Highlighting: “Chutzpah: Why Israel Is a Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” by Inbal Arieli. Publishers HarperBusiness/HarperCollins Publishers. 2019. Hardcover. 240 pages. English. ISBN: 978-0-06-288303-2.
Inbal Arieli knows more than a thing or two about how to be an entrepreneur. In addition to being a remarkably successful one herself, she has taken leading roles in the growing Israeli high-tech sector. Her resume includes founding numerous programs for innovators, and serving as a board member and senior adviser for an assortment of additional programs and organizations including Birthright Israel Excel, WISe Program of the Weizmann Institute of Science and more. She’s even been featured as one of the hundred most influential people in Israeli high-tech. Currently she is the co-CEO of Synthesia, which is a leadership assessment and development company. Arieli is a proud Israeli who describes herself as “born and raised in Israel on hummus and chutzpah,” and now she’s sharing with the world her take on why her country is such a strong hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Chutzpah: Why Israel Is a Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” published by HarperCollins Publishers, explores how Israelis are encouraged from very young ages to be expressive and creative. Hence the title: It’s the fact that they are taught chutzpah, a term that can be used as either a negative or a positive, but in this case is a positive. The basic English translation is impudence or audacity, but it also means having the guts to step out of line and do something when everyone else says it’s impossible. It’s for that reason that Arieli sees it as such an important quality for an entrepreneur to have, as without it, the only results one can expect will be the expected.
“Chutzpah is inspiring people and getting them on board with an idea, no matter how crazy it may sound,” Arieli shares in the book. “It is believing in the journey and in the unexpected results it will bring. It’s saying yalla, let’s dive in and see where we end up. Let’s aspire and inspire. Let’s achieve unrealistic goals and turn them into reality.”
The books goes in depth into the Israeli way of life, starting with childhood exploration and discovery, and building to the life skills Israeilis learn in the IDF that further encourage them to succeed in their future endeavors. Israeli society is direct and assertive, but also nurturing and rewarding for those who want to put in the effort. One point Arieli makes is how Israelis outside of Israeli who haven’t even met before can instantly connect and form a camaraderie based solely on their country of origin. The culture, social bonds and melting-pot community fosters closeness that’s nearly unheard of in this day and age; however, for Israelis, it’s just a normal part of how things are.
According to Arieli, balagan is also a leading factor in making the country such a successful hub for ideas and creativity. The word literally means disorder, or a state of mess, and for Israelis, it’s seen as a good thing that allows growth in ways most other societies don’t. By growing up amid disorder, children are taught to be adaptive, to think in unconventional ways, a useful tool that will be incredibly applicable for prospective entrepreneurs and innovators later in life.
“For Israelis, balagan is a way of life, not only among children,” “Chutzpah”’s text continues. “Unlike the common perception of disorder as a disruptive force, in Israel balagan reveals itself as an incredibly flexible and accommodating system. Instead of following strict rules regarding social behavior and play, balagan fosters ambiguity, encouraging the development of skills necessary for dealing with the unpredictability of life. Though this may seem counterintuitive, if it were not for balagan, how would we ever learn to deal with conflict and disagreement?”
When it comes to being an entrepreneur, Arieli provides an assortment of examples and anecdotes from successful Israeli innovators about the ideas and thought processes that got them to such a point. What many share is their strong will and striving desire to improve the world in their own unique way. For innovators and entrepreneurs, it’s maintaining a healthy level of optimism and a curious mind that will help them on their journey. “For Israelis,” the book goes on to say, “now is never our final stop; there is room for change and growth, and the future, against all odds, can be surprisingly positive.”
“Chutzpah” is available worldwide for purchase. You can buy it from Amazon or participating vendors. To keep up with Arieli, you can follow her on Twitter @InbalArieli, or check out her website, http://inbalarieli.com.
Adam Samuel is a journalist from Teaneck. He blogs at www.adamssoapbox.com.
