Presented by THE PRACTICAL OPTIMISTS in Israel. Phone 02-6422347, 054-4334051

A candid look at Israel

AS   A   STATE Israel is a speck on the map without many natural resources − yet it is the most yearned-for land in the world. Even though it has had a Jewish presence for over 3,500 years, millions of Moslems all over the world are hell-bent on throwing the Jews out of here. Israel has faced impossible challenges since the inception of its modern revival over a hundred years ago. It has been in a continuous state of political and military conflict with much of the Arab world up to the present day.

At the same time Israel has absorbed millions of immigrants, mostly coming here without any financial or occupational resources, many without any knowledge of the language. The State of Israel − burdened by an enormous defense budget − has managed to forge a nation out of scores of different ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds, divided further by simmering religious polemic. But never in all history has any nation needed so deeply to believe in itself. Never has any nation needed so diligently to gird itself for hard work and prudence. Never has any nation had such a need for sensible, creative and unselfish leadership. The summer war against the Hizbollah in Lebanon has shown Israel's shortcomings. With determination and clear thinking they can be corrected.

But the trouble is that most Israelis lead their lives as though Israel were just any other country? They expect a high standard of living, like in western Europe and North America. Personal satisfaction, comfort and enjoyment take precedence over the needs of their country. And that's natural − it's the attitude of most normal people in any modern democracy. But as a result of all this, far too many people in Israel behave as though it was not a recently bequeathed answer to a two-millennia prayer, but just any country. The age-old dream is souring into a noisy, overly-materialistic, somewhat soulless reality.

A different national ethos

Clearly Israel warrants a more sublime attitude − which should be part of a different national ethos. Israelis must simply endeavor to become as decent as possible. (Gratifyingly, there are many folks here who are.) But one still encounters too much lying, cheating, broken promises and unfulfilled commitments; at every level of society there is manipulating, pushing, exploiting, scowling and shouting, and all these modes of behavior damage the very fabric of the land.

But one can claim that all these attitudes and modes of behavior are found in every normal country. Yet Israel must be different otherwise the Return to Zion and the establishment of a Jewish State, won back through Herculean efforts, just doesn't make much sense. The Jews here might as well have made their lives in one of the more comfortable democracies.

Everyone wants a country that's good to live in

I believe that everyone wishes that things were different here. Everyone wants more politeness, friendliness, honesty and consideration − from others. People yearn for fairer, more sensible, more effective government. So, if this is what everyone wants why don't things change?

Two major factors are involved: the spirit of the people and the leadership.

THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE: To a large extent the spirit of any group is determined by the degree of integrity, patience and consideration for others that one is apt to find among most of the people in that group. How common is a positive attitude to things in general in the group? How diligent and how hard-working are most of the people in that group? Is there a general willingness to help others, or to pitch in for a common cause?

Clearly, unless the people of this country develop a collective spirit that is imbued with integrity, prudence, consideration, patience, less personal conceit and more joy, the national ethos will become even more querulous, ego-centric and abrasive. It is not certain that such a nation will be able to face the serious threats and challenges ahead.

THE LEADERSHIP: The spirit of any group − whether family, business, sports or social club or a nation − depends to a large extent on the character, abilities and spheres of involvement of the head of that group. The fact is that apart from issues of kashrut, Sabbath observance and yeshiva subsidization, which are not really connected with the aforementioned qualities, the subject of Israel's spirit has never really been on the national agenda. Israel's leaders have always been too busy with issues of national survival and economic stabilization, as well as their own political standing. The national character has been allowed to develop along its own, not particularly inspiring course.

It should be remembered that leaders emerge from within the general population. If our leaders, Knesset members and other public figures all too often display damaging cynicism, unethical parliamentary and public activity as well as scant serious attention to the welfare of the population and the country, it is precisely because they happen to be Israelis. It is also because of an unworkable political system − which Israel's leaders are not likely to change adequately because it suits their political needs.

How did we get this way?

There are a number of reasons. Firstly, the state grew too quickly. During the first three years of statehood, Israel's population doubled. Most of the the newcomers arrived with hardly any possessions, no money, often without a suitable occupation or means of livelihood and scant knowledge of Hebrew. The country had limited resources and had just ended a war of survival. People came from dozens of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. This was definitely not an optimum background to get a new nation started.

Also, the early pioneers who had arrived a generation or two beforehand, had shed the rigid community-mindedness and piety of the ghetto and the shtetl in favor of an earthy, robust practicality, that was probably more appropriate for survival in a barren, hostile land. Politeness had no place in such circumstances. So the first sabras were brought up to be gruff, unsympathetic to the weak, and focused only on absolute essentials. Later the deluge of newcomers from all over the world brought a strident, anxiety-ridden character to the national ethos. To a large extent Israeli society developed a mentality of "every one for himself, no matter who gets shafted." What is generally regarded as common decency in most enlightened countries (and even in many undeveloped countries), is not always applied here. You still have to jostle to get on a bus or even keep your place in a queue.

These are the reasons why we are the way we are. We must realize that Israel has entered a new era. The threats to Israel's survival are on a far more serious level than ever before. Israel has gone a long way to forming a relatively homogeneous society and should now be concentrating on ironing out its many internal administrative and societal shortcomings.

Amazingly, in spite of all the wars, international boycotts, enormous immigration and unsatisfactory governance, the country has developed and thrived economically. It has grown ten-fold since 1948. But it has lost its earlier self-confidence and national pride.

Which reminds us of those early pioneers. With all their earthy gruffness, they, as well as the generation following the Holocaust, were deeply mindful of Israel's past. There was a time when people talked a lot about Israel's specialness and its significance. Newspapers and radio used to dwell incessantly on these issues. They talked and talked about kibbutz galuyot, Zionism and socialism ... and then about a generation ago pendulum began to swing in the other direction.

So, today, apart from a large segment of the religiously observant and members of some of the secular youth movements, most of the population has little interest in history, while national identity is felt during the Eurovision, national ball game squads competing against other countries and in time of war. Our confrontation with the Arabs is of concern to all of us. But a large percentage of the population is unable to state a knowledgeable case for our right to even be in the Land of Israel.

One must, however, credit the fact, that despite the largely materialistic upbringing of most of our young men and women, bereft of any ideology, these are the people who are valiantly defending Israel and its people against Arab wrath. These are the young people, willing to sacrifice their comfort, precious time and even their lives.

Renaissance or historic irony?

However, without more common decency bolstered by a stronger awareness of Israel's specialness and significance, the Return to Zion, created with so much hope as a haven for the Jewish people − which gratifyingly it has become − has nevertheless become plagued by too much crudeness and self-centeredness at every level. If things are allowed to continue as they have, Israel's renaissance will prove to have been nothing more than a cruel historical irony. The two millennia prayer, through undue ego-centricism and boorishness, will have become a harsh, concrete enclave of clamor, anxiety and abrasiveness. Future generations will shake their heads in disbelief at a wonderful dream that turned sour.

Clearly no one wants this. But can this be avoided? I believe it most certainly can. Most Israelis are reasonably good people. Deep in their hearts is a sense of connectedness with their roots, a sense buried by the pressures of everyday life and the clamor around them. It is this sense that must be reached in everyone. Then together we can change what needs to be changed and turn Israel into the land it was meant to be. The time to be doing this reaching out is now. But how?

How can things change in Israel? For preliminary answers: