We’re not perfect. We’re not polite. We’re not subtle … But we’re real.
In a world where everyone’s busy looking good, Israelis are busy making sure they’re not lying to themselves.
“Excuse me, I was just asking” – this is how most moments that don’t end well in Israel begin.
This is one of the most brilliant passive-aggressive brilliances of Israeli culture: a trial that begins with light-hearted politeness, and ends with legal drama, public use or a viral column on Facebook.
At first it made me laugh . . . then it made me angry.
And now? Now I’m a part of it, because anyone who watches the Patriots for more than a week goes through a process. It’s not just a panel – it’s a way of life.
Somewhere between Metula and Rahat, among the dunes and basalt hills, there is a phenomenon that even Harvard has not yet been able to crack: the clothing habits of the average Israeli. The one who comes to a wedding in a white polo shirt, goes to a job interview in ripped jeans, and in winter (that is, one rainy February) wraps himself in a down jacket as if he were in Iceland.
This is a nation that rejected the necktie as part of a colonial conspiracy, adopted Crocs as a national symbol, and broadcasts to the world: “We don’t dress for you. We dress for the integration.”
What Are They Trying to Sell Us in the Name of “The Protest”
November 30, 2025
When “Zionism” Has Become a Curse Word in Philosophy Halls?
November 27, 2025
