Whoever had observed from the side for a moment, would not have really understood.

How is it that a small country with agreeable technological institutions (no one degrades the Technion …), but not with the sizes and the reputations of the leading technological institutions in the world ascends to the top in leading the technological world?

As mentioned above, a little bit more than two years ago, there were only 4 “unicorn” companies in Israel (see the article “The Incubators in which Unicorns Grow”) and for people who are lazy: It is about startup companies even before the implementation of the “exit” with the value of more than US$ 1 billion per company.

Today, there are 60 such companies in Israel and their number increases from one month to another in a way that in a short while, it is expected to surpass USA, the leader of the world in the number of “unicorns” with 78 companies, by absolute numbers.

Hey, hello!!! The observer from the side will get furious from the introduction of the article.  How is it that a tiny country from the Middle East becomes the leading power in the hi-tech world, a cyber power and, in general, a technological power which the entire world pins its hopes on?  The aforesaid is particularly exceptional in light of relatively small investments in education and especially in technological education for the Western World, which is lower in budgets from the Western Countries and East Asia?

Some will say that everything starts with the military.  Masses of veterans of units of intelligence, programming and teleprocessing are abducted to the technological work market and constitute a quality and experienced work power.

OK, it is true, but what is the explanation to the fact that IDF itself became a technological power as opposed to other armies?

The secret, if I may suggest, comes from the Torah, like every good thing.

Thousands of years of dealing with new interpretations of the Torah, with the inquiry of concealed and reversed angles, with understanding vague questions by masses of students who are mainly interested in understanding, in cracking and in studying created an ethos of an entire people (a basic layer which accompanies us as a religious people throughout the generations, if not …) which focuses on inquiry and on finding solutions and new interpretations.

Throughout the Jewish history, its sages had to frequently labor and calculate new interpretations while coping with technological changes and changes of reality.

“A Place of Torah Study cannot exist without a new interpretation” (Hagiga Tractate, Babylonian Talmud, Sheet C, Page B).

The innovation and the viewing of the question from different angles whenever a part of the Jewish DNA was turned over, received in recent years a twist in the plot and are today called “startup”, as the establishment of the State of Israel and its existence in the first decades forced never-ending improvisations and changes during movement, today the emphasis is transferred to hi-tech.

There is a reason that many students of Yeshivas and Kollels become geniuses in the hi-tech field in spite of a missing opening point in English, in mathematics and in the technological professions.  Whoever lives and breathes innovation and inquiry will find them everywhere.

Many years ago, a friend told me that “everything will be OK” is the “with God’s help” of the non-religious people.  I answered that the “everything will be OK” is indeed the “with God’s help” of everyone: A combination of faith, because while searching an inventive way, there is someone who helps the faith to materialize.

The current Corona Crisis best demonstrates this principle.  While the entire world is embarrassed and attempts to slowly and gradually recalculate a path, the Israeli startup and the overall hi-tech scene is in ecstasy.  Is finding   new solutions and innovations in a changing reality familiar to us from somewhere?

It seems that the psychological and conscious fabric of a people is the largest of all.  Even if we do not admit it, our genes will tell us their story with the book and the mind will always remain with inquiry and innovation.