All countries have imperfect records, both historically and in contemporary times. All at some point have been engaged in internal and external conflict and encountered enmity and violence. The State of Israel is no different in this respect, and has been the subject of continual hostility by some countries and hostile groups that refuse to recognize its existence and legitimacy. It is therefore all the more important, at this moment commemorating the 68th anniversary of the creation of Israel, to acknowledge the extraordinary story and achievements of the miracle in the desert. In a Middle East all too replete with failed states, dictatorships, authoritarian regimes, civil wars, terrorist groups, and intra-Muslim religious conflicts, Israel is the only democratic nation and the only economically developed and modernized one.  This often comes as a surprise since Israel is a small country, 8,500 square miles, almost the exact size of the great state of New...(Read Full Article)