Zvi November

Israel in Reality Zvi November

Israel is probably the most confusing country in the world. Just about every aspect of life here is paradoxical. Israel is supposedly a Jewish country the way Thailand is Buddhist and Pakistan is Islamic. However, secularism prevails and most Israelis identify as Westerners in every way. Despite an ongoing Intifada (war) and the 2006 mini-war with the Lebanon-based Hizbullah guerilla army, the economy, led by the high tech sector, keeps growing by about 5% a year. On the other hand: corrupt politicians, pockets of poverty, plenty of crime, a deep rich-poor divide, strikes, scandals and governmental waste contribute to the impression that Israel is actually a Third World country in disguise. Israel is a nation under constant attack but everyday life is quite peaceful despite the tension. This is a land that is literally in the East but belongs to the Western world. Life here may be stressful, but the talent to overcome obstacles and the drive to succeed is great. Isreal in Reality is an attempt to explain the inherent contradictions of a complex nation-state whose five or more component populations disagree on almost every issue. Based on my thirty-eight years inside the Israeli melting pot, this book offers unconventional insights into the existential problems Israelis wrestle with every day.