The Jewish state’s shift from a shared national story to a society shaped by multiple identities doesn’t signal failure. If anything, it signals progress.
Joel, Joshua, excellent article, and I agree with much of it. Israel is often held to impossible standards that no other country is expected to meet. But I also think we have to be honest that Israel is not entirely a “normal” country, because most countries are not facing constant existential threats from enemies that openly want to destroy them.
That reality requires policies many other democracies would never even consider. For example, I believe Israel should have adopted the death penalty for terrorism years ago. The growing political influence of the ultra-Orthodox community is another legitimate concern, as is the sheer number of political parties that often gives small factions outsized power.
Israel is extraordinary in many ways, but part of protecting that future means recognizing that our security realities are not normal — and pretending otherwise can be dangerous.
Thank you to Josh for choosing to combine together our two essays.
I will admit that I struggle a little with the title that Josh chose for the combined piece.
I don't believe that Israel is breaking - though, as Josh identifies, Israel, like other countries, has its strengths and weaknesses - the latter requiring a more deliberate focus in an attempt to solve them or at least ameliorate their impact.
That said, I don't believe that, at present, it can be decisively concluded that Israel is becoming better, and I feel a little uncomfortable with my piece being used to make this point.
"The memorial siren is heard across the country. Ceremonies are held. The flag is raised. And yet, the meaning of those moments is not fully shared.
Israelis are still capable of standing together. The deeper question is whether we still know, together, what we are standing for."
I believe that the idea of Israel is a positive one, that the State embodies many positive values, and that it has a population with incredible human capital.
I believe that Israel can become better; I hope deeply that it will.
I respect those, like Josh, who argue that it is getting better at this very moment - and perhaps they're right and perhaps not.
But can I truly say that I personally currently discern this improvement? I'm not so sure.
Certainly not sure enough to put the claim in the title of an article, published in my name.
"Israel is becoming more individualistic, less ideological, and more oriented toward personal choice."
All Western societies are going down the same path.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
It started not only with McDonalds but also with social media.
Education starts at home 🏡. The next step is the national education system. It changed gradually starting from 1979 and deteriorated to where we stand today.
The very fact that there are small groups of people, that disturb the general public during Yom Kippur prayers, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Hashoa or take the liberty to ignite fires in the middle of the streets, or block traffic just because they do not like the Democratic elections proves beyond doubt that our education system has failed and the road to hell is wide open.
Dumb question about Israel's failed education system.
So, Jews in Israel are hugely successful economically and in businesses in spite of this? Or are there lots of private school choices that people can send their children to or are they homeschooled?
The Third Temple and the Kingdom of Yisrael (Davidic Dynasty) are Eternal and Sanhedrin is also in the Third Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem Very Soon 🙏🔥✡️🇮🇱🕎🙏🔥🙏David Melech Yisrael Chai Vekayam 🕎🇮🇱✡️
Individualism? No just the same old middle class bourgeois attitudes as the rest of the world. It's a shame that the intellectual prowess of the Jews has devolved into a live of the newest shiny object.
Joel, Joshua, excellent article, and I agree with much of it. Israel is often held to impossible standards that no other country is expected to meet. But I also think we have to be honest that Israel is not entirely a “normal” country, because most countries are not facing constant existential threats from enemies that openly want to destroy them.
That reality requires policies many other democracies would never even consider. For example, I believe Israel should have adopted the death penalty for terrorism years ago. The growing political influence of the ultra-Orthodox community is another legitimate concern, as is the sheer number of political parties that often gives small factions outsized power.
Israel is extraordinary in many ways, but part of protecting that future means recognizing that our security realities are not normal — and pretending otherwise can be dangerous.
The term multicultural truly applies to Israel although not in the classical sense. If only Israel were evaluated on the same basis as other nations.
👏👏👏👏💪🇮🇱💙🫂🙏🕯️
Thank you to Josh for choosing to combine together our two essays.
I will admit that I struggle a little with the title that Josh chose for the combined piece.
I don't believe that Israel is breaking - though, as Josh identifies, Israel, like other countries, has its strengths and weaknesses - the latter requiring a more deliberate focus in an attempt to solve them or at least ameliorate their impact.
That said, I don't believe that, at present, it can be decisively concluded that Israel is becoming better, and I feel a little uncomfortable with my piece being used to make this point.
My original essay, which can be found here: https://itssimplycomplicated.substack.com/p/israel-is-not-going-where-you-think
ends with the following words:
"The memorial siren is heard across the country. Ceremonies are held. The flag is raised. And yet, the meaning of those moments is not fully shared.
Israelis are still capable of standing together. The deeper question is whether we still know, together, what we are standing for."
I believe that the idea of Israel is a positive one, that the State embodies many positive values, and that it has a population with incredible human capital.
I believe that Israel can become better; I hope deeply that it will.
I respect those, like Josh, who argue that it is getting better at this very moment - and perhaps they're right and perhaps not.
But can I truly say that I personally currently discern this improvement? I'm not so sure.
Certainly not sure enough to put the claim in the title of an article, published in my name.
Amazing article. Beautifully written and really captures the complexity of Israel and how much it’s evolving.
עם ישראל חי🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱
"Israel is becoming more individualistic, less ideological, and more oriented toward personal choice."
All Western societies are going down the same path.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
It started not only with McDonalds but also with social media.
Education starts at home 🏡. The next step is the national education system. It changed gradually starting from 1979 and deteriorated to where we stand today.
The very fact that there are small groups of people, that disturb the general public during Yom Kippur prayers, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Hashoa or take the liberty to ignite fires in the middle of the streets, or block traffic just because they do not like the Democratic elections proves beyond doubt that our education system has failed and the road to hell is wide open.
Dumb question about Israel's failed education system.
So, Jews in Israel are hugely successful economically and in businesses in spite of this? Or are there lots of private school choices that people can send their children to or are they homeschooled?
Something doesn't add up. Just asking.
There are private schools. Not many. Homeschooling is not like in the US. Very few people do it.
Schools can choose which additional subjects to educate beyond the Board of Education curriculum.
When I wrote that education starts at home, I meant from birth till the age of 5.
So, you are saying that people in Israel succeed despite a lousy school system.
In that regard our two countries are similar - The US and Israel.
The Third Temple and the Kingdom of Yisrael (Davidic Dynasty) are Eternal and Sanhedrin is also in the Third Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem Very Soon 🙏🔥✡️🇮🇱🕎🙏🔥🙏David Melech Yisrael Chai Vekayam 🕎🇮🇱✡️
Beautiful article. Well written.
Individualism? No just the same old middle class bourgeois attitudes as the rest of the world. It's a shame that the intellectual prowess of the Jews has devolved into a live of the newest shiny object.