The Genius of Israel

by Dan Senor, Saul Singer

How has a small nation of 9 million people, forced to fight for its existence and security since its founding and riven by ethnic, religious, and economic divides, proven resistant to so many of the societal ills plaguing other wealthy democracies?

Why do Israelis have among the world’s highest life expectancies and lowest rates of “deaths of despair” from suicide and substance abuse? Why is Israel’s population young and growing while all other wealthy democracies are aging and shrinking? How can it be that Israel, according to a United Nations ranking, is the fourth happiest nation in the world? Why do Israelis tend to look to the future with hope, optimism, and purpose while the rest of the West struggles with an epidemic of loneliness, teen depression, and social decline?

Dan Senor and Saul Singer, the writers behind the international bestseller Start-Up Nation, have long been students of the global innovation race. But as they spent time with Israel’s entrepreneurs and political leaders, soldiers and students, scientists and activists, ultra-Orthodox Jews, Tel Aviv techies, and Israeli Arabs, they realized that they had missed what really sets Israel apart.

Moving from military commanders integrating at-risk youth and people who are neurodiverse into national service, to high performing companies making space for working parents, from dreamers and innovators launching a duct-taped spacecraft to the moon, to bringing better health solutions to people around the world, The Genius of Israel tells the story of a diverse people and society built around the values of service, solidarity, and belonging.

Widely admired for having the world’s highest density of high-tech start-ups, Israel’s greatest innovation may not be a technology at all, but Israeli society itself. Understanding how a country facing so many challenges can be among the happiest provides surprising insights into how we can confront the crisis of community, human connectedness, and purpose in modern life.

Bold, timely, and insightful, Senor and Singer’s latest work shines an important light on the impressive innovative distinctions of Israeli society—and what other communities and countries can learn.

Genres: Israel, Nonfiction, History, Jewish, Middle East, Politics, Audiobook

Hardcover

About the author

Daniel Samuel "Dan" Senor (born November 6, 1971) is an American columnist, writer and political adviser. He was chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and senior foreign policy adviser to U.S. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the 2012 election campaign. A frequent commentator on Fox News and contributor to The Wall Street Journal, he is co-author of the book Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle (2009). He is married to television news personality Campbell Brown (from wikipedia)

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just the same boring Zionist apologia. It's a view of Israel through rose coloured glasses without any criticism or nuance in any way shape or form. This is a "democracy" that discriminates against the vast majority of its population as settler colonizers keep pushing indigenous people off their land. To write a book about a nation's "exceptionalism" with no comment on how it oppresses so many of its people sounds like something you'd read from South Africa or in American newspapers in support of genocide against the indigenous nations in America. Got about halfway through and decided not to waste any more of my time. Not worth the time tbh

[Sterling Weiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

My coworker lent me this book after a conversation on current events. It was rife with data and studies that explain a wide range of things about Israel. This book came out just a few months before October 7, 2023 which has been an incredibly divisive moment in discourse around the country. With that said, the book provides a viewpoint as close to the present that is free from recent prejudices and opinions. I love data. I love history. I found myself reading facts aloud to my wife and interrupting her reading sessions all the time while reading this. Definitely a worthwhile read.

[Ronald J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly this book. From the authors of Startup Nation, which documented Israel’s phenomenal contributions to entrepreneurship and innovation—they are ranked behind the USA in per capita innovation—this works seeks to understand why Israelis are so happy. As of 2021, its GDP per capita surpassed Germany, the UK, France, and Japan, and its economy growing faster than the USA and EU. The book was published before the horrific events of October 7, 2023, yet it does a wonderful job documenting the cultural, social, and spiritual capital of this little country, surrounded by enemies that wish it didn’t exist. The authors say Israel is an outlier in societal health—it ranks near the top in country rankings of happiness. Only in Singapore are people optimistic about their children’s financial future. Israel ranks #9 in life expectancy, 82.6 years in 2019. Another metric is HALE, Healthy Life Expectancy, where Israel ranks 4th, and women in 8th place (Japan has the world’s highest life expectancy). But Japan is an ageing country, where more adult diapers are sold than baby diapers. In 2050, Israel is projected to be about 20 years younger than Italy, Spain, and Germany, with a median age by 2050 at 32.9 years compared to Europe’s 47.3. It’s fertility rate in 2019 was 3.01, whereas the average in the OECD countries was 1.61. Even though the country is under constant threat, deaths of despair are far less frequent (Sweden, Denmark and Norway suffer from 2-3 times the number). It also has the lowest teen suicide rate (along with Greece) among OECD countries. Yossi Klein Halevi, “Israel is a laboratory for democracy under extremity, and that is its value for the world.”

The book documents this outlier country well. I enjoyed the read, even though one could argue it’s a bit too long. The importance of social, cultural, religious, and of course, human, capital is well illustrated in Israel. There’s fascinating profiles of entrepreneurs and the companies they started, along with IDF and other government and civil society leaders. If you want to understand this country better, this is a great start.

“Humans don’t mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary. Modern society has perfected the art of making people not feel necessary.” —Sebastian Junger

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy to read, it simply and efficiently breaks down Israeli society - and explains why Israel ranks so high on the happiness scale (and low on the despair scale). There are good anecdotes/stories throughout. It made me think about what we can take from Israeli society to help improve life in the US. Mandatory national service after high school would be an obvious help - but it is really unrealistic. Ultimately, the small size of Israel and its precarious situation bonds the citizens in a way other countries are unlikely to be able to duplicate.

[Ian Mewhinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5: This was an amazing nonfiction book all around. I have just finished Rise and Kill First at the end of 2023, so I expected this to be another politically charged book about the war crimes they have been doing through history. I was pleasantly surprised to quickly see it was mainly a cultural book relating to how they get along as families and careers, despite being such a dangerous part of the Arab world. Amazing narration from the Author Dan Senor on the audiobook. Short-medium length listen at 10 hours. This was very exciting and engaging all the way through. It had me thinking about it well after I finished the book. A very advanced society that has helped the whole world on technology and intelligence, but largely seems to be a result of Netanyahu's policies, even though he has been committing plenty of crimes and accusations. Very impressive, I will have to buy a copy of the book. I would love to read more cultural books like this.

Summary:

Why do Israelis have among the world’s highest life expectancies and lowest rates of “deaths of despair” from suicide and substance abuse? Why is Israel’s population young and growing while all other wealthy democracies are aging and shrinking? How can it be that Israel, according to a United Nations ranking, is the fourth happiest nation in the world? Why do Israelis tend to look to the future with hope, optimism, and purpose while the rest of the West struggles with an epidemic of loneliness, teen depression, and social decline?

Dan Senor and Saul Singer, the writers behind the international bestseller Start-Up Nation, have long been students of the global innovation race. But as they spent time with Israel’s entrepreneurs and political leaders, soldiers and students, scientists and activists, ultra-Orthodox Jews, Tel Aviv techies, and Israeli Arabs, they realized that they had missed what really sets Israel apart.

Moving from military commanders integrating at-risk youth and people who are neurodiverse into national service, to high performing companies making space for working parents, from dreamers and innovators launching a duct-taped spacecraft to the moon, to bringing better health solutions to people around the world, The Genius of Israel tells the story of a diverse people and society built around the values of service, solidarity, and belonging.

Widely admired for having the world’s highest density of high-tech start-ups, Israel’s greatest innovation may not be a technology at all, but Israeli society itself. Understanding how a country facing so many challenges can be among the happiest provides surprising insights into how we can confront the crisis of community, human connectedness, and purpose in modern life.

Bold, timely, and insightful, Senor and Singer’s latest work shines an important light on the impressive innovative distinctions of Israeli society—and what other communities and countries can learn.

[Stetson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, overshadowed by events, is a look at social institutions and customs within modern Israel. It contains a lot of interesting interviews and social commentary along with some economic and demographic data. The most interesting phenomenon is the rare nexus of high fertility and high income, which the authors point out cannot entirely be explained by religiosity.

I have a ~2000 word review at my Substack Holodoxa

[Avi Eisenman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's nice to read something optimistic about Israel. This is a fascinating collection and documentation of successes produced by or in Israel and how each of them reflect traits that are uniquely Israeli. Skilled storytelling; this is a very solid follow-up to "Start-Up Nation."

[Sherif Gerges · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dan Senor’s work is very readable, though it is impossible to overlook his sometimes excessive and effusive praise for Israel, which pervade the narrative. Despite these biases, I found his central thesis—that Israel embodies an exceptional national character—to be quite persuasive, although a bit incomplete.

Israel, as a relatively new state established in 1948, navigates an extraordinary confluence of existential challenges, including persistent external hostilities and pronounced internal fragmentation. The result is a wild and fascinating country - although what I find particularly striking is the nation’s ability to harmonize seemingly antithetical cultural paradigms: a collectivist ethos, often associated with higher societal cohesion and well-being, coexisting with a fertile ground for individualistic and entrepreneurial innovation. Equally noteworthy is Israel’s unusually high fertility rate, even among non-Haredi Jews—a demographic anomaly for a nation boasting such an advanced economy.

While Senor and Singer aptly extol Israel’s ingenuity and exceptionalism—and I do share their admiration— the state’s challenges are as significant as its achievements. While the authors fleetingly acknowledge some of these issues—such as the ideological discord between Orthodox, Arab, and secular Jewish communities—they conspicuously sidestep more contentious topics.

For instance, Israel’s ongoing annexation of territory in the West Bank is a glaring omission, particularly given the profound implications of this policy. In my opinion, these actions have not only entrenched Palestinian anti-semitism and hatred but have also exacerbated the cycle of violence and terrorism that continues to plague the region. I find it bewildering that the supposed 'genius' of Israel fails to grasp the counterproductive and self-defeating consequences of systematically annexing land and further marginalizing an already deeply hostile Palestinian population.

Otherwise, very strong and enjoyable book, although for a more complete work I'd recommend "My Promised Land" by Ari Shavit.

[Siegfried Kopp · Rating 1 out of 5]

I saw this book in a local bookstore in South Africa of all places. How disgusting, the title alone just tells you that this is just more Zionist propaganda. It should be renamed 'The genocide by Israel' 🤯🤬 I don't believe in book bans but in the current context of what is happening in Palestine right now should it should be burnt. The so called First World Imperialists are showing their true colours. The facist racists who control their politics no longer feel the need to mask their hateful ideologies. The Zionist European settler project is a reflection of the moral bankruptcy and violence the west. It's a moral low in the
Shameful 500 odd years of the White Supremacist project.

[Greg Talbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Are you sure you want to publish this book now? You are going to look delusional", Dan Senor recalled hearing this from his hesitant publishers. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6yzM...). He was referring to the fact that his book was ready for print at the time that the Israeli climate was divided due to the judicial reforms. And all of this in the pre Oct-7th world, before the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians. He shares in the interview, “if you looked at Israel on Oct. 8th, you saw the resilience of the country I was writing about…We wanted to remind Israelis we had been there before”.

In his book “The Genius of Israel”, Dan Senor and Saul Singer explore the stories and data of the burgeoning Israeli state. Although the 75 year bloom in the desert has been marked by war with neighboring Arab countries, the Palestinian intifadas, the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, and the military operations against the terrorist group Hamas; there is a rich narrative about the Israeli people and their resilience which needs to be explored.

Senor and Saul explore the social glue of Israel. The gibush he might say. The remarkable fertility rate (3.01 children per woman), the achievements of the start-up culture, expansive cinema culture, lionization of military service, and thousands of years of culture that unites the collective and individual desires of the Israeli people. “What does it mean to touch history. It’s to live in a city that’s at the edge of chaos and war and decide not only to stay there but to build something innovative (p.118).”

One of the highlighted stories is about the creation of SpaceIL, a group of engineers cobble together a plan to enter into the Google Punar competition. Exemplifying a spirit of ambition, fearlessness and trust, they build the project into a massive collaboration effort with government and private industry support. Commenting on the improbability of the achievement, Senor quotes “it’s not about being optimistic that things will work out. It’s about being optimistic about what happens when they don’t (p.33).

This is not a pollyannaish vision either. The divisions of the United States can seem shallow compared to the tribal differences between jewish isrealis, secular israelis, Haredi (ultra-orthodox jews) and Israeli Arabs. Stories are shared about the need and desire for Israeli Arab representation in politics and tech sector roles. Entrepreneurial and venture capital opportunities extended to students from Haredi students has been a focus as well. Senor has stated in a recent interview the need for Palestinian authority, a two state solution, that may not be electable at this time, but must be pursued by Israeli’s democratic aim.

Although this book is about the Israeli experience, the book aims to challenge the sclerotic western world adrift in despair with political intransigence, alarming rises in deaths of despair and a profound spiritual emptiness. Most disappointingly, while Israel faces an existential threat from Hamas and islamic militants, the response of many young Americans has been hostility toward Israel or moral cowardice. “Elite” universities like Harvard, Penn State and MIT revealed themselves as breeding grounds for anti-semetic rhetoric. Platforms like Reddit, Twitter and TikTok are awash in propaganda and terrorist sympathies. Without addressing our own country’s antisemitism, we are hardly in a place to give moral vision to the wider world.

In contrast, the Israeli culture offers a vision of a country with a democratic future. This is a young country enriched with the bonds and hardship won by the prior generation. Commenting on the strong social safety net and rich family life Israeli journalist Shmuel Rosener “everything in Israel is built around the children” (p.87). Both modern and traditional, technocratic and rooted, Israel offers to give us a model of well-being and promise.

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about Israel and how a society that is set up to support families, women, and true meritocracy yields happier people.

[Gladys Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Senor, soy tu fan.

Léanlo y no dejen de escuchar su podcast, Call me Back.

[Sonia Richman · Rating 4 out of 5]

If only this book were published six months later, I'd love to hear what they have to say post October 7. Overall so interesting, inspiring and informative

[Steve Gross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book that explains the uniqueness of Israel. For a short book, though, there was some unnecessary repetition

[=^._.^= · Rating 4 out of 5]

so random but while reading this i finally learned why it was impossible to get my moderna booster there. who would've thought the plot of my green card was that big lol

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I learned so much about Israel and Israeli society.

[Kenny Schwarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Genius of Israel provided fascinating insights on a country that is important to me as a Christian, but I quickly realized I knew little about in its present form. Dan Senor and Saul Singer present an illuminating insight as to what makes Israel unique in its culture ( particularly its youth culture), and balance of various factions therein,the thriving spirit of technical innovation, social value of military service, and political battles. While the authors do acknowledge the country has its own internal flaws, the fact that the country is able to thrive in a very unstable part of the world bordering some countries that don’t believe Israel should exist, is truly remarkable. The book is especially valuable given the current crisis in the region and provides a needed perspective.

[Jamie Crutchley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Israelis like to argue, nationalism and group spirit are important and compulsory military service binds everyone together. There we go summed up the book. Oh and Israeli is v pro-children. Done. Not particularly deep in terms of its approach and a title like this should’ve screamed panegyric.

Interesting and sad in some ways as it’s written pre-Oct 7, but does help an outsider understand the solidarity across the board this society finds when pushed into crisis mode. Some of the aspects of military service touched upon were interesting, especially the program for youth w autism.

Rather more repetitive than illuminating unfortunately.

[Treasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is well researched and reveals many things inspire and create the highly successful, patriotic nation that is Israel. The 3 stars is due to the mind numbing repetition with which the authors told this valuable story. It’s a shame. I considered putting the book down never to return - I finished because I enjoyed learning more about this tiny, powerful nation. But I consider that I conquered this book by sheer perseverance. Whew. Good luck.

[Djamel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is nothing more than the usual Hasbara the Israeli propaganda
Amplifying some individual success stories then trying to find in them some societal traits is an obvious bias. Every society has its own success stories.
The book is a frontal attack against Israeli western allies which are depicted as inferior societies composed of selfish egoistic individuals without purpose compared to the superior happy Israeli society which superior religion and culture led it to achieve the right balance between the individual and the collective and to pursue a higher more worthy less earthly goal.
The book is also an attack against capitalism and individual liberties and an apology for forced socialism and the curtailing of liberties for “greater goals”
A lot of the societal traits presented are simply some oriental values largely imbedded in Arab societies. Family values and solidarity and the importance of social bonds are the fabric of Arab society and there is no Israeli genius about that.
More, a society built around its military as a backbone and mind and heart at once is not an ideal model to be proud of. Societies built around other institutions such as families or democratic institutions are.
Finally, the book left apart all the negative aspects of the Israeli society. The racism against the Yemeni Israeli and the crimes committed against them since the inception of the state, as well as against the African Israeli is widespread. The schism between the ashkénaze Jews and the Sephardic ones is also visible. And mainly the apartheid imposed onto the Palestinians is revealing of what kind of values animate the Israeli elites.
The book has been published on August 2023 days before the events of October 7 and the genocidal war Israel launched against the Palestinians based on the true values of Israeli society.
Israel has indeed some success stories but their explanations are not in this propaganda book.

[Stuart Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much more than a survey of Israel. Senor and Singer shed light on the twin epidemics of despair and declining birth rates around the world and how Israel, with its unique culture is resistant to this malaise. As someone who has lived in Israel, I can affirm how powerful this effect is and how other nations should stop focusing on symptoms of decay and start thinking about what can be done to help citizens find meaning and purpose in their lives.

Despite being printed just prior to October 7, readers will find the content more relevant today than ever. Today we see Israelis, Jews, secular and religious as well as Israeli Arabs more unified than ever.

[Wesley Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent understanding as to why Israel is so resilient, and it’s people happy

This book explains why Israel is on the higher part of the scale concerning the happiest nations, or most content nations. The genius of Israel actually is community. Constantly under pressure, mandatory military service, the incredible sense of family and community is well described in this book. individual and communal at the same time. Good book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading and learned a great deal about community and individualism and family and the importance of community.

[Arthur Lampert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book

This book explains Israel to immigrants from western countries. It also explains to residents of western countries why Israel is consistently a happy, satisfying and successful country despite the trials that people here have to cope with. It will make them envious of what Israel has to offer. The people who want Israel destroyed and want to kill Jews everywhere, like the students, faculty and staff supporting terrorists on campuses in the US, won't read this book, but it explains why they will never win.

[Yossi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading especially after October 7, even if it was completed a few months beforehand (but includes an important discussion on “judicial reform” and the protests that accompanied it.) Chapters ten and eleven on “the wars of the Jews” and “the other Israel” were prescient in many ways of where Israeli society finds itself today in looking to repair and rebuild after the twin disasters of extreme polarization and the current war.

[Ellen Wolintz-Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good audio book. I could resonate with much of what was said and learned alot. I am glad there are others like me who are realists and that is one reason why Israelis are happier. Would be interesting to hear a commentary by these authors now, post 10/7/2023, Black Shabbat.

[Alan Kaplan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book about what is going on in Israel. The book was written before October 7 so nothing is mentioned about that war. The strengths of Israel are fully described. In 2021, Israel's GDP per capita surpassed Germany, the UK, France, and Japan. Also according to the World Happiness Report in 2022, Israel was 9th in the world. By 2023, Israel has risen to 4th. The Happiness Report measures life satisfaction. Israel and Singapore are the only two countries in the world where people were optimistic about their child's financial future. Even more importantly, Israel population is growing and growing rapidly, not just among the Ultra Orthodox. "While the rest of the wealthy world will look increasingly like an old age home, Israel will still be opening playgrounds and schools at a steady clip." Israel's median age is 29. Europe's is 41. By 2050, Israel's median age is predicted to be 32.9 and Europe will be 47. How will they ever continue to fund their social welfare societies?
Israel has also built the world's second largest innovation ecosystem.
According to this book, Israel has a tremendous sense of purpose, a strong sense of family and an amazing sense of perspective that comes from "absorbing so many layers of pain and being able to move on."
I have been to Israel three times, and you will be amazed by what you see. They have built a first world country in the Middle East in 75 years. The rest of the Middle East is mired in the 3rd world. While Israel was creating Waze and hundreds of other high tech companies, the perpetual victims in Gaza were building tunnels and rockets. We are shocked by the death culture in Gaza. They do not care about human life. The best line that I have heard about their nihilism is, you kill them, they win, they kill you, they win. They do not allow the citizenry to enter the tunnels. They are all human shields. The screams about ethnic cleansing do not apply to the Palestinians but to the Jews who were tossed out of every Middle Eastern country since 1950. Countries that had housed Jewish communities for hundreds of years, not to mention the psychotic ethnic cleansing of the Jews in Europe and Nazi Germany.

[Howard H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genius indeed. This exploration of Israeli exceptionalism - and it is exceptional in the right way and for good reason - is well worth reading. Even those who think they "oppose" Israel would do well to digest the book's observations and explanations.

This is a country beset by enemies and incessant threat. Yet it's not beleaguered. It's the opposite, in fact. Despite enemies all around, despite ceaseless terrorism and even despite its own homegrown raucous, fractious discourse, Israel manages to be happy. It scores consistently near the top of global surveys of various happiness factors. It scores consistently low on measures of despair such as substance abuse and suicide.

Why? Senor and Singer describe how Israelis internalize a sense of purpose in their lives - a collective purpose - missing from so many other countries and societies. They have strong, overlapping networks to support and encourage them, including in business. The army, the IDF, is an important part of this. As the authors say:

“To Israelis, the nation is neither abstract nor assumed … Israelis are socialized to understand this because they will be called upon to sacrifice years of their lives, if not more, as their turn comes to protect the palpable vessel that they personally must continue to build. And in doing so, they gain a sense of belonging not only to a people and a project that is larger than themselves, but to a shared purpose.”

Sure, the anti-zionists won't like that - or this book. They will say: What about the Palestinians? They will be missing the point. Among the lessons here is how it is possible to build something special, something positive, even in the face of adversity. The Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza deserve that. Building a positive society is how you build a nation.

HH

[kglibrarian (Karin Greenberg) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been amazed at the resilience and strength of Israel. In the aftermath of 10/7 I can't even begin to understand how a country whose people were so brutally attacked could pick itself up and show the world what true courage looks like.

The Genius of Israel highlights the foundation of this remarkable spirit. As I did with other books about Israel that I've read since October, I recalibrated every part in light of the current situation. I felt devastated knowing what was about to occur. But it's even more important to read this now. It documents events and attitudes right up to the summer of 2023, putting everything into a context of life in Israel up until the moment it all changed.

Noting that Israel consistently comes out near the top in world happiness rankings, the authors explore the reasons behind this. From strong community ties to valuing collective success as much as individual wealth, the citizens of Israel live with purpose. The authors share stories of unlikely citizens rising to the top of the tech startup world; the unique experiences of the IDF soldiers; collaborations between ultra religious and secular entrepreneurs; Arab, Druze, and Jewish Israelis working together in government and other fields; and the problems that remain despite the high level of optimism and faith among the country's residents.

As I've seen for myself during my visits to Israel, the people who make up this nation are diverse and dynamic. They share a love for the land and respect the views of others. They're dedicated to preserving the integrity of their country and fighting for it. There is so much more covered in this book including popular culture (Fauda, In Treatment, and other TV shows that were created by Israelis), internal politics, history. . .it's a must read for anyone who wants to get a close up look at what Israel is like at its core.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Israel is a small country facing tremendous obstacles. It is threatened and attacked by well-funded genocidal enemies. Meanwhile the international community, such as it is, is ambivalent at best and internally, Israel is regularly rocked by protests and religious and ethnic divisions. Yet, Israel, according to various international metrics, is one of the happiest countries. This apparent paradox is what Dan Senor and Saul Singer have set out to explain.

Looking at the different parts of Israeli society, they try to find out what makes Israel resilient and happy in the face of the many challenges it faces. This is what they mean by the “Genius of Israel”: how it is able to deal so successfully with its unique challenges as well as the problems afflicting most of the rest of the wealthy, liberal democracies. The short answer is that Israelis share a collective meaning and purpose, with a sense of community cementing that meaning and purpose.

This ties together much of what they look at: the educational system, the military, the tech sector, the family, the sabbath, and the regional historical connections. They explore the ways these elements all connect to, create, and reinforce that purpose and community.

They also look at the Haredi (ultra-orthodox) and Israeli Arab communities. While outliers in many ways, they also share some of the features that create that purpose and community. They point out how Israel has to do better by these two groups by incorporating them more into the mainstream. But they also show the ways that this integration is being driven internally in these communities.

All in all, an informative and engaging exploration and explanation of Israeli society. Important to read to understand Israel.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting, I learned a lot. Israel is one of the top ranked happiest countries in the world, despite the fact that it is surrounded by countries that have repeatedly tried to exterminate it for more than 75 years since the U.N. voted modern Israel into existence. At first I was concerned that this book read more like a series of articles patched together without an overarching theme to explain why Israelis are so happy and what makes their society work, but as I kept reading, the themes and explanations emerged. I learned about a number of aspects of Israeli culture with which I wasn’t previously familiar.

The book focuses mainly on the mainstream, Jewish but not ultra-Orthodox, majority of the population. It does have a chapter on Israeli-Arabs and the ultra-Orthodox, but this book is not mainly about those minority groups. It is also most definitely not about Israel’s wars with its neighbors or the Palestinian conflicts. Anyone who hates Jews or Israel is not the target audience. The book was finished in 2023, so it offers a good brief explanation of the mass protests in 2023 (and how different they were from political protests in the U.S. or many other countries) but does not contain anything from October 7th onward.