Israel’s Virtues

The Israeli public has little faith in the government, whose job it is to protect its citizens. Given the rifts in Israeli society, one might expect to see signs of social breakdown: looting, break-ins, violence in the street. But none of that has happened. Instead, millions of Israelis are packing sandwiches, delivering equipment, raising money, giving rides, opening ad hoc schools for evacuees, clearing rocket shelters, harvesting tomatoes, and more, all on a grassroots, volunteer, community basis. None of this is organized by the state.