A Prophetic Call Home: Why Israel Is Urging Jews Worldwide To Return

Against the backdrop of rising antisemitism and growing global instability, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has issued a call that echoes both history and prophecy: Jews around the world should return home to Israel.

Speaking at the "J-50" Forum--an initiative Sa'ar launched in May to maintain direct, ongoing dialogue with Jewish leaders worldwide--he urged Jews in the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Canada, and Belgium to make Aliyah, the return to the Jewish homeland.

"We stand for the right of every Jew to live in security anywhere," Sa'ar said. "But today, I am calling on Jews...to immigrate to Israel." He continued, "We have learned lessons from our history. I believe it is my duty to do so and to enable Jews to raise their children in a non-hostile environment, in their true home: the Land of Israel."

The statement was not made lightly. It reflects a sobering reality: Jewish communities across the West are increasingly feeling like guests in societies that once promised tolerance but now offer uncertainty, intimidation, and, in some cases, open hostility.

The surge in antisemitism since October 7 has been dramatic and global. Jewish neighborhoods have been targeted, synagogues vandalized, students harassed on university campuses, and public expressions of Jewish identity discouraged or outright attacked. In cities once considered among the safest in the world for Jewish life, families now ask whether it is wise to wear a yarmulke, display a mezuzah, or speak openly about Israel.

Israel was founded precisely to answer moments like this.

The modern Jewish state exists not only as a political entity but as a permanent refuge--a homeland meant to ensure that Jews would never again be entirely dependent on the goodwill of others for their survival. Sa'ar's appeal reflects that founding logic: history shows that antisemitism rarely remains contained, and warnings ignored too often come too late.

Israel also has national and demographic reasons for encouraging Aliyah. The strength, identity, and future of the Jewish state are inseparable from Jewish presence. Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency estimates that roughly eight million Jews worldwide are eligible to make Aliyah, and the agency's leadership is actively planning for up to one million new immigrants over the next five years.

What makes this moment especially striking is that Sa'ar's call does not exist in isolation. Earlier this year, Israeli officials quietly acknowledged that Israel has been actively preparing for the possibility of mass Aliyah--a large, sudden influx of Jews driven not by idealism alone, but by crisis.

Housing infrastructure, employment absorption programs, Hebrew-language training, and social services have all been discussed in anticipation of future global events that could place severe pressure on Jewish communities abroad. The assumption underlying these preparations is stark: Israel believes the world may be entering a period where Jewish life outside the homeland becomes increasingly difficult.

This is not alarmism. It is institutional memory. Israel's leaders understand that Jewish history tends to move suddenly, not gradually. Borders close. Moods shift. What feels unthinkable one year becomes unavoidable the next. Preparing now is seen as a moral responsibility.

Mor describes Aliyah as driven by both "push" and "pull" factors. Push factors include economic uncertainty, political instability, rising antisemitism, and cultural pressure to downplay Jewish identity. She noted that in some places, Jews increasingly feel compelled to alter their daily lives--avoiding public displays of faith or censoring their speech.

Pull factors, however, run deeper. Many Jews describe a sense of identity, calling, and belonging drawing them toward Israel. There is the promise of safety, community, purpose, and continuity. France has already seen a noticeable increase in Aliyah. In the United States, interest has surged, even if actual immigration remains moderate for now.

Still, history suggests interest can quickly turn into action when conditions deteriorate.

From a biblical perspective, the return of the Jewish people to their land is one of the most profound developments of the modern era. Scripture repeatedly speaks of Israel being regathered from the nations. Yet the fulfillment we see today is incomplete.

Roughly half of the world's Jews still live outside Israel. The ingathering is underway--but not finished.

More importantly, Jewish spiritual life has not yet been fully restored. The Temple, once the heart of Jewish worship, has not been rebuilt. Sacrificial worship has not resumed. Jerusalem remains spiritually contested. The prophetic vision involves not only people in the land, but a people restored in faith, worship, and covenant identity.

Since October 7, something has shifted. Synagogues are fuller. Prayer has intensified. There is renewed discussion--once considered fringe--about the Temple. Trauma has driven many Israelis to seek meaning beyond military strength or political alliances.

Yet Scripture and history suggest restoration often follows persecution. Israel's greatest returns have come after its darkest hours. Exile preceded return. Pressure preceded awakening.

It is a painful truth, but one deeply woven into the biblical narrative: widespread antisemitism, though evil and unjust, has often been the force that drives the Jewish people back to their land.

Sa'ar's call is not merely a diplomatic message--it is a signal. Israel is watching the world carefully. It is preparing. And it is calling its people home.

Whether driven by fear or faith, necessity or destiny, the movement continues. The modern State of Israel remains a miracle still unfolding, a restoration still incomplete.

And as Jews around the world weigh their future, the question lingers--not just politically, but prophetically: are we witnessing the next stage of a return that began generations ago, but has not yet reached its final chapter?