Cailin Acosta

The tendency to equate the state with one’s person — expressed in the phrase “L’etat c’est moi” (I am the state) — was a feature of the monarchies of Europe in the period during and after the Middle Ages. With the passage of time, as the introduction of republics, democracies, and various forms of constitutional monarchy became a thing of the past, the phrase is now identified largely with the 17th century French king, Louis XIV (and to a limited extent France’s post-WWII president Charles de Gaulle). The phrase epitomizes the arrogance and self-importance of the person uttering it. I have not heard those words spoken by Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, but his behavior in the latter part of his 12-year “reign” as Israel’s prime minister, as well as in the manner of his leaving that position, indicates that he may well think and believe it. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — With its unique mix of people from all over the world, almost all of them with Jewish roots, Israel’s population comprises a wide range of cultures, traditions, and even genetic composition. The juxtaposition of so many people from so many different backgrounds has given rise to some unexpected