Israel

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Hello,
I'd like to ask a relatively simple, but important(atleast for me) question.
Well, I live in Israel since I was born and I'm okay with the country, although the whole controversies regarding Jerusalem and the Arab war in generally, made me a little disappointed to be living in a country with these kind of problems.
However, surprisingly - a lot of people, especially Americans and Canadians, have been doing the whole "Aliyah" immigration, and even those who dont - appear to be very excited to come and visit Israel and specifically Jerusalem. The question is, why? To tell you the truth, I cant understand why do people find Israel or Jerusalem so interesting. For me, it really doesn't look very interesting or special. I mean, I've been to Jerusalem a number of times... and, nothing. I wasn't excited about anything.
Is it always related to the big religions, like that there are holy sites where Jesus was born / walked on and so on, that attracts Americans to come visit / immigrate? To come here just for these things, no matter how religiously important they may be, still seems to me quite unnecessary and pointless. Why are people so excited about Israel? It's not that interesting.
I understand such people won't be convinced the same way as I am. What I am trying is, I'm just trying to understand the excitement of other people and the strong desire to come to Israel - which doesn't make any sense to me, other than the religious thing and all that.
Thank you

I couldn't care less about Jerusalem.

Israel----and the whole Levant area----happens to have much beautiful scenery.

The climate around Jerusalem is excellent, too. It rarely gets really hot there. It snows there every couple of years or so---but it doesn't often get really cold, either.

Israel is the central part of a lot of peoples religion. Religion is very important to a lot of people.

If you are Jewish one reason is to be with your own kind. While Jews have done extraordinarily well in America being a small minority still means there are times of discomfort. European Jews have real worries about their safety.

From afar it is easy to see only the good things about a place. Most people who live in Jeruselum are not living a religious fantasy and most residents of Anaheim are not living a Disney cartoon. Most of the time residents of these popular destinations are commuting to boring and exhausting jobs, trying to feed and raise a family, etc.

Thank you for all the replies mates. It's interesting to know what you all think, about this and everything.
Well, to be honest, I kinda agree with most of the things you said about all this. The one thing I can't agree with, is the religion part. Although I might not be 100% fair by saying this, but generally, you can live with whatever you believe in and with the religion you have in any place in the world, and as long as you aren't being rude or aggressive about it, nobody is going to bother you about your religious views or beliefs.
The only places I would say it is impossible to have your freedom of religion, would be places like Egypt, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. Places where by law, you are required to follow a certain thing.
Considering the United States is so diverse demographically, there are asians and black people, there are christians and non-christians, jews, and more. If you live in an area full of a**holes, you can move out inside the US without having to leave the US.
I think Israel is a bad country to live in not because it's boring, but because of all the conflicts and constant wars and clashes going on in almost every part of the country, which always leaves a sense of lack of safety.
I used to live in Jerusalem, for many years - I think about 20 if I counted it correctly. I was always living in an uncomfortable environment, and even though the Old City is 10 minutes away from my old home, I was never excited about visiting that or even Dome of the Rock, etc. I never cared. I always wanted to just live in Tel Aviv or other ordinary place in the country, despite the whole country has problems which exist everywhere.
Regarding Israeli people, it's just a nightmare sometimes. Some people here don't give a s**t about you if you aren't like them or similar to them, and that's just a total piss off.
If I could basically jump on a plane and move to the US, I would have already done that 8 years ago. If things were that simple, I would be living a much better life by now. I guess, however, you don't always get what you want. That's life.

"No man is a hero to his butler" they say.

To Christians, Jews, and Muslims, the world over ancient Judea is "the Holy Land". And the city of Jerusalem is ….Jerusalem! A fabled shining city.

But to the folks who live in the Holy Land its just the place they live.

Mark Twain wrote a famous travelogue while touring Europe and the Holy Land, with a group of Americans on a chartered ship, in 1867. And he stunned many of his Christian American readers by reporting that "the Holy Land" wasn't much of a place to look at. Nothing much about the scenery nor anything about the place excited him. So Twain agreed with you!

For religious Jews, Israel is like paradise because they can actually sort of live like normal people there. Meaning they can eat in most restaurants, and the calendar is organized around Jewish holidays. Their usual lives are normally very isolated in comparison. I have heard religious Jews eagerly talk about how they are saving up for their next trip to Israel.

I have actually been there a couple of times. I don't plan on going back any time soon, however there have been times when I have felt like going just to show that I am not afraid to go there or to give the finger to those who wish to boycott the place.

In general though, if you don't have a religious reason to go, or are not extremely interested in the local archaeology, then I wouldn't consider a trip to Israel as a priority. Having said that, I do believe some Europeans go to Eilat in Winter because it's relatively close and cheap (?) but a North American would not have that reason to go.

Actually, I believe a lot of European Jews like to go there just because for them it's nice to go somewhere Jews are in charge and they can be openly Jewish (plus it's a lot closer than for North Americans). I know a Jewish lady in France who has gone to Tel Aviv a couple of times with friends just to hang out on the beach. There is a lot of prejudice against Jews in France. So there's that.

I've been to Israel and I thought it was amazing, particularly Jerusalem which is so full of history you can't even get your head around it. Yes I went for 'religious' reasons although I am not a member of any of the faiths that hold the place in such high regard but I have an interest in Middle eastern spirituality so Jerusalem was a major destination for me. There is so much in the Old City that completely blew me away, particularly the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which to be honest wasn't even on my agenda originally but is a really beautiful and genuinely awe-inspiring place in my opinion whatever your beliefs or non-beliefs happen to be. Really there is a lot about Israel that I loved, the landscape is incredible for one but there is always the over-riding concern with the political situation there and that's the reason why I am so ambivalent about going back. I would love to visit again but the Israeli regime seems so terrible to me that I struggle to justify going there again.

An American buddy in college who is Jewish was quite emotional about traveling to Israel.

American Evangelical Christians LOVE Israel, both as a cause, and as a travel destination, because of their notions of the coming "End times", and of Israel's role in the supposed coming End Times. Every American Evangelical wants to walk around a look at the scenery at Harm Meggido Israel (the literal actual "Armeggedon" where the future "Ameggedon" is supposed to happen), on top wanting to see Jersusalem. .

It always struck as a paradox: the whole reason for the creation of the modern state of Israel was as a life boat for Jews in the diaspora. But Israel itself is more dangerous than the ship its serving. Many, like the OP, want to abandon the life boat for the safer parts of the diaspora ship (like the US). Whats the use of a lifeboat if its leakier than the ship?

I believe the scenery in Israel.....especially in the mountains....is underrated.