At the end of the Seder, we all sing "l'Shana Haba B'Yrushalayim", next year in Jerusalem. As a child, it was explained to me by my school teachers that we were still enslaved, and hoping that next year we will be able to live in freedom in Israel. So, even while living in freedom here in the United States, we were slaves, because we were unable to make Aliyah. It was presented to me that historically the phrase was written because Israel as a country didn't exist, and it was our sincere hope that someday it would. But now that Israel did exist, at that time that it was too risky and expensive to simply move there... Not having the money to move internationally, not having a job in Israel, not having any friends/family there... People still were prevented from making Aliyah.
So, to my teachers, the phrase literally meant that they wanted to physically be in Israel the next year, but did not see any clear way to make that happen, and did not see this as ever being achievable within their lifetimes.
But, now making Aliyah is much easier, and while still a big risky move, there are many more families making this transition happen than ever before.
So, what of the Seder phrase? If you were one of my teachers, and finally made Aliyah, then what do you now say at your Seder? In fact, if you live in Jerusalem in the first place, does saying this make any sense at all?
And what if you don't want to make Aliyah? What if you're happy living in whatever country you are living in, and don't have any desire to live in Israel?
Rabbis have told me that the "Jerusalem" referred to in that statement is a theoretical Jerusalem, a reference to the messianic era. It doesn't mean being physically situated in the city, but that by this time next year the messiah would have arrived. It's an excellent answer.
But, going back to my childhood, many of my teachers saw this phrase as a literal injunction. We should all desire to move to Israel at the first opportunity to do so. I wonder today how they would answer my question.
