Israel's Nobelist Nonsense

Once I was on the shuttle bus at the U of MN between the east and west banks of the Mississippi. It was one of those 30 below January days. Just as we were about to pull away a professorial type man - who I knew to be a University Professor of Economics came up to the door of the bus. He said something to the driver. The driver answered. I could not hear what they said. But a moment later the driver closed the door and the bus pulled away and the brilliant professor remained standing at the bus stop in the frigid cold.

So this is my parable for you. Apply it if you dare to the case at hand. Two brilliant Israeli Nobel Laureates standing at the bus stop in the cold. The bus pulled away a long time ago. They have no clue about the realities of the world. They live in their minds. They inhabit their intellects. That is what they should be doing. It is their job. Yet some journalist decides that they need a platform to express their utter confusion about the state of affairs at the bus stop.

So they were given a platform and they proclaimed their pessimism. The bus doors have closed and they will not reach their destinations. But all those on the bus -- those who are not so fortunate to be so brilliant -- they are already there.

The State of Israel is a miracle -- the most massive miracle in all of history. Brilliance in chemistry or mathematics apparently prevents these two men from seeing that. Too bad. Here is the report of their pessimism -- their doom and gloom. Pay no attention to it.

Two Israeli Nobel Prize laureates foresee a gloomy future for the state
By Ynetnews
From a political point of view, they are poles apart, but on one topic Prof. Yisrael Aumann and Prof. Aharon Ciechanover are of the same opinion: Pitiful and failed leadership is leading Israel to destruction What worries them most is the deterioration in academics and education. "There is a close connection between the sinking of the Israeli spirit and the downfall of the State," they warn. Everything here seems lacking in values, temporary, one patch on top of another, a thin bandage that can be torn off with any breeze."

I heard Aumann at a NY synagogue recently. He has no savoir faire. He is not sophisticated and worldly. He has no credentials beyond his academic knowhow. And the way he applies his academic skills is highly questionable. He clearly lets his biases guide him to his conclusions. As I said, ignore his doomsaying. He and his friend are a source of pride and inspiration to all Israeli academics. But at the same time, they are not credible prognosticators about the future of the State of Israel.