking this way?

A guy at wedding asked me how long I have been in Israel. 10 years I said. How long for you? 7 years he said with a look of pain on his face. How's it going I said. We have no family here he said. It's tough.  I didn't ask him what wasn't going well. I asked a neutral question and he replied with pain. Keep that in mind. 

So Rabbi Jeremy Wieder of YU is making aliyah. How do I know that? It's because any time a rabbi in the Modern Orthodox world makes aliyah they bring out the brass band to celebrate as if it's the biggest event in his life, as if nothing has mattered until then. Same when Yosef Blau made aliyah. Tell the world, it's so exciting.  What kind of message is that? Have they ever finished Shas, married off a kid, done a chesed, had a spiritual epiphany, wrote a book, engaged in kiruv? None of that matters, only moving to Israel matters. I think they look at it as evidence of tzidkus, because how could anyone not live in Israel, so all the good people come. That's the philosophy. And that philosophy is shallow. A Jew is judged by the mitzvos he does. Where can he do more? Living in Israel isn't even obligatory. There are many mitzvos that are more important. So what we have here is yet another trick of the yetzer hara, a trick to get people away from mitzvos. 

Went to a wedding in Jerusalem last night. Only 18 miles away, it took 2 hours to get there and 3 hours to return home. I left the office at 5 PM and arrived to the wedding at 7. Stayed two hours, leaving at  9 PM. Returned home at midnight.  This is what happens when you don't have a car. And I took a taxi from the bus station to the wedding. Driver ripped us off of course, saying it was far and there was lots of traffic, so he would only do it for 100 NIS. We offered 80. He said he'd only do it for 100. Note: it is easier to bargain with the Arab drivers. Taxi trip took 10 minutes. There was no traffic and it wasn't far. Coming back, we couldn't find a taxi so we had to hunt for a bus, which took 20 minutes and the trip took 1/2 hour, and then at the Central Station we waited 45 minutes for a bus, even though the sign said one was coming in ten, but that one never showed. Entire trip of 7 hours for a wedding where we only stayed two.  I could have driven from New York...