Jewish Scene
What is the secret of Jews' success?
Itzchak Tessler
Published: 07.05.14, 00:41
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1. Nice story, though incomplete.
AVouskila ,   South America   (05.07.14)
The writer is so enthust with his so-called study of the Jewish History during the diaspora (2000 years, please note Sir) which funny haha start two hundred years ago! Is it because you have no idea what transpired in the Jewish Sepharadic Communities throughout the globe and its contribution to it and Israel,during those missing 1800years, were foreign to you?! By all means the establishment of the Napoleonic Standards that promoted and recompensed the individual for her/his contribution to the State and Nation, and the opening upacceptance to Jews for higher education , specifically in Germany and France, England and subsequently USA. But, they were centuries in North Africa with the Cartage and Romain systems, and the Jews in Spain, Portugal and Southern France that could be found in books and manuscripts. The list is endless of names during those centuries that you should study, even though some of them ended in Auto-Da-Fait, they are considered as the creme de la creme of their communities, and there was no Nobel or other Price-Prize distribution institution that might be listed in. There are other factors that contributed to the explosion of Jewish contribution in the West; just as well as some Tribe indiginous to India or China. I am proud of such contribution throughout the two millinares, but the reasons for such powerful creativity has many mothers/fathers from all walks of life, but no necessarily story. Just read a Biography of Albert Einstein who's father and uncle were the Electricical Start-Up of 19th century Italy, Austria....
2. I gave up on the articl about 1/3 through ..
michael redboun ,   Lisbon - Portugal   (05.07.14)
3. The power of Chidush-creating something new, is a Soul Power
R. Shimon B'Yochai   (05.07.14)
It's that extra Neshama-Soul Level-that gives Jews the ability to formulate new understandings and communicate them, i.e. "stories". By the way, that's what "choseness" means.
4. Judaism itself is a great story
Mark B. ,   Amsterdam / Holland   (05.07.14)
I personally always thought the indeed miraculous numbers of Jews excelling in fields as science, business and culture was due to the fact that the first Jew (Abraham) was a creative and searching rebel who took not for granted the 'known' facts and order of his time, started thinking out of the box and sought and created a new reality. So could one say the first jewish story was Abraham finding God and proposing a deal to God that was accepted? And that making stories imply a mindset that does not takes for granted the 'facts' as they are known now, that is bold and rebellious and is set on finding out new facts and possibilities, in order to create new realities? Let us all admit and acknowledge that jewish stories enrich the world in many ways for a long time now. There is however a story that is not selling and convincing because it is not a good story and that is the story of changing the Westbank into Judea & Samaria. Change that story, Israel and give us a happy end a la Hollywood, please. That would be a story ripe for all the oscars available!
5. Word smart linguistics?
Matilde   (05.07.14)
This article reminds me, when i was in high school. i used to have the ability to read books of more than 300 pages in just a few hours, then i was asked to tell the story to my class in 30 minutes. The interesting thing was that for some reason that i had never understood, they always got better scores than me in those quizes. Bahh!
6. Enlightenment the answer!
(05.07.14)
Enlightenment through education, study and study of Word of God through His teaching is the only success story.
7. Adam was first Jewish accountant.He turned over leaf and
(05.07.14)
made an entry
8. Only G-od gave us this talent (and we are learning hard)
(05.07.14)
9. Great, Fun "Story" ... Why I Read YNet!
Jersey Jew ,   New Jersey, USA   (05.07.14)
Please publish more "stories" like this cuz this is true Judaism & smart ...
10. What's one of the secrets of a future in Medinat Israel
DANNS   (05.07.14)
El Baradei(from Egypt) chief suppervisor of UN in the case of the atomic development in the Teheran Times country edition was may be the best story teller in the world during the last 15 years .Good he isnt the chief in charge at the moment in El Cairo goverment .nor the MB.(thanks G-d) I hope Mr Tessler and Mr Shatner will not need to escape to Hollywood were they could make a lot of stories and scripts for films and make a living there if something makes success(G-d help that this not to happen) the past joint venture between Mr El Baradei and the "Teheran Times"editors --->>>.SHALOM in the Independence day of MEDINAT ISRAEL to Yedihot Ahronot newspaper the most popular in Tel Aviv and its israeli and international readers.
11. Causes of Genocide... convenience, revenge, fear, existence
Steve Benassi ,   Silver Bay, MN USA   (05.07.14)
Convenience... Jew are a tiny minority, easy to kill, Jews were only 0.75% of German population in 1933. Revenge... Hitler, German voters, blamed Jews for rise Communism, Bavarian Soviet Republic in 1918-19, German poverty after WWI... "At the time almost half of all German private banks were Jewish owned, the stock exchange dominated by Jewish stockbrokers, almost half of the nation’s newspapers were Jewish run as were 80 per cent of chain stores." -DailyMail, 19 June 2009 Fear... Holodomor genocide"Stalin's Jews", "Reds" killed up to 10 million "Whites" in nearby Ukraine 1932-33. Existence... "The final reason for genocidal killing is the most difficult to understand. Sometimes the very existence on earth of an enemy community is considered so polluting, so offensive, and so unnatural that harmony cannot be reestablished until every last one of this group has been eliminated... This goes beyond the fear of retaliation, or any direct perceived threat, or a mere wish for revenge. For Hitler, Jews were so racially polluting that the mere survival of a few threatened to racially pollute the world " -MassViolence, 10 November 2009
12. Albert Einstein
Harold ,   USA   (05.07.14)
Albert Einstein rejected Israeli offer for presidency of their state because he was Anti-Zionist.
13. @2
Matilde   (05.07.14)
And i changed the tv channel when i saw Netanyahu singing with iranian singer Rita. Ps: i recognize when a jew politician doesnt have music skills!!! Hahaha!
14. HASHEM is !.
Arn. ,   Sweden.   (05.07.14)
15. part about king david is wrong
david ,   new york   (05.07.14)
david fiegned insanity to save him self form the philistines, not to save himself from king saul
16. Of all ancient culture the one of Israel
Beary White ,   Norway   (05.07.14)
.. is the only one survived and has lived through millenniums. The faith of a caring G_d and the respect for their own culture has made this people the most top-edge in the modern world. Even being subject of mass-murder by europeans and by follower of the evil islamic-cult-ideology, the people of Israel has survived and strengthen its faith. And, as we have seen, those who have abused, persecuted, tortured and killed jewish people have fallen to the ground, punished for their deeds. In that sense, islam and its followers are deemed to self-destruct in a very hot place.
17. i would like to know how jewish storytelling differs
david ,   new york   (05.07.14)
his hypothesis sounds intriguing. i had relatives that were founders of the american movie industry. i always found it hillarious that yiddish speaking jews made the movies to told america what it means to be american. i wonder qualitatively how jewish storytelling and sense of narrative differs from those of other people. the article doesnt elaborate on this
18. 11 To enraged dogs any reason
Observer ,   Israel   (05.07.14)
is good enough to bite.
19. Good story telling, for simple people
Rich ,   Toronto, Canada   (05.07.14)
who want to believe in fantasies, is the key to Jewish success.
20. #12: you're smoking something
david ,   new york   (05.07.14)
albert einstein was strongly zionistic. he did not want to be president of israel because he didnt think he would be good at it (not a politician). anyway, don't you think it would be rather unbelievable that someone would be offered the presidency of israel if he WASNT a zionist?!?
21. The Tora nurtured during 3000 years
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (05.07.14)
the Jewish soul. So guess what is the secret.
22. @12
Matilde   (05.07.14)
Einstein was Zionist. But...how do you know he was really offered the Presidency of the Jewish State of Israel?
23. #22
Harold ,   USA   (05.08.14)
Check Google where you'll find he was against the creation of Israel and against Zionism.
24. @20
Matilde   (05.08.14)
Unbelieveable or not, Abba Eban was Jew, was Zionist, was in fact many things, but he wasnt citizen of Israel when was offered to work as ambassador of Israel to the UN, in 1959 the public was informed that he wasn’t a citizen of Israel, and to represent Israel or to work in politics, he changed his status to Israeli. I guess the kind of intriguing bluff ben gurion loved! Bahhh! Ps: you are also invited to answer the question in #22. Have a nice day
25.  a Bobe maises- grandma stories.
sasha ,   Bilbao, Basque   (05.08.14)
26. It's much simpler than that
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (05.08.14)
What makes the Jewish special is a mean IQ somewhere north of the stratosphere. We are, after all, the Chosen people. It's time to stop being mealy-mouthed and self-effacing and state it plainly and clearly. Pound for pound, we are the most intelligent people on the face of the earth. With a kick-ass military. There you have it.
27. #20
Harold ,   USA   (05.08.14)
Try to go to Google where you will find that Einstein was against the creation of a Jewish State. Therefore he was against the Jews and Zionism.
28. #20 and #22
Harold ,   USA   (05.08.14)
Go to Google and type: 1- Was Albert Einstein Anti-Zionist 2- Was Albert Einstein offered the presidency of Israel Confirming what I commented.
29.  @thank you all
Matilde   (05.08.14)
Blessings!
30. Harold , you are WRONG
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (05.08.14)
Go to jewishvirtuallibrary . There you will see the letter the Israeli embassy send him . And also his response . He was offered the presidency of Israel . He was sad that he could not accept it , in short :" I can direct atoms , but not people" He bequeathed his writings to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem . This is not something an anti Zionist would do . And those are the TRUE facts , facts NOT interpretations
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