I’ve always had some difficulty with the well-known rabbinical opinion that Israel is the safest place for Jews. Living in Israel has an element of instability that’s hard to ignore.
Yet now, with antisemitism rearing its ugly head all over the world, I’ve had to reassess. From what I understand by browsing social media and communicating with friends who live abroad, Jews outside Israel feel the rug being pulled from under their feet.
Socially, today Israel is definitely safest for Jews. It’s about the only place in the world where we don’t have to deal with any restrictions in practicing our faith or contemplate hiding our identity. Politically, that’s another story. Many people are displaced and/or living under constant threat.
But the danger and instability in our world are by no means limited to Jews or Israel alone. Deranged and destructive mobs are sweeping over major cities, seeking to sabotage peace, order, culture, freedom, prosperity, and everything else humanity has been working for throughout hundreds of years. If they win, the world gets thrown back into the Middle Ages.
I believe that when the present is scary and the future seems bleak, the only thing that can, practically, give us more safety is a resilient community. For Jews, that’s either Israel or an area abroad with a population that has shown overwhelming support for the Jewish people.
If you aren’t Jewish, I’d still look for a close-knit community of people with a strong moral compass and robust survival skills. Personal weapons are good to have too. Most of the civil unrest seems to be going on in densely populated urban areas, so small towns and the countryside may be safer in the long run. If I lived outside Israel and had the resources, I may have considered investing in a long-term bug-out location.
I hope we all get see a safer world someday soon. In the meantime, I’m taking a little mental vacation by working on my fiction projects. I’m pleased to announce that my newest elemental fantasy novel, Cursed Earth, is now available for preorder. I’m also writing the sequel right now.
May we all get to see a safer world someday soon. In the meantime, take care.
Domestic Felicity 
The safest place in the world is in God’s will. I can’t say I understand rabbinical reasoning, but I’d hazard a guess that is what they mean. They believe it is God’s will for Jews to live in Israel, Israel is thus the safest place for Jews.
In any case, I am praying for you and your family, Anna. I have been reading your blog since before you got married, and I hope that you are able to find peace and safety.
I just read an interesting book called, “When the English Fall” by David Williams. Its post-apocalyptic Amish fiction. I’m not if it would be a good mental break for you at the moment or not, but it is an interesting look at what might happen to an insular seemingly self-sufficient society if the surrounding civilization collapsed.
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Thank you so much, I’ll check it out! I love dystopian fiction. A welcome distraction!
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The safest place is always in the will of God. I’m no rabbi, but I think that’s what they mean when they say Israel is the safest place for Jewish people.
I recently read a book called “When the English Fall” It was post apocalyptic Amish fiction. I’m not sure if that would be appealing right now, but it is an interesting look at how an insular self reliant community might deal with the collapse of the surrounding society.
I’m praying for peace and safety for you and your family. I have been reading your blogs since before you were married and appreciate you keeping us updated.
– Tarynkay
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