Question
I made Aliyah last May, then made Yeridah [returned] three months later because I could find no work. I am single, and feared I would be on the streets, so I used my remaining funds for a ticket back to the USA. I returned to the USA, and though I am working towards returning IY"H soon, I want to know if I transgressed the principle of leaving Eretz Yisrael for an unjustified reason? I do have guilt.
Answer
I cannot address your particular case without knowing all the details. One is allowed to leave the Land of Israel in order to make a living. On the other hand, three months is a very short time to determine that one can’t find a living here. Did you attend an Ulpan? Did you receive all the government assistance to which you were entitled? Do you have a profession? Were you in contact with Aliyah representatives? The issue is not one of guilt but rather how to ensure that the same problems won’t reappear the next time you try to make Aliyah.
