Reply To: Is Aliyah a wise choice in the nuclear age?

To say that the government is anti-religious is a blood libel! the government is mainly secular but Jewish holidays are legal holidays, Shabbat is a legal day of rest, etc., etc. Except for a daat yachid (which Rav Teichtal says in “Em HaBanim Semeicha” is the sin of the spies) agreed that it is a mitzva. Of course, if someone does not have transferable job skils, is middle-aged, etc. he may be temporarily exempt but one has to examine his situation periodically to see if he is still exempt.