{"id":2084942,"date":"2023-10-31T05:09:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T09:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/one-family-one-nation\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T05:24:14","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T09:24:14","slug":"one-family-one-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/one-family-one-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"One Family, One Nation: United"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">10<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fone-family-one-nation%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2084942&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The Genius of Israel:\u2063 Revealing the \u2063Resilience\u200d of a\u2063 Divided\u2062 Nation<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>As \u200btheir book <em>The\u2064 Genius of Israel<\/em> \u200c went to press, authors Dan Senor and Saul \u2064Singer composed\u2064 an authors\u2019 note,\u200b acknowledging that events in Israel at the moment may \u200bhave\u2063 superficially seemed to undermine the arguments they present.\u2064 After all, the book describes the \u2064social strength of the Jewish \u2063state,\u2064 what is called in its subtitle &#8220;the surprising resilience of a divided nation in a turbulent world.&#8221; Yet to many, \u2064Israeli society appeared on the verge of\u2062 breakdown; a deep disagreement over the future powers of the Supreme Court seemed\u2063 to reveal larger\u2062 fissures, \u200dwith\u200c tens of thousands protesting the government every Saturday night, and massive counter-protests from those supporting the governing coalition. &#8220;We understand,&#8221;\u2063 they reflected, that &#8220;the \u200breader may wonder how Israel\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/one-family-one-nation\/\" title=\"One Family, One Nation: United\">slow-motion political train \u2062wreck squares<\/a>\u200d with our claims regarding the health of Israeli society. Fair question.&#8221; Yet they insisted that their\u200d book\u2062 revealed the deeper \u200dunity of this fractious country. In a chapter \u200dtitled &#8220;The \u200bWars of the \u200bJews,&#8221; the authors \u200dfurther explained that beneath the surface, &#8220;Israeli society is like a very strong rubber band. However stretched it becomes, there are\u2062 strong forces pulling it back together.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As even Yom Kippur\u2014usually the \u200dquietest day of the \u2064year\u2014was marked by vituperative\u200b shouting about religion in the streets of Tel \u2063Aviv, one might have been forgiven for responding \u2063to Senor and Singer\u200c with skepticism. Then, \u200dtwo weeks later, \u2063in response to the worst attack in the country\u2019s history, Israeli society united, entirely vindicating the thesis of this brilliant book.<\/p>\n<h3>The Question of Israeli Happiness<\/h3>\n<p>The question\u2064 with which Senor and Singer begin \u2062is pithily put: &#8220;Why are\u200b Israelis \u200bso damn happy?&#8221; This query was first posed \u200dby the journalist Tiffanie\u200c Wen, when she noticed that Israel ranks consistently close to the top \u2064among countries when it\u2062 comes to the happiness of its \u2064citizens, even \u2064as these very same citizens remember, every year, relatives who have\u200b fallen in the country\u2019s many wars, and \u200balmost every Israeli knows someone murdered in a terror attack. While their previous\u200d book\u2014the hugely influential \u2063 <em>Start-Up Nation<\/em>\u2014focused\u2063 on\u2063 how Israeli life cultivates creativity in the technological and financial sectors, Senor and \u200dSinger now eloquently outline the emotional \u200daspects of Israeli life. They \u200cexplain how a society marked\u2063 by its constant confrontation\u2063 with its enemies, and by the angry exchanges of its democratic debates, is actually one of the most contented\u2064 countries on the face of the earth.<\/p>\n<p>Like most \u200bingenious explanations, it is only obvious once it is given. Genuine joy in \u2063life\u200c comes\u2063 not from hedonism or \u200cescapism but from a\u2064 sense of being\u200c part of, and contributing to, something larger than one\u2019s self. In contrast to the atomistic\u200d sense \u200bof identity\u2062 cultivated in much of the Western world, and the epidemic of \u200cloneliness now impacting so much of America, Israel \u200chas succeeded in creating a culture in which \u2064individuality is celebrated but is always \u200bplaced within the context of family, community,\u200c and country.<\/p>\n<h3>The Power of Family and Community<\/h3>\n<p>How does \u200dit do this? The answer begins with family.\u2063 The\u2064 authors \u200bemphasize the way in which \u2063Israeli society cherishes\u200b children, a fact reflected in a birthrate\u2064 far\u200b beyond\u2064 replacement, even among\u2062 the secular members \u200cof \u200cIsraeli society. This, in turn, impacts the culture of the workplace, as employers are incredibly understanding of the parental\u200b responsibility of their employees. Offices in\u2062 Israel, the authors show, are marked by a policy of &#8220;tolerating toddlers&#8221;; they\u200d take note of the hilarious moment in which comedian Conan O\u2019Brien, \u2062visiting the site where &#8220;Waze&#8221; was\u200b developed, sees a child playing\u2064 on the floor, and accuses the tech\u200b innovators of \u200dengaging \u200din child labor. Whereas the usual conception of a &#8220;work-life balance&#8221; assumes that these two realms &#8220;are in perpetual conflict,&#8221; in Israel the relationship\u2062 between work and life is more of marriage, one merging with the other. This, in turn, allows\u200d Israelis to see each other as one larger family; it is often noted that only on flights to Tel Aviv would a passenger hand a baby to a complete stranger \u2064before going to the bathroom, and only on such a flight would the child\u200c be joyfully received.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps as importantly, as these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mothers-day-fox-news-host-laura-ingraham-on-lessons-learned-in-motherhood\/\" title=\"Laura Ingraham shares motherhood lessons on Mother's Day.\">children grow older<\/a>, their family bonds are maintained through what the \u2064authors\u200b call \u2062a &#8220;thanksgiving every week.&#8221;\u200b The phenomenon of\u200b Shabbat dinner, of families gathering every Friday \u200dnight to \u200dmark a moment in time together, is by no\u200b means limited to those scrupulously observant of \u2062Jewish \u200dritual; it is an aspect\u200b of Israeli life.<\/p>\n<p>Whereas\u200b many \u200cAmericans may see grandparents, aunts, \u2064and\u200d uncles two or three times a year, in Israel &#8220;families\u2062 are larger and \u200ccloser, both geographically and in the time and frequency spent together.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Within this \u2062familial culture, Jews in Israel\u200d are constantly\u200b reminded that \u2062they are \u200dpart \u2064of a people, and a history. In rituals like the Passover seder, where\u2063 the story of\u200b Exodus is annually retold, \u200dJudaism has created what \u2063Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has called &#8220;a nation of storytellers.&#8221; It is\u2063 no coincidence, Senor and Singer argue, that some of the \u200dmost creative storytelling on television\u200d is\u200c now in Israel; \u2063the \u2062Jewish \u2064ingathering ensures &#8220;a particularly story-rich \u200benvironment \u200cbecause, as a nation of immigrants, almost every\u200d family \u2062has its origin\u2062 story.&#8221; (One is \u200creminded\u200c of the scene \u2064in the classic TV series\u2062 <em>The Wonder Years<\/em>, where Kevin, played by Fred Savage, attends the bar\u200c mitzvah of \u200chis friend\u2063 Paul and is\u200d struck by a Jewish family\u2019s\u200d understanding\u200b of its\u200d origins. Returning home, Kevin asks his father \u200bwhere \u2062their own family is &#8220;from.&#8221; The answer\u200b is \u2062quickly and gruffly given: &#8220;Newark.&#8221;) At the same time, Senor\u2063 and Singer reflect that these Jewish stories all converge in Israel, a &#8220;bookend of the \u2062story of\u200b exile, of\u2063 the return of the people.&#8221; Israelis see\u200c themselves, at the core, as different tales \u200bwith one larger \u2062story\u2014the knowledge of this inner connection is the source of Israelis\u2019 \u2062unity and resiliency, a knowledge that they are all in this together, that they must have\u2063 each other\u2019s backs.<\/p>\n<p>In the past several weeks since\u200c the \u200bhorror of Hamas descended on Israel, the\u2063 familial\u2063 unity described \u2064by Senor and Singer can be seen\u200d everywhere. In Tel Aviv,\u200b once riven \u200bby religious debates,\u200d several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidenflation-comes-for-dcs-favorite-restaurants\/\" title=\"Bidenflation Comes For DC\u2019s Favorite Restaurants\">high-end restaurants<\/a> became kosher in order to cater to religiously observant soldiers. Israelis continue to create families;\u2062 weddings that had been meant to\u2064 take place in halls and\u200c hotels have been moved to homes and \u200beven\u200d army bases, with at \u2063times both bride and groom wearing the IDF green under the wedding canopy.\u200b In one\u200b notable story, a soldier returned from the front for one evening to wed the love of his life, and his\u200b neighbor offered him a large backyard in which to hold the\u200d ceremony. As the groom\u2019s\u200c mother prepared for the wedding, her \u2064hairdresser\u200b asserted that he would ensure\u200d Ishay Ribo, one of the most famous singers in Israel, would perform. Ribo did indeed come, singing the song\u2064 of the \u200cPassover seder: &#8220;In every\u200c generation\u2063 they rise up to destroy us, and God \u2064saves us from their \u200bhands.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Now, the eyes of the world are\u2063 on Israel, seeking to understand the war it faces. Dan Senor\u200b (who, full disclosure, is a friend of mine) has become an invaluable source of information to\u2062 non-Israelis through his podcast\u200c &#8220;Call Me Back.&#8221;\u200b Meanwhile, the resiliency of Israeli society \u2063described in <em>The\u2063 Genius of Israel<\/em> has been made manifest in a profoundly instructive way. Social\u2064 scientists and thinkers\u200d in\u2063 America have bemoaned the weakening of the familial and communal associations that Alexis \u200cde Tocqueville once saw as the essence\u2063 of American democratic life. \u200bSenor and Singer have shown \u200bthat it is in Israel that Tocqueville lives\u2014and it \u200bis to Israel that &#8220;democracy in America&#8221; can look if \u2064it wishes\u2062 to learn how to revive its own society.<\/p>\n<p>Vibrant, even\u2062 vituperative debate will once again return to Israeli politics, focusing on some of the long-term questions facing Israel. These issues are also addressed in this\u2063 very important volume. But for now, a reunited \u2062country shifts from rhetorical and political &#8220;wars of the Jews&#8221; to an actual war waged in\u2064 protection of Jews, \u2064in a world where anti-Semitism is\u2062 anything but obsolete. As daunting as this is, one need only watch videos online of Ishay Ribo performing for the troops, and the soldiers exultantly singing \u200cin response, to see the deep meaning that these young men and women find in the challenging role that Jewish history\u200c has asked them\u200c to fulfill. They know that they are part of a\u2063 loving society, \u2063a miraculous country, \u2062and a millennia-long story. Senor and Singer allow us to\u200d understand why in a moment of terrible trial, the genius of Israel is revealing itself once again.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of\u200c a Divided Nation in a\u2062 Turbulent World<\/em><br \/>  by Dan \u200bSenor and Saul Singer<br \/> Avid Reader Press, 336 pp., $30<\/p>\n<p><em>Meir Y. Soloveichik is\u2062 the rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel \u2063in New \u200bYork City and\u2064 the director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva \u2063University.<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How has Israel&#8217;s ability to turn adversity\u2063 into strength fueled innovation and problem-solving in the nation<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Mbers of society. Family is\u2064 seen\u200c as the building block of the nation, and the authors argue that \u200dthis emphasis on\u2063 family contributes\u2062 to the overall resilience \u200band \u2064happiness of the Israeli people.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, community plays a vital role in Israeli society. The authors highlight the\u200d significance of a\u200d strong community \u200dsupport\u2062 system, which is deeply ingrained in Israeli culture.\u2064 Whether it is the kibbutz movement or the close-knit neighborhoods in cities, Israelis rely\u200b on their communities for support, \u2062social connection,\u200d and\u2064 a sense of belonging.\u2064 This sense of togetherness\u200d helps\u200d individuals weather\u200d the storms \u2062of life and \u200dfind solace in the midst of adversity.<\/p>\n<h3>From Adversity to Strength<\/h3>\n<p>Another important aspect highlighted in the book is the Israeli ability to turn adversity into strength.\u200d Israel, as a nation, \u2064has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-joe-bidens-job-approval-underwater-in-45-states\/\" title=\"Poll: Joe Biden's Job Approval Underwater in 45 States\">faced numerous challenges<\/a> throughout its existence. From wars to terrorist attacks, the Israeli people have experienced deep moments\u2064 of grief and loss. However, instead \u200cof \u2064succumbing to despair, they have embraced resilience and used these hardships as driving forces\u200c for growth and innovation.<\/p>\n<p>The authors provide various examples of \u2064how\u200d Israel&#8217;s turbulent history has sparked innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. They argue that the constant need to defend and protect \u200dtheir nation has \u2063fueled \u2062a culture of ingenuity and problem-solving. This ability to \u200cthrive in the face of adversity is what sets\u200d Israel apart\u2062 and\u2062 contributes\u2062 to its overall happiness and resilience.<\/p>\n<h3>A Divided Nation, United<\/h3>\n<p>Despite the prevalent narrative of\u2063 divisions and disagreements within Israeli society,\u200b Senor and Singer\u2062 argue that beneath\u2063 the surface, there is a unifying thread that holds the \u200dnation together. They illustrate this point\u2063 by highlighting the solidarity\u200b that emerged in \u2063response to \u2063the worst attack in Israel&#8217;s history.<\/p>\n<p>In times of\u200d crisis, \u2062Israelis have\u2063 a\u200c remarkable\u2064 capacity\u2063 to band together and support \u2063one another, regardless of their differences. This spirit\u2063 of unity\u2063 and resilience is what sustains the nation \u200cand enables\u2062 it to overcome even the most daunting challenges.<\/p>\n<h3>Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>&#8220;The Genius of Israel&#8221; presents a compelling \u200dargument for the resilience and happiness of Israel as a \u2064divided nation. Through \u2063their exploration\u2062 of family, community, and the ability\u200b to turn adversity \u200cinto strength, Senor and \u200cSinger\u2062 demonstrate \u200bthat behind the surface conflicts lies a deeper unity. This book\u2062 serves as\u2064 an insightful look into\u200c the unique qualities that make Israel a remarkable nation and offers valuable \u200dlessons on resilience for societies around the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As their book The Genius of Israel was being published, authors Dan Senor and Saul Singer included an authors&#8217; note, recognizing that current events in Israel may appear to contradict their arguments. Despite this, the book highlights the social resilience of the Jewish state, referred to as its true genius.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2519,"featured_media":2084943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2084942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2084942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2519"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2084942"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2084942\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2084943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2084942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2084942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2084942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}