What goes through the head of a typical Israeli?

One of the greatest human capabilities is being able to understand another human being. I did not say agree or give in, but rather simply understand. Oftentimes, we are either so confident in ourselves or so full of ourselves that we make it nearly impossible for another person to exist in our orbit. But there are times when we can put ourselves aside and try to think about how our spouses, children, friends, colleagues, and even strangers might feel. We don’t have to agree with them—obviously not. But maybe we can at least understand them and, by doing so, help our ability to interact with them.

Imagine your kid badgering you to go to the big concert next week. You say no, and that’s final. The tickets are too expensive, he’ll get home way too late and have a problem getting up for school the next morning, and who knows whom he’ll meet at such a venue? And while all of these arguments sound legitimate and a parent has an obligation to guide his children, let’s take a timeout and think like the child. All of his friends are going to this concert. This is his favorite group, and for years he has had dreams of seeing them live. If he doesn’t go, his friends will think that he is a baby who isn’t allowed out of the house beyond his bedtime. Not going would be a massive personal disappointment and would also make his standing at school and among his peers much worse. The parents might not change their minds, but they also might realize that for their child, there is a lot more at stake than ear-splitting rock and roll. They might even make a deal with him about promising to get up the next morning and staying away from weirdos at the concert.

Let’s imagine that Donald Trump secretly inserts himself into a kibbutz in northern Israel. He goes undercover in order to understand how Israelis feel about the multiple wars going on around them. After planting some corn, he talks to a couple........

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