By David Hegg

In the past 20 years, I have led nine trips to Israel, the land of the Bible. And, with Israel prevalent in the news today and with anti-Israel sentiment apparent on the fringes of our society, I thought it might be good to share my perceptions.

Several things about life in Israel stand out to me, but two pertain significantly to our lives as Americans.

As I have traveled and interacted with the Israeli people, I have been struck by a great paradox. On the one hand, they are robust in their disagreements over religious, political and economic issues … just like we are. Yet, on the other hand, I have never seen a people so united. A radical commitment to their shared situation is far more critical than their differences. While the people of Israel come from different countries in different shapes, sizes and colors, they coalesce around one over-arching truth. They are all Israeli, and they know their survival as a people and a nation depends on them preferring the country over their individual........

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