The period between Israel’s Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron) and Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut) is always a time for reflection. This year, one idea in particular stayed with me: a country remains strong when those who can build, choose to serve. This thought was sparked while reading highlights from Alexander C. Karp's book, *The Technological Republic*. Beyond the points on hard power and national security, it was this fundamental call for those with the capacity to build to give back through service that resonated most deeply.
The more I considered it, the more I realized that in Israel, this is not just a theoretical call to action; it is an ethic we see manifest in real life. It is a principle woven into the fabric of our society, where capability and innovation are often tied to a sense of responsibility and public service.
We see this ethic in many forms. It’s visible when people leave the private sector for public service—a path I have seen up close, including in my own case and among many colleagues. We see it in entrepreneurs like Jonathan (Yonatan) Adiri, who built the public-interest institution "Aleinu," and in organizations like the MOSAIC institute, where leaders from industry, research, and public policy contribute their time to help strengthen Israel’s preparedness for the AI era.
These acts occur at different scales, from founding national institutions to a small personal memory of wearing a fleece donated by an Israeli software company during a cold night on reserve duty. They are all expressions of the same ethos. As Karp’s work suggests, this deep-seated connection between building and serving is a core component of a country's resilience, and the foundation upon which independence and prosperity ultimately rest.