Now that we seem to be nearing the end (at least partially) of one of the darkest chapters in the nation’s history, we can take a moment to breathe and reflect on everything we have been through over the past two years. One of the distinct positives we experienced since the outbreak of the war has been the incredible support from civil society. This support was manifested in the social mobilization to aid the injured, the displaced, the soldiers and reservists, and of course, the families of the hostages. The spontaneous mobilization of Israeli society was impressive in its scope and diverse, and to a large extent, it created a support network that enabled Israeli society to continue functioning reasonably well even during the difficult days following the horrific attack of October 7.

Over the past two years, many statements have been made suggesting that this mobilization is what distinguishes the People of Israel, the Jewish People, but this is where I disagree. While risking an unpopular opinion (UPO), I will argue that the accepted claim that this mutual aid and communal mobilization are unique to........

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