- Living Among Fellow Jews – Shared Traditions And Customs
Narrative:
Diaspora Jews often feel like islands of tradition in a sea of foreign culture. In Israel, Jewish life is the norm. From Shabbat Shalom greetings in the supermarket to strangers offering mishloach manot on Purim, there is an unspoken bond of shared heritage. There is no need to explain why you eat matzah on Pesach or light candles on Friday night—everyone understands. Living in Israel means living among family, even if you’ve never met them before.
Biblical Source:
“And who is like Your people Israel, one nation on earth?” (II Samuel 7:23)
וּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ.(שמואל ב ז:כג
Talmudic Source:
“All of Israel are responsible for one another.” (Shevuot 39a)
כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲרֵבִים זֶה לָזֶה. (שבועות לט
- No Christmas Overload –
No External Religious Influences
Narrative:
In many parts of the world, December means Christmas music in every store and holiday decorations on every street. Jewish holidays are overshadowed, and even Chanukah is often presented as the “Jewish Christmas.” In Israel, there is no need to compete with dominant cultural influences. Instead, the streets light up for Chanukah, and the air fills with the scent of sufganiyot. Jewish identity stands on its own, unfiltered and uninfluenced.
Biblical Source:
“Lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.” (Numbers 23:9)
הֶן־עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן וּבַגּוֹיִם לֹא יִתְחַשָּׁב.(במדבר כג:ט
Talmudic Source:
“The Jewish people are unique, not following the ways of the nations.” (Pesachim 113b)
יֵשׁ לָהֶם דֶּרֶךְ מְיֻחֶדֶת וְאֵינָם כְּדֶרֶךְ הָאֻמּוֹת. (פסחים קיג
Rabbi Paul Bloom lives in Jerusalem with his wife Ettie. Paul is President of the Israel Inspiration Initiative and is on the Board of the New York / Israel Chamber of Commerce. He is the CEO of PDB Futurecom International and is a retired CTO of IBM Research’s Communication Sector.
