SP could also mean San Petersburg . There was no need to add Brasil , i know . Thanks and Shabbat Shalom

You are right when you say that Israel is great in her uniqueness . The only nation in the world who was born again after around 2000 years . A country that has given already so much to mankind in all the scientific fields . A country that has absorbed millions of immigrants from all over the world . A country ranked by the greatest regarding developpement . A country we can , and have to , be proud of . This all because we wanted also to live in the 20th and now in the 21st century , and not in the 17th or 18 th , where religious leaders had everything to say in the East European sthetls . We wanted a country ruled by politicians , not rabbis . And if in your eyes it's the gentiles way , let it be so , it's the best way known in this world . Shabbat Shalom . A grandfather of eight .

All the contributions you enumerated are fine - yet Israel uniqness is Torah

You could have this tora begalut too . But not the Israeli scientific centers . Israel was not built with the tora , Israel is HISTORICALLY ours , no other reason , certainly not religious .

i don't diminish the importance and contributions od scientific centres Jews are and had always been the gratest scientists in Galut too Non jews can be grat at sciences too. Torah is Jewish Heritage- Galut or otherwise- It's uniqueness is what we are talking about

You certainly have that right, Fred. The religious AUTHORITARIANISM in Israel has got to GOooooooooo! More religious pluralism please ! Shalom !

Seems you are right again, Charles.

More need to make the same point.

sooner than democracies. It takes knowledge for democracies to survive, which means no socialist ideas are allowed to creep into the body politic. Sorry to break the news to you.

We all heard the story before. You might as well make a recording so you can hear it when ever you need to make the point. Don't forget to add that everyone who doesn't agree with you is not Jewish.

Yes , tora is an unique book of Jewish History . That's all for seculars . Interpretation and explanations are discussed . For religious believing people it contains of course more than just History . And don't forget , Rashi and the Rambam , great interpretors lived begalut most if not their whole life .

However often we hear the US refered to as a democracy is beside the point, though America does display many democratic attributes. When at the end of the Contonental Congress, Ben Franklin was asked what kind of government was given to the new country. His answer was " a Republic, if you can keep it ". Say the pledge of allegiance for another reminder. Democracies are ever plagued by factionalism, as we see in Israel, and they can become unstable and overthrown by a charismatic leader who misleads the majority. Republics are more stable, quicker in decision-making and less responsive to the whims of a possibly misled populace especially when many voters react by gut instinct and lack real Constitutional verve. Throughout history, pure democracies fell apart after a time due to ideas incompatible with democratic ideals. Most often democracies have served as transitional states of government due to their inherent weaknesses and bureaucratic blunders, as well as incompetent leaders and internal corruption. Israel would fare much better as a Republic or as a Democratic Republic, but it would have to create a CONSTITUTION, limit it's factionalism, and deal with other pressing issues such as separation of religion and state to get there. I

David, I would appreciate the opportunity to comment to you directly about your note 51. David Mozes