Opinion
Welcome to Israel: Are you ready for fast and furious?
Arona Maskil
Published: 08.03.18, 08:30
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32 Talkbacks for this article
1. I Loved This Article
Eve Shaftel ,   Boca Raton, FL   (03.08.18)
Even though I have been to Israel 22 times, I learned so much from this article. Fascinating.
2. What about Boorishness?
Abra ,   Cape Town   (03.08.18)
... and loudness, biorishness, arrogance, aggression, coarseness, crudeness and so on?
3. something
sona   (03.08.18)
while it is easy to be here in israel it is diffecult to get out of a culture or to get a new culture to be here you need days under a law but you need generations to change the culture it is like the believe it is like a religion
4. A short-sighted and selfish culture
Allison ,   Netanya   (03.08.18)
My experience of living here over the past year is that few people take responsibility for their actions, and even fewer behave in a way that builds relationships, solidarity or efficiency. The Israeli distain for rules and planning coupled with their passion for pushing their weight around to "win" makes life here needless stressful and very inefficient. It is quite common for workman to return again and again to finish a job because they did not plan properly. Poorly park cars that take up more than one parking spot or double parked cars that block the street are also common. Meanwhile, if you hesitate for two seconds after a traffic light changes you are treated to a symphony of car horns. The collective lack of respect for rules coupled with the signature Israeli aggressiveness and impatience robs others of their time, energy and peace of mind.
5. Sugarcoating
Israeli   (03.08.18)
There is no alternative Israeli culture you have to get used to. There is simply a lack of culture.
Israelis as a whole are Middle Eastern in the worst possible meaning of the word: rude ill mannered with a complete disregard for rules or for each other.
There is nothing good about it.
As most Israelis' roots lie in neighboring Arab countrirs, the mainstream culture is derived from these nations.
It is the minority that came from elsewhere that creates economic growth, and it, along with its productive and well behaved sub culture, is rapidly eroding.
6. Forgot social dumping, foreign workers
Avi L.   (03.08.18)
You forgot the social dumping caused by governments (all of them) that pitch Israelis against third world workers in a lower offering work "market".

Israelis cannot live on a third world pittance. This drags down all of the salaries (excepted those protected categories like public "servants" or big companies).

Politicians should start to earn Ethiopians or Chinese salaries to see how it is, but they already know and prefer rub shoulders with their pals from Savyon or Cesarea.
7. reasons for lack of infatuation with Israeli culture
Khalid Amayreh ,   Jerusalem   (03.08.18)
The so-called Israeli culture expects others to swallow the mendacious Zionist narrative, hook, line, and sinker . But it happens that many people, including Jews, still retain a modicum of honesty and rectitude. this should explain the puzzle!


Yes, the theft doesn't become legitimate even after the passage of 70 years!
8. Wherever I have been
This human ,   Notmdwhumanhands   (03.08.18)
all I have seen is a bunch of humans. Thanks be for the Jewish scriptures which has provided, through my personal knowledge, that I can trust in the One who is more than mere human.
9. Other reasons for Olim not adjusting
Kahn Fused ,   Kfar Saba   (03.08.18)
By selective omission the article leaves out the other reasons for olims failure to acclimate, including poor service at most levels of government and industry, protekzia where friends gets the best jobs not competence, corruption by officials in governments and industry, cutting the line or cutting you off when driving and lack of self respect when dealing with the nations, such as the abuse heaped upon Israel at the UN.. and we are still there. I could on but kvetching is easy... the job of the olim is to do their part to make things better
10. Nazis had same problem, Chosen People Master Race mentality
(03.08.18)
11. Truthfully
B ,   London   (03.08.18)
This is quite a tragic article I'm afraid - masochism being offered to you by sadists. No doubt well written and well-intended, but completely ignores the fact that all this 'chutzpah' is narcissistic inconsideration that is pathological in Israel and results in the most vile forms of liberty-taking. The reason most who immigrate eventually leave is because their vulnerability is exploited in this manner and the cost/benefit ratio of staying becomes unjustifiable. Instead of apologising for it, look in the mirror and examine this moral corruption festering under the surface. Israel does indeed have the normative potential to change, but this Pollyanna mentality only exasperates the problem.
12. Americans not very clever
TOMER ,   ramat gan   (03.08.18)
I always find Americans are very worried about Israeli salaries. They seem to forget that we don't need private health insurance or save ridiculous amounts of money for our kids' higher education. Moreover, getting a reasonable job is all about you know. That is the case in the States as in Israel.
13. Excellent Article
Tova ,   Canada   (03.08.18)
I been to Israel a number of times and lived in Israel for a few years. Like moving to any country it is never easy. That is what I like best about Israel. You are not forced to agree or assimilate with every culture or disregard your own life to be accepted by others.

Israel is a country that lets you be who you are, you don't need to change. Your spirit is free your mind is free your whole being is free.

You only need to adapt to the way things are in Israel. such as looking for job, a place to live. Those headaches are in every nation for any new immigrant.

Israel the Best Country in the World to Be Who You Are and all the bumps that comes with it.
14. LIVING IN ERETZ HAKODESH:
SAFED KABBALIST ,   SAFED HONESTY   (03.08.18)
The Torah describes the Land of Israel brutally , in parsha Shelach ,numbers 13: 32 " the land which we passed through to explore is a land which consumes its inhabitants" aside from being also described as a land of " milk and honey" . To live here is Israel is to be closer to The Almighty, there is a price to pay for that extra closeness ,and that price is that it can be challenging to live here ,as well as being a great priviledge.
15. Israelis are personally conservative with liberal values
(03.08.18)
16. the comparison is generally correct. It is the same!
Khalid Amayreh ,   Jerusalem   (03.09.18)
Lebensraum= settlement expansion
Master Race=chosen people
Untermenschen-goyem
Torat ha-Melekh= Mein Kampf.
repression of Palestinians=Kristalnacht
Gaza=Auschwitz
IDF=Gestapo

17. It all depends on whether you've succeeded in putting roots
(03.09.18)
here.
Otherwise this kvetching can go on back& forth just like the eternal question of "are Poles antisemites?"
18. As an ultra-rightist baboon that came here 32 years ago I
(03.09.18)
can tell you, that this article is a self-delusional.
The Author (like myself ) wants to feel better about the unappetizing aspects of Israeli psyche.
We are quite tough to stomach at times and no amount of sugarcoating & polishing the turd will make things more shiny & fragrant!
Sorry folks.
BTW: I'm bloody staying!
19. LIFE IN ISRAEL AINT EASY
TEL EM STRAIGHT ,   SAFED HONESTY   (03.09.18)
Noisy ,uncivilized ,rude ,argumentative israelis, ridiculous bureaucracy , low wages, high prices etc.
20. SPEEK EENGLISH YA ALLAH
YOSSI THE SABRA ,   SAFED HONESTY   (03.10.18)
Why you make aliyah to eezrael?? are you crazy ?? eeeeehhh eeeeeehhhhh
21. the lack of understanding of Israeli cultural values.....
tomer ,   jerusalem   (03.11.18)
arona , your article,even though well written and touching on many issues
correctly there are a few things you should have added:
Decreasing ethical values (in politics,municipalities,police and army,rabbis etc),
decreasing moral values ( same groups and general public)
coming back of ashkenazi-sepharadim split
hate speeches left -right , separation of society groups.
first signs of pathological nationalismn and facismn.




22. And took the plane to USA...
Sky Blue ,   BucureČ™ti   (03.12.18)
24 hours after writting this BS the author was already discussing it with her countles friends and relatives who managed to escape the israely paradise and are living in the USA...
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