Let me set the scene. I’m at a corner grocery in Tel Aviv picking up a few things. The man behind the counter, young, strong, good looking, is handling a growing line with effortless ease.
Phone tucked between chin and shoulder, he is saying, “Yes Mum, no I am not moving home, I ate the food it was good thanks.” As he speaks, his entire demeanour softens. Despite the line increasing, not a single soul complains.
His mother on the other end of the line comes first. And right there, in that quiet pause, is the true powerhouse behind Israel’s success. Forget tech start-ups, advanced military, and agricultural innovations, the Jewish mother, that unassuming but unstoppable force, is holding up this country, pushing it forward with love, guilt, and, more often than not, unrelenting encouragement.
Israel’s start-up scene is world-renowned, with innovations like Waze and Mobileye. Many attribute this success to Israel’s bold, resourceful culture, but look deeper, and you’ll find the real motivation. With every mother’s well-timed question, so when will you finally make something of yourself? another start-up is born.
Now let’s turn to Israel’s military. It has a global reputation for resilience, but its true secret weapon is not the latest tech, it is the endless flow of care packages from home packed with challah sandwiches and home-cooked meals. Soldiers know that braving enemy fire is one thing, but leaving homemade hummus untouched, unthinkable.
Israel’s di.