The Accomplishments Of "Extraordinarily Ordinary Israel"

Peter N. Hadar writes in The Harvard Crimson about the accomplishments of "Extraordinarily Ordinary Israel" in the face of adversity from the outside as well as the various interest groups that make up the current coalition:

Yet, somehow Israelis were able to get their economy in shape. Although it was considered a developing country until the late ’70s, Israel, a country the size of New Jersey with a smaller population than Chicago’s metropolitan area, has become an economic powerhouse in the world market, and has recently joined the prestigious Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. It ranks third worldwide (behind America and Canada) in the number of companies traded on Wall Street; second in the amount of venture capital funding received and amount of books published per capita; and first in the number of patents per capita, scientific journals per capita, and scientists per capita. Innovation and improvisation is prevalent in Israeli society (third-highest rate of entrepreneurship worldwide), allowing Israel to create some of the most advanced technology in the world. Aside from developing the first cell phone technology with Motorola, Israelis have also invented voicemail technology, AOL Instant Messenger, ingestible video cameras, and drip irrigation (which saved Israel from droughts). Israel managed to accomplish all this in 62 years, even though it was and still is boycotted by most Arab countries.

This economic innovation is only possible with a strong “melting-pot” of immigrants and a strong cultural ethos. Israel is the Jewish homeland, and has absorbed many millions of Jews from the Diaspora. There are Ethiopian Jews, Moroccan Jews, Chinese Jews, Russian Jews, French Jews, German Jews, Argentinean Jews, Mexican Jews, American Jews, and the list goes on. The cultural diversity, provided by experiences Jews have had all throughout the world, contributes to the ingenuity of the Israeli people. In addition, Israeli-Arab Muslims and Christians contribute fully to society and are equal members; many serve in the government, in the army, and in the private sector. This diversity creates a more open and tolerant society, a society that champions freedom of speech, press, religion, and enterprise.

Not bad.

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