How I tolerate - Golus Mentality - Articles about Israel

I am often asked by people who do not live in Israel how I can tolerate the latest, supposedly terrible thing that Israel or the Israeli government or certain Israeli people or certain divisions within Israel have done. The Israelis so they say have espoused a terrible policy. I should distance myself from them. How can I live in a country that does so-and-so to its citizens.

And of course, the examples abound. If you're looking for them they will appear.

I am usually amazed at these statements.

People come from many other places, many other countries, many other regions. In those regions there are things that are done that are unquestionably wrong. Hollywood, for example, is responsible for the collapse of the American family to a large degree, and the popular decadence that thrives in the country cannot be overlooked or denied.

Yet, nobody blames Americans for living in a country in which these evils exist. They are simply overlooked.

The American traditional melting pot has melted away religious values among many people. It is no longer a place with religious freedom. It is a place of freedom from religion.

Yet, people go about their lives without criticizing their own homeland. Indeed, they will be horrified to read these terrible things that I have written and they will be extremely defensive. How could I say something so terrible about their beloved America?

Well, we Israelis live in our beloved Israel. How can you say such terrible things about our beloved country? And why are you constantly placing us on the defensive for the evils that may or may not have really taken place in our country?

Perhaps there are good answers for the things that are done. Perhaps there aren't. Will the availability of the right answers make a difference? Is that our goal, to find just the right way to respond to your accusations, whether they are valid or not?

The fact is that there is no country, no region, no place in which there is only good or only bad. Each place has its advantages and disadvantages.

However, the measure of a country's acceptability and perhaps even viability is not that it does good or bad, and not the fact that people shout, "My country right or wrong!"

It is an acceptance of the country for what it is and an attempt by its citizenry to improve the situation, to make it a better place.

I am proud to say that in Israel, with all of the criticism from within and from without, the strongest cries are to make an improvemtn, to make it a better place.

Different people may have different views on the concept of betterment. Perhaps this is even to be understood or accepted in a young country.

However, everybody is interested in improving the situation and in making it a better country as they see it in their own views.

Israelis are not trying to create a breakdown in society, although some misguided policies may point in that direction.

Israel is not trying to break down family values or other positive issues, although sometimes that does occur.

Israelis are looking to make a better world and a better place. That is the overriding goal. That is what they want to accomplish despite nasty wars and other issues that get in the way.

The goal, the trend in Israel is an attempt to constantly improve and do better.

That means that we have no right and no reason to criticize what is happening unless we want to join those who will help to make it a better place in which to live.

Can we say the same about any other country, region, or place in the world?

Where do you want to go now?