Israeli businessman Ronnie Maman wants to teach his fellow countrymen some manners. Maman, who lived in San Diego for 26 years and moved back to Israel two years ago, has announced that he will award $60,000 to anyone who comes up with the best way to teach Israelis how to be more considerate of one another.
Contestants may submit their proposals to Maman’s Web site, www.derech-eretz.org, and the winner will be chosen next year. The contest was announced earlier this week, and Maman says that he has already received hundreds of proposals. Maman moved back to Israel when his son decided he wanted to join the Israeli army, and his son’s choice was part of Maman’s inspiration for the etiquette initiative.
“If my son wants to sacrifice his life for the country, I should do something myself for the country,” Maman told The Shmooze. “Many people unfortunately really don’t care for each other very much anymore. People became materialistic and angry. It’s worldwide, but in Israel it’s really personal because we have a lot of enemies and we’re all sitting on the same bench.”
Maman also cites his time spent in the United States as a motivating factor for launching the contest.
“I think that being in the United States for many years really changed me. I’m sure I learned much better manners. One of the things I really liked is people greeting each other when they walked on the streets. Here on the elevators, people don’t greet each other.”
He added, “People here have a lot of chutzpah, and I think that we can change it. And it’s crucial for Israel.”
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I lived in Israel for over 12yrs and now believe that it simply is not possible to change Israelis rudeness and lack of kindness toward one another. This has only gotten worse with the ongoing occupation and Israel's role as the occupier. The attitues of distrust and contempt it holds towards Arabs eventually affects relationships between Jews.Even the land itself, once beautiful has been largely uglified by pollution and disregard.
Sorry, but "manners" and "Israeli sabra" just doesn't compute. No such thing possible. The old joke that used to make the rounds in the old days went like this. A journalist asks a man on the street in the US, "Excuse me what do you think of the beef shortage?" The American replies "What is 'shortage?'" The same journalist interviews a man on the street in Moscow, USSR, and asks the same queston,"Excuse me, what do you think of the beef shortage?" The Soviet man replies, "What is 'beef?'" The journalist then goes to Israel and asks a men on the street in Tel Aviv, "Excuse me, what do you think of the beef shortage?' The Israeli queries, "What is 'excuse me?'"
Thank you, Ronnie Maman. Your work will do more for world Jewry than anything else. Not only will better mannners improve the relations between Jews and gentiles but it will give Jews, worldwide, a Jewish state to be proud of. Most important, it will enhance the well-being of Israeli children, and the ripple effect will be enormous.
I did not notice any coverage given to Ann Coulter's comments that "jews need perfecting" last week on Donnie Deutsch's program "The Big Idea" on MSNBC. Why haven't you covered this story?
Dear Ronnie, Shalom and Hatzlacha in your project. Its really sad to see that fellow Jews don't treat each other well. Without realizing, that the Jews as a whole is suffering from ancient times unto the present, who knows how long the bitterness we suffered/suffers from other people (The Egyptians, The Edomites, from the descendants of Esav and Ismael, the Greeks, the Romans, the Germans, the terrorist, anti-semetism. Isn't these enough? Its the time that the Jews unite in respect and love regardless of one's denomination.
I learned of this article from Hadassah Magazine. My computer cannot gain access to your email address. It is puzzling. Do you have an address where i might write you my submission.--Bruce Brownstein/41 lillian Street/Greenfield,Massachusetts/01310/USA
I think that its really sad how israelis are very rude and blurt out their opinions without any concern of other's feelings. I am israeli, but I moved to North America while young and learned how here we have to be polite and say 'good morning' while seeing a stranger at the park while walking your dog. The thing is, is that there is a lot more toughness and independance in Israel - at least for the young people. There is a 'discotec' for people aged 14 up at 1 in the morning untill four at Haifa. And in all the kibbutzim kids aged 7 or 8 can wonder off whenever they like because there is no crime there, and its safe. Though this doesn't really contribiute to rudeness, people get angry for barely a reason and have small attention spans, they get annoyed easily and fight for their opinion. If I grew up in Israel, I think I would be a lot ruder and more aggressive than I already am, and I am glad I grew up well, educated, polite, and gentle, though I also see how I would want to go to the IDF (Israeli army) to toughen up. Because Israel is a wonderful country and has a beautiful culture and land, I would not want anything to ever happen to it, and I would also risk my life to keep what is generally a great place, though it would be easier if people didn't say: 'The israeli army! Are you out of your mind? Did your head fall off?'