Poker, The Jews, and Returning to Israel

[Lucky]

Disclaimer: the following post is ABSOLUTELY not intended to be anti-semitic, although I'm sure some will interpret it that way. It's merely to illustrate how poker has changed the way I look at almost every facet of life.

Ariel Sharon is constantly imploring Jews throughout the world to return to Israel, both for their safety (in the face of rising anti-semitism in France for example) and because it is their destiny as good Jews (his belief).

The fact of the matter is that this is not happening on any large scale. To explain why, some have pointed out many Jews:

1. Aren't religious
2. Consider themselves more French/American/Canadian than Jewish/Israeli
3. Are content/don't like change.

While 2 and 3 are might be valid, I don't think 1 is. The fact of the matter is that a sizable portion of the Israeli population is absolutely secular.

Here's my hypothesis: Due to their hardscrabble history and discrimination they've faced, Jews are the sharks in the economic game of life. While it is not often discussed in polite company, most know this to be true. Therefore, for most Jews contemplating a return to Israel, it must be akin to thinking about transferring one's entire Party roll to Pokerstars. The Jews aren't returning to Israel because the games aren't that good there. They've found soft games with more fish elsewhere.


Comments?

[Malarky]

SIR YOU HAVE DEEPLY OFFENDED ME

[3rdCheckRaise]

hmm...ever thought of safety??? Would you transfer your entire bankroll from Stars to Party if you knew there is an outside chance of party getting bombed by a religiuos maniac from Paradise or attacked by someone hired by UB or Empire???

[craig r]

your argument is a fallacy of analogy.

[libertarian]

"The Jews aren't returning to Israel because the games aren't that good there. They've found soft games with more fish elsewhere."

Since the economic competition in the major centres of Jewish population in the West such as New York, Paris and London probably is just as fierce as in Israel, I think this theory can be discounted.

Also, it's educated and ambitious people who create employment opportunities for other educated and ambitious people - which would explain why you are more likely to find more Ivy League graduates going to New York or Silicone Valley than Alabama, instead of the other way around.

[Gamblor]

First of all, about 1/5th of Jews outside Israel live below the poverty line, so I don't think economics is as big an issue as you'd think.

That being said, why do you think my family, as soon as their bankrolls got big enough, left the table?

Read "What Israelis Really Think of American Jews" by Matti Golan. His thesis is essentially that American Jews are far worse for Israel than Arafat or any Arab could ever be.

I read it a couple months ago and have never heard the feelings I have towards American and Canadian Jews put so well. Essentially, Jews here are comfortable, and they know Israel still requires a pioneer mentality and it's still in the process of nation-building, so why leave?

Yet they claim to love Israel and donate money (most of which never gets there) and rally and all that crap because they know that should it all go to hell again, they'll come running up to the door knocking frantically. There simply can't be any sort of connection between someone who sends his son to fight in Lebanon and someone who sends his son to Harvard. I've said on this forum before, American Jews in general are hypocrites and two-faced and I, for one, when I graduate, will be returning for my miluim.

To American Jews who whine "I love Israel I love Israel" I always offer to switch with them. I'll go live in a Long Island mansion while you go to Israel and you go spend a month every year guarding some base in the Negev 16 hours a day.

[Luv2DriveTT]

I think the starting post of this thread is offensive, and the poster himself ignorant. I'm surprised he didn't also discuss the fact that investment in watermellon and fried chicken operations in the US is a good idea now that the african american population has grown. Ignorance and biggotry hidden within a political subtext is still ignorant biggotry no matter how you slice it.

With that said I belive the majority of American Jews think of themselves as individuals first. They may jokingly make fun of the stereotypes, but most do not fit within this same stereotype. Israelis have a vastly different culture, I know many American born jews who do not like Israeli people yet support the state.

As for myself - I am jewish but I am not a Zionist. Not everyone belives the state of Israel should have been created after WWII, but now that it exists I belive it should remain - sans the war criminal Sharron.

just my 2 cents - I know some of you will disagree, but its an important point of view which is opften overlooked since the majority of people in Isreal are secular and want peace through engagement, but the nation is run by the vocal right wing minority.