Over half a million Israelis live in New York, making it the 2nd largest Israeli city in the world. Your conception failed.

Yair sez: “In 1987, when I worked in Los Angeles as a reporter, I was sent on assignment to a small street in the San Fernando Valley. Half of the residents of the street were from Kibbutz Beit Alfa. There was a neat row of houses, backyard swimming pool included, a nice home renovations business, three cars in the driveway. It seemed like they were waiting for the rest of the kibbutz to take up residence on the other half of the street. It did not happen. Twenty years later, you can go to www.beit-alfa.com and reserve a charming cabin at the foot of the Gilboa Mountains, air conditioning and breakfast included. It’s supposed to be charming.” Ron sez: Interesting comparison. I wander if you learned about “barter system of trading” from “the Hebrew translation of the best-selling book "Freakonomics" by Steven Levitt, I might try this Bait Alfa thing next time... Can I mention your name, Yair? I hope I can get a better deal... I will promise them to promote their enterprise on the talkback Ynet for two days and three nights in their “charming cabin at the foot of the Gilboa Mountains, air conditioning and breakfast included. It’s supposed to be charming.”

"It seemed like they were waiting for the rest of the kibbutz to take up residence on the other half of the street. It did not happen. " You stretching your imagination too much, Yair...

Besides agreeing with #1 about NY overall I thought it was a good article by Yair and Im usually blasting his 'empty' articles but this had substance even if statistically un-confirmed. There is still much truth in what he wrote. Who can ever forget Dudu Topaz's comedy skit when he was at the airport about to leave to Los Angeles making Yerida only in the end to reverse himself after recounting what it means to live in Israel with the sense of comraderie with fellow citizens. I'll never forget that. I just wish Israel would do more to encourage Yordim to return the yanni benefits of toshavim chozrim are minimalistic and not much help to those that want to return. But anyway I clap my hands to Yair this time and thats been a rarity. I judge him on his contents not his good looks. "Heres lookin at ye kid....."

First, why should Israel be in a contest with the Greeks and the countries of England, Holland, etc.? Second, Israel should not have to “make due” with high taxes, etc. especially the security problems and the widening social gap. “Making due” is not passing the ultimate test of any nation--it is failing it. As is living within close proximity of dire poverty and citizenship limbo within and without its borders. “Choosing” this (Palestinian threat, etc.) does not make Israelis better people, nor does it allow Israelis to feel that between birth and death, something vital and real is happening. If vital and real means a paranormal sense of fear day in and day out as you ride the bus or take a walk then I think most Israelis would choose not to feel that vitality and trade it for a sense of reality more common in the streets of Prague or Melbourne than Tel-Aviv or Jerusalem. As for the promises that were scattered along the way during the forming of the new government, I’m afraid (?) that, as we learned last summer, they will prove to be anything but empty.

Long live the Dizengoff Centre

A great, heart-warming article! True, we do, in some strange way, all love our country, although this is not enough to pass on to our children; we need something much more tangible and ever-lasting to hand out to the next generation. (By the way, your English is not bad at all for an Israeli, but I'd still have it edited before printing becasue there are some pretty bad errors there). Sorry.

I wouldn't feel safe in Chicago for a day. Residents in your city deal with horrors there we are only getting now because of the American influence - and a lot more frequently than we have bombings. It's all a matter of what scares you more.

There are sooo many new-york born hebrew speakers that are making there way back here, often serving in the army and attending Israeli universities. There parents went abroad for economic opportunity, but they realized money isn't everything and entrenched that in their kids, who for obvious reasons are at a stage in their life when they can come back.

I agree with you 100% that Chicago is not a safe city in some parts.  Again I don't think it's a contest, this time between "what scares you more"--drive by shootings or suicide bombings.  My point is that you shouldn't be satisfied with either, and to say that Israelis have learned to "make do" or "chosen" this (the Palestinian threat, etc.) is an insult to the intelligence and agency of Israelis and tangentially Jews around the world.  If Lapid had written an article saying Chicagoans had "made do" or "chosen" a society that toleartes drive by shootings he'd perhaps be right, but would have to write the article as a protest, not as self serving cheap patriotism that does little service for the betterment of Israel or Israelis.  

Sounds true. Israelis give more than others are asked to give and they do so readily - even their lives. Being an immigrant to Israel is the best decisio I made.

it seems now that Melbourne has just as many Israelis as it does Greeks. Well afterall it has been said that "Melbourne is the most livable city in the world"???

"Even if the tree reaches the hight of ten thousand feet, Falling leaves return to their roots."

Maybe they’re not trying to prove they’re “better people”, maybe they’ve been trying to prove they’re not any worse. People all around the world keep protesting against Israel without knowing a thing, without having minimal insight. What a bunch of ignorants. You are just looking for something to argue about, Aaron. By choosing to live in Israel, they’re choosing to live with everything there, including the “Palestinian threat”; making this choice doesn’t mean they’re satisfied with the situation and not trying to solve problems. Solving problems is kind of necessary and natural, but while doing so, you have to live with them as any solving is usually a process, isn’t it. I’ve lived within four nations so far (including Americans and Israelis). Let me tell you (contest or not, after all, “national character” is not a myth) they are the most extraordinary people.