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Okay so I just went to this parenting speecher thing at my shul, and she was talking about how you can like help your children not view being jewish as something bad.

So now I'm wondering who feels that it's easier to be a Jewish in America or Israel? What's harder, what's easier! I think this would be a cool discussion with everyone in israel, cause then they coudl tell why it's harder to be in America, and vise versa.

yea that would be the one thing that I'd like about living in Israel, but then I wonder is religion kind of tossed to the side and the importance lost? Or not anymore than in america?

As a jew in america, I think it would be easier being a jew in israel. But I havent been to israel yet.

I might go next year hopefully.

It helps that my moms a travel agent.

Easier to be religiously or culturally Jewish?

Cause I would say it's probably much easier to be culturally Jewish in Israel, but easier to be religiously Jewish in the United States. My friend in Israel says most Israelis are pretty irreligious, and most of my reading tends to support that view. Also, in the US you have different movements, in Israel it's pretty much Reform or Orthodox.

howsabout we just go with whomever actually lives in israel? or, at the very least, those who have been there.

honestly, no offense to the OP, but i really don't see any point here.

You mentioned two separate things, and I'll address them as such:

There is the prospect of "being jewish" and there is the prospect of "living safely".

For the sake of this discussion, I think it's important we define what we mean when we say "being jewish". Let's assume that by saying jewish, we mean being somewhat religious (or at least interested in keeping the religion). Now if you were to ask "where is it easier to 'Be jewish'?" The answer is most definitely in Israel.

If you were to ask me about "living safely", and by that mean where is safer as of not being involved in attacks? The answer in many cases would be not in Israel, though I think it is important to remember the casualty rate as a result of attacks are quite low, and the chances of being involved in a car accident are much higher (though that isn't saying much, seeing as how people drive on the road today stare ). Just note that this has nothing to do with the fact that you're jewish. The attacks effect everyone all the same, it doesn't matter who you are.

So if you're wondering which is better for being the Jew you were meant to be, then you should consider this: The security situation doesn't have to do with the jewish religion itself, nor with the people living in Israel, rather it is the outcome of certain creatures that have interest in the land too... By not living in Israel, these people receive what they desired... They are willing to die for Israel, a land which isn't theirs. This land is yours... don't you think you would be willing to sacrifice the same for your land?

But if you're wondering which is better for just living it out, and practically ignoring your heritage, then by all means, the answer would be outside Israel.

Wish I could. sad

i would disagree, i think.

perhaps for the established, mature individual, you would be correct. it is easier to live a frum live in israel. but i would argue that for a still-developing child, or a growing family, it may be in some ways all the more difficult. in chutz l'aretz, one has the concrete, definite seperation of jew and non-jew. there is no "secular jew" to speak of, at least not israeli proportions. there are irreligious jews, and many of them, but relatively few who would define themselves as secular by principal.

so. in israel, it can be far easier to "go off", because there is already a majority who have, and the party lines are blurry and ill-defined. there's always more jews to associate with, and many who despise the "old-fashioned". for one who is staunch in his/her belief, this matters little. but what of others, who don't know what to believe?

just my 2 cents, and not all that well-founded at that. still, something to think about.