Israel Matzav

What is it about the Jews?

This isn't entirely about Israel, but it's worth taking the time to read. I don't know how the rest of you will feel about it, but it made me feel darned proud (and I don't know whether Sigmund, Carl and Alfred are Jewish themselves!). Here's a short excerpt:

Each of us are destined to spend our time on this earth making mistakes. That is the shared human destiny. It is true of individuals and it is also true of societies, cultures and religions.

What distinguishes success from failure is determined by the number and kind of mistakes that are made, the lessons learned from those mistakes and the contributions that are made for the greater good. The fewer mistakes made, the ability to learn from those mistakes and the commitment to elevate those around us are the universal hallmarks of success.

These are the values the Jews live by. Theirs is a culture of education, innovation, adaptation and service, not only for the singular glory of God, but even more importantly, for the elevation of man, so that he might reach the ever expanding potential that was endowed to him by God. This not simply a matter of religious expression- these values are cherished by Jews irrespective of their level of faith. They are embedded in the cultural and familial collective psyche of the Jews.

As Americans, we are fortunate to live in a society and culture that shares many of those values. If something doesn’t work, we fix it. If we need to learn from our failures, we do that too, no matter how painful that might be. As a nation, we have the remarkable ability to self correct. Most importantly, America offers everyone who has been blessed to call this nation home, an opportunity to reach beyond what he or she believe is even possible. America elevates and empower all who cherish her values.

Like the Jews, this nation is defined not by an aristocracy of bloodlines or money, but rather by an aristocracy of those who made their dreams come true. The same is true for all those nations and of all faiths who embrace and share those values. It is a remarkable truth that those who make their own dreams come true also make the lives of others better. This nation gives more charity and aid to others than any other nation on earth. As our dreams our realized, our ‘tribe’ within the community of mankind expands. In more ways than one, that is our greatest blessing.

Read it all.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:04 PM