“Sababa!”: The electrifying energy of Israeli social culture

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“Sababa!”: The electrifying energy of Israeli social culture

 

In Israel, there’s no “Hi, how are you?” There’s just “Hi.” Israelis simply don’t care to ask a stranger or mere acquaintance how they’re doing only to hear “I’m fine” in response, according to a young Israeli citizen.

That’s because Israelis have chutzpah. The dictionary definition of that characteristic is “shameless audacity; impudence,” and Israelis live that out in the best way possible. They’re gutsy, bold, assertive, and sassy; and they don’t wait in line. Israelis are so straightforward they don’t even have the word “subtle” in their language.

Americans might stand in line at a shop for several minutes thinking they’re up next, but unless they walk straight up up to the counter to order, they might never get out of line.

They also don’t follow traffic rules. Our tour guide warned the Hillsdale group, “Be brave, but not stupid.” If you wait until the driver slows down, you’ll never cross the street, but if you go too quickly, you might be killed.

Political correctness is foreign to Israelis, and sometimes polite manners are a bit foreign to them as well.

One Israeli bar sold a drink called “Isis,” “because it will blast your head off,” according to the bartender. It’s bold and straightforward, but customers can leave saying, “I finished off Isis tonight.”

Instead of saying “Cheers” when drinking, Israelis say “L’Chaim,” meaning “to life.” Chutzpah means living life to its fullest with character and sincerity.

The music exemplifies chutzpah, too. The refrain of one popular song is loosely translated “You’re great, you’re cute, you’re greatly cute,” and another one says in English, “I’m your beauty / You’re my beast / Welcome to the Middle East.” The first one shows the assertiveness, and the second the charisma.

Their lust for life is summed up in one word, meaning everything from “Fine” and “I understand” to “Great!” and “Super!”: “Sababa!