Grandma's army

Since its inception, Israel has not been allowed to take its existence for granted, like every other nation on earth. Although Israel is just a “dot” on the map, there are more international journalists in Israel per capita than in any other place in the world. The eyes of the world quite literally watch and judge whatever takes place there. Even after decades of independence, the existence of the State of Israel is still not recognized by some states and international bodies, while others are even pledged to bring about its destruction. In addition, criteria of judgement which differ from those applied to any other nation, are applied to Israel. Having achieved independence, Israel still found itself in an ongoing battle  for recognition and for its right to life. Under constant threat of violence or war, Israel’s achievements have, nonetheless, been remarkable: It has taken a neglected, desolate landscape and turned it into a place of farms, forests, nature reserves, an...

Even before we had a country of our own, Jews believed in man’s ability to change the world for the better. That is the reason they have made such notable achievements in the arts and sciences – why so many win Nobel Prizes. This is also why Jews are at the forefront of almost every revolutionary movement. The concept of Tikkun olam ( fixing the world ) is somehow embedded in the Jewish consciousness.   It means to do something with the world that will not only fix any damage, but also improve upon   any activity that brings it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created. Tikkun olam implies that its Creator purposely left room for us human beings to improve upon His work. Human beings are the creatures who find materials in their raw, natural state, and with vision, ingenuity, creativity and wisdom fix them up to a whole new level. We take sounds and make music, colors and create art, wild places and develop farms and gardens, etc. Although the missio...