Kol Yisrael – Voices on Jewish Responsibility Across Borders

This essay is part of a continuing series featuring distinguished writers on the bond and shared responsibility between chareidi Jews in the Diaspora and those living in Eretz Yisrael. Through personal experience, reflection, and thoughtful perspective, the series seeks to deepen the conversation and highlight meaningful points of connection. Readers are invited to share their thoughts at [email protected]

When the Dream Meets Real Life
By Rabbi Zev Leff    

The following incident was a turning point in my settling in Eretz Yisroel. It was ten P.M., and I had given a shiurin Tel Aviv and was on my way back home to Moshav Matityahu, about a 45-minute drive. I noticed that I was low on gasoline and pulled into a gas station to fill up. After waiting a considerable amount of time for an attendant to appear, I assumed it was self-service and got out of my car to fill up on my own.

Suddenly, an attendant appeared and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was attempting to purchase gasoline to fill my gas tank so I could return home. He told me that all the gas stations were on strike and he could not sell me gas. I pleaded with him to sell me enough so I could get home and would pay double. He refused, saying that he was afraid I was a spy for the Histadrut labor union and that he would lose his license.

I explained to him that I was stranded, with no bus service at that hour to Matityahu, and a cab would cost me a good portion of my salary. He then told me that the strike would be over at 6 A.M., and he could sell me gasthen. He said that I could sleep in the station until morning. With no other option, I called my wife and informed her that I would be spending the night in a gas station.

I returned to my car and inquired where I could sleep, to which the attendant replied, “In your car, of course.” I got into my car extremely upset. This seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, and I decided then and there that we would return to the States, as the acclimation to Israel was too difficult.

I managed to fall asleep and woke up at about 3 A.M. Now in a calmer mood, I reasoned with myself, “Was the reason you left your position in North Miami Beach and made Aliyah to Eretz Yisroel with your family so that you should never have to sleep in a gas station? Obviously, there were very good reasons for your decision to make Aliyah to Eretz Yisroel. Can one night of discomfort sleeping in a gas station negate all those reasons? Obviously not.”

From that point on, none of the yissurim through which Eretz Yisroel is acquired could have caused me to return to chutz la’aretz. This Elul, we will celebrate our forty-third year in Eretz Yisroel