Iran vs. Me

The Persians are intelligent. They know how to destroy us. They did it before. They saw it was done countless of times. There is only one thing Israel can do.

In a recent book, the Ayatollah Khamenei laid out his plan to destroy Israel. It wasn't anything new. He remembers the strategy of the very man who stood in his shoes thousands of years ago. The king of Persia knew that if the Jews would celebrate being Persian citizens first, and forget about our Holy Land, we would be lambs to the slaughter.

The Purim story began with a calculation by the King of Persia that on a particular day Hashem would return the Jews to Israel. The day came and went, and nothing. So he made a feast. He invited the Jews to celebrate the end of Israel.

Instead of mourning, or praying for redemption, we came. We dined with utensils from our Temple. We gazed at the lascivious Persian women. We celebrated being citizens of a new chosen nation.

That's when Hashem decreed that we must all die. It was only a repentance performed after the decree was made that we were miraculously saved.

The Ayatollah wants to try again. He's determined to get it right this time. He reasons that a series of terror attacks, small wars, and diplomatic isolation will make life so difficult in Israel, we Jews will leave in droves. The Persian leader remembers how Saladin only drove away the Crusaders after 100 years of tough living in the Middle East. Weariness and emigration wore down the Crusader communities to a point where what remained was easy prey.

The majority of Jewish wealth, influence, and power still resides in exile. These are tempting pleasures for any Israeli Jew to abandon his nation. They are just as tempting for a Jew living in exile to stay where they are.

That's what Iran wants more than anything.  A smaller Israel, and an easier target.

Every time we choose to prolong our exile, someone in Tehran sings from the river to the sea, Palestine is free.

Here is where the nation which named itself after the Aryan race is wrong:

1. Living in Israel is not impossible.

If moving to a country where you don't know the language, the culture, the bureaucracy, or job market is so hard, how come over 100,000 American Jews have done it? They have done it extraordinarily well. American Israeli Jews are prominent in every political party, and have served as Chief Rabbis, ministers, ambassadors, even generals in the IDF. Let's not forget Jim and Myra Bennett of San Francisco. They moved to Israel over 50 years ago and today their son, Naftali, has run for Prime Minister twice.

2. Living in Israel requires less sacrifice than you think.

Gone are the days of one phone and slow mail. Every creature comfort available to you in the west, is here. We also have smartphones, internet, and Wi-Fi so you can stay in touch with friends and family anywhere on earth, stay up to date on everything that is happening, and enjoy malls, parks, café's or anything you want.

3. You can keep your dreams. You can hold onto everything you've always wanted. 

Israel desperately needs native English speakers to promote and sell all of the hi-tech innovations its citizens are inventing every 2 seconds. There is a massive need for English speakers in web programming, content writing, copywriting, Corporate Public Relations, online and offline marketing, sales, SEO, social media, and a lot more. Getting a job while you improve your Hebrew skills is easy. Even if these fields seem a little daunting, do not despair. 24% of software programmers are self-taught. You can go to Lynda.com and learn any of it. Work here for a few years, continue to build up your skills, and you will eventually develop new ideas for businesses, products, and career paths which will make a good living, buy your family a permanent home, and retire early with all your financial needs met.

It is up to us to make living in Israel fun. You heard me: Fun! That's how we win! Once we make life here full of enjoyment, personal growth and dreams, we will spend half of our prayers thanking G-d for Commanding us here.

This is the only way to punch Persia square in the face!

G-d wants us to be happy. He wants us to dream. He wants us to achieve. Once we pray to Hashem that He answer our dreams of living here forever, our enemies are ruined. We will grow in numbers. We will expand in every way.

Go to Lynda.com and learn SEO. Get a book on JavaScript. Learn to build a mobile application. There are hundreds of fields where native English speakers have a clear advantage over everyone else. The country is bending over backwards with tax breaks, grants, and low-interest loans to get you to come and build the next Facebook.

Is this holy? You better believe it's holy. Nobody is telling you to stop learning. Make it part of your daily schedule. Do it first to tell Hashem that of all the priorities in your multi-tiered life, He comes first! The Israeli work week extends from Sunday to Thursday – work your tail off these five days so you can make Shabbat the greatest experience ever.

Stay up late Thursday and prepare for Shabbat. Use Friday to experience over 100 nature reserves and national parks that sport everything from rivers, streams, fish ponds, mountains, hiking trails, petting zoos, picnic areas, camping spots, wild animal forests, and so much more. Traveling the country will feel like you are exploring a area larger than China.

This is our ancient and eternal solution to destroying Iran. We serve Hashem with joy by making life in Israel sweet. A hundred years from now these Persian punks will be scratching their heads watching our great great grandchildren dance in rebuilt Jerusalem, as part of a population 5 times greater than it is today.

The Ayatollahs will be sipping Starbucks in Central Park long before we ever will.

But only you can make this happen.