Haim Lifshitz relates in his book on Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, Shivchei Harayah, "Someone once told Rabbi Kook, 'God willing, we will move to the Land of Israel.' Rav Kook replied, 'God is certainly willing. What counts is that you be willing.'"
Rabbi Dov Lipman's Coming Home, a survey of Jewish thought on the significance of living in the Land of Israel, is epitomized by this exchange.
Coming Home presents the sources in classic Jewish texts regarding the primacy of living in the Land of Israel in Jewish tradition. Beginning with the story of the first aliyah - Avraham - to twentieth-century leaders, the book includes sources, commentaries, and stories to make the point that living in the Land of Israel is among the highest ideals in Judaism. The book can be appreciated by teenagers through seniors and can be used as a basis for a syllabus or curriculum for a course in schools and synagogues.
Key Points about Coming Home
-Thorough compilation of sources on living in Israel from a diverse range of texts and eras, conveniently gathered into one book
-Accessible to beginners and scholars alike
-Easily serves as the basis and core text for education about aliyah
-A must-read for olim and anyone considering aliyah
About the Author
Rabbi Dov Lipman was elected to the Nineteenth Knesset in January 2013 with the Yesh Atid Party, making him the first American-born member of Knesset in nearly thirty years. Lipman rose to national and international prominence for his role in combatting religious extremism in Bet Shemesh. He is the author of six other books about Judaism and Israel. Rabbi Lipman holds rabbinic ordination from Ner Israel Rabbinical College and a master's in education from Johns Hopkins University. He moved to Israel from Silver Spring, Maryland, in July 2004 with his wife Dena and four children.
