How easy would it be to spot an Israeli in Midland, or a Texan in Tel Aviv? After a weeklong trip to Israel headed by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs for a group of Hispanic American leaders, I think you would be hard pressed to see any significant differences.

I wasn’t surprised to find that, Israeli culture revolves around the same principle elements of faith, family and friends that we Americans hold dear or that Israelis are educated and very hard working no differently than Texans. What did surprise me though is how Israelis go about their lives without any hesitation or pause. They are living on the cusp of a war zone in the world’s most volatile region, but you would need to tune in to foreign media to have a sense of fear.

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