Dear YWN,
I have two children currently in Eretz Yisroel. My son is in a prominent yeshiva, and daughter in a well-known seminary.
It is becoming very worrisome, that our children may not be able to return to Eretz Yisroel if they come to the United States for Pesach.
Some Yeshivas have told their sons that if they go home for Pesach they should take all their belongings home with them. Some told them they can’t leave for Pesach. Some told them they are leaving at their own risk. Some haven’t said anything.
The seminaries are no different. There are a hundred different rumors and emails and letters, and some haven’t said anything.
My children are supposed to come home in 3 weeks.
Why are we not discussing this major issue? There are thousands upon thousands upon thousands of Yeshiva boys and girls in Eretz Yisroel currently in limbo.
What happens if they come home and then not allowed to return? Will they have Yeshivas to go to? What will the girls do?
This is very distressing, and I am hoping this public letter will generate a discussion among our leadership and perhaps guide us with Daas Torah on how to proceed.
If it pays to mention, there are many Yeshivas that are not accepting new Bochrim for after Pesach, and we will once again have a repeat nightmare like we had last year after Pesach, when thousands of Bochrim had absolutely no Yeshivas. Thankfully, there were those who stepped up to the plate and opened Yeshivas especially for those Bochrim. Are there plans in case this occurs again?
Name withheld upon request.
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29 Responses
I feel terrible for all the children & their families, though why did they go in the first place? There are no seminaries & yeshivas in the US or wherever you live? We are living in a pandemic for a year now. Its nothing new
Im not a gadol Hador or rosh Yeshiva but IMHO if you son has just joined learning in Eretz Yisroel then it’s definitely not worth the risk of having him home for pesach with a big chance of him not being able to go back to continue his learning there. These years in Eretz Yisroel are a foundation to his/her future IYH when they get married and making a frum torah home with proper chinuch and yiddishkeit.
For the price of seeing him/her for a few weeks total it’s not the risk of losing this important foundation of their future life ahead IYH besides for his priceless torah learning
This all applies the same in regards to girls currently in Seminary in Eretz Yisroel. And so important to be there for their full time to prepare for a new home and family when Hashem sends them their zivvug chosen for them already since 40 days before they were born
(I.e. there’s no shidduch crises. Everyone has their zivvug waiting for them-for over 20 years already since 40 days before they were born- Hashem is just waiting for YOUR ruchnius hishtadlus in regards to shidduchim of proper bitachon and emunah in Hashem and serious davening to Hashem to send you your zivvug bkarov)
I feel for your situation. I too have a child in a prominent in mosad in Eretz Yisroel who is very much looking forward to coming home for Pesach. He is also facing the reality that he might not be able to come home or will choose not to come home for fear of not being able to return. However, I would not characterize it as “worrisome” or “distressing”. It is rather an opportunity to realize how much good we are used to. I feel that being stuck away from family for Yom Tov, however disappointing that will be, needs to be put into proper perspective. Eretz Yisroel for Yom Tov! With Friends! With food to eat! We have to appreciate our challenges but put them into perspective.
If your ready to have your child sitting home till Shavuos then you may risk it but I would definitely not bring my child home it will be bein hazmanim get him a locked smart phone and spent some extra time on video call
It’s long past time to have more yeshivos and seminaries here, so parents don’t have to spend tens of thousands of dollars on sending their children overseas.
My grandchildren in high school are in the same position. One of my daughters said her daughter is coming home and if she can’t go back until after Succos, ze hu. The other doesn’t know what to do, as her daughter graduates this year. I may not be here to host them.
But if the government can’t deliver on all the hype of “green passports”, does anyone think they even consider these students? This whole pandemic has been mismanaged from day one. The only solution is to vote in a new government that will give over responsibility for everything pandemic to a responsible team of experts (medical, educational, economic etc) and let them do their jobs.
“Prominent yeshiva” and “well known seminary”. Clown.
Obviously they should become Wrestlers, because Eretz Yisroel is apparently in desperate need of such people, and they will be allowed in and out of the country freely.
https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/featured/1947073/the-latest-extreme-difficulties-entering-israel-additional-emergency-flights.html
Yes, distressing that the airport is supposedly closed but 900 random ppl could get entry in no problem for the sports event
Guys, this is the galus of Zionism and until Mashiach comes theres nothing to do about it
All the South Africans can come to us.
So the yeshiva should avoid weeks of bittul Torah (known as Pesach vacation) and continue learning in Israel. In the ‘real world’ there is no concept of getting out of work weeks before pesach. There certainly isn’t any aveirah I am familiar with of having shiurim up until a few days before yomtov, which at that point the boys and girls are either hosted for yomtov meals, or the yeshiva offers yomtov meals for the students. All of that tuition, why not offer an option for remaining in the dorms and the meal plan throughout this 6+ week hiatus from Torah and Ruchnious?
If all parents encourage their children to stay in EY and pressure all yeshivos and seminaries to provide a comprehensive programme over Bein Hazmanim, there will be no problem.
Now is not the time for 10,000s of people to be flying back and forth between EY and chutz l’aretz. Last year, a small handful of yeshivos continued programming for bochrim who chose to stay. The vast majority of boys reported the incredible positive experience it was, and they were the only ones able to learn in yeshiva for summer zman.
Staying in yeshiva and sem for Bein Hazmanim should be seen as the default during the pandemic, but it will only become that if parents put pressure on the yeshivos to provide.
Would it be so terrible if they stayed in Eretz Yisroel for Pesach? Even if they could go home and get back in, is it really worth the weeks of quarantining and disrupted schedules?
Maybe use the money you would have spent on their flights for your local kimcha d’pischa, or at least give it to the families that will be hosting them who might even qualify for kimcha d’pischa themselves.
Besides, I don’t know how it works by the girls (my sisters never came home from seminary for Pesach), but the yeshiva zman is not over until rosh chodesh. Why should they be planning to come home in three weeks?
Nebach. So that they can shteig another 3 weeks during Pesach vacation worries you?? How low have we stooped? Really! You should be overjoyed that they can be zoche to another few weeks in e’y.
“Why are we not discussing this major issue?”
Because it isn’t a major issue. it is at best a minor issue.
you have 2 choices:
1) keep them in ISrael over Pesach
2) Bring hem home, knowing they might not be able to go back
If you are old enough to have children of seminary/yeshiva age, you are old enough to make this decision (together with them)
kol tuv and hatzlacha
When i was in Yeshiva in EY . Half of the Yeshiva stayed there. Everyone who did loved it. For many they are only away for the 1 year. It will be better for everyone for them to just stay. Aggravation is bad for your health.
I hate to break it to you but THEY ARE HOME! Eretz Yisrael is where they really belong as do we all. There are really two issues at play here
1) Girls: There is absolutely no reason for girls who go to EY for 9 months (I don’t know anyone who goes for a year) to leave for another month out of that and then return 2 months later. It is insane that this has become the norm. As if the parents do not have enough pressure paying for seminary as it is.
2) Boys: Even if you assume the boy has been there for 11 months max, it is not the end of the world for him to stay a few more months. Let him come to chutz laaretz (not home) in the summer or for sukkos if need be. If he is old enough to go for the year he should be old enough to stay (and enjoy it) for a for few more months. If the issue is that his parents miss him then it is also time for the parents to do a little growing up.
If this is the biggest problem that the Jewish community has and our askanim have nothing better to work on then we are in really good shape. This issue is minor I am surprised it gets such prominence on YWN (unless of course it is just a troll looking for angry responses)
This made me snort out loud.
Really? Let them stay in EY and learn how to maturely deal with life’s curveballs.
There is a pandemic going on.
EY is dealing with new covid variants that are proving to be more dangerous for younger and pregnant people. And your main concern is how to bring thousands and thousands of people, from there, to here?? So they can improperly quarantine and spread it around here ch”v?
Theyre big boys and girls, no?
Sent to EY to finish themselves off, to develop into mature adults? To officially become “ready for shidduchin”?
Yet somehow, theyre not capable of managing wihout being flown home to Mommy and Totty for yomtov…
Meh.
my heart bleeds borscht for your major catastrophic “major issue”
who told you your daughter (who coudve stayed in the usa and studied local) must come home pesach when shes due to come home 6 weeks later is it יהרוג ואל יעבור do you think they dont keep kosher or pesach in israel?
and as far as your son if hes such a masmid let him not take the risk of messing up his summer zman and let him stay together with his sister in israel for pesach and he can come home to visit his family during summer bein hazmanim
and yes i also have a son and daughter in israel my son hasnt been back since 2 summers ago not coming pesach choosing to stay last pesach for the very reason you write the fear of not being let back in and missing the summer zman
and my daughter whos in seminary ISNT coming home pesach she was told before she went that were not paying 2 tickets when shes do to come home beginning of june so i practice what i preach
amazing the times we are living in and this is your problem warranting a letter to yeshiva world i end by giving you a brocho may this be the biggest problem and challenge you face this year
“my son is in a prominent yeshivah”…
every yeshiva is prominent.
this is called a T4
T4 is when you drop information that is completely unneeded and self promoting.
While its true that we need guidance from Daas Torah to navigate this issue, a greater issue that we need guidance is on how to reverse the culture of entitlement that has become engrained in the frum community. How often do we ourselves frown upon and get annoyed at poorly paid customer service reps (at the bank, post office, department store etc) who don’t feel like lifting a finger to help us? How often do we consider them lazy and entitled? We are far worse ourselves. We can not be bothered by the slightest of inconveniences, and have lost the inner strength and wherewithal to accept the concept of “No” in any aspect of our lives. Our children must be accepted into the most prominent of yeshivas/seminaries, and they must be able to fly in and out for pesach as long as we are paying for the tickets. The American government can not force us to close our schools, shuls, summer camps or pesach programs. Its unconstitutional. Who are they to tell us what to do?
What has happened to us? This is not normal.
Those who chose to send their children to EY this year, many who went after Succos, were aware already then of the difficulties and steps required of attaining entry into the county. Did you really think things would change in a few months? What message are you giving to your children by venting your frustration on a minor detail when that same situation that has claimed the lives of many of our nation?
there are as many opinions here as there are commenters.. so will add one more by addressing some of the points mentioned
the letter assuming its real brings up a valid point; “THE UNKNOWN” vos vet zein.. – being in a state of limbo & doubt robs a person of any menucha but at the same time there is no freedom from uncertainty
parents & children need an answer about where they will be for chodesh nisan , either choice needs planning both from school hanahala & parents – there are numerous ramifications… simchas.. financial .. shiduchim , college ,job search BIGGEST OF ALL where is corona going are we on the way out or chas veshalom beginning another round with new strains..
children wanting to come home & parents wanting to be with them is torahdik & healthy it offers a reset for all involved when they go back.. addl expense yes but thats all in package if u dont have 20 grand so another 2g on amex NUNU!! somehow it works its bichlal hotzaos shabbos veyomtov
as some have commented the fact that there are choices in america is not relevant to the conversation as far as maturing i am 40+ and still need to grow up some more its a life process , true the boys / girls are a bosor vedam not on the level of ….yet they have a ratzon to grow or at least want to want to grow ashrei lohem
as far as bringing in the new strain is a very very good question …my hunch is that in 3 weeks we will have a better pic of where we stand and being thats its been a rough year for the kids in e”y most will hop on a plane the week of yomtov
Totally crazy. Stay where you are for the next several months and stop whining about not being able to come home to mommy and daddy for 2 weeks. There are literally millions of people in the U.S. and EY who have no jobs, no money little food and barely hanging on and you expect anyone to feel sorry for the fact you will have to stay in EY and learn while being fed and cared for???
No problem. Everyone stay there. Have the pesach seder together, boys and guys. Boom, shidduch crisis solved
This is NOT a Major issue.
So many of those responding here do not understand what a real crisis is. How can the girls stay here when they did not bring enough clothes with them for another Yom Tov, nor do they have the right color and style of shoes. Whilst it may be possible to get used to the lower culinary standards in Eretz Yisroel for a few months, for Yom Tov a girl needs the Hilton or Hyatt in wherever it is to get back to some level of sanity. The Israeli government should think of these things not just shut down the skies. If you do not understand what I mean just look at one of the prominent “Haredi” magazines published in Israel and New York and its Purm Mishloach Manos supplement. There is no equivalence between Yiddishkeit and the boasted affluence of the US Haredi community. Stop crying and get a life!
@davetherave….while i agree with your sentiment i cant fully endoerse the “boys and guys shidduch crisis” lol
Boruch Hashem these are the problems we have. My daughter who is in not such a prominent seminary this year was told at the beginning of the year that due to corona everyone will need to stay for Pesach. Perhaps the prominent seminary you sent to is not as responsible as the less prominent one.