Some countries excel in fostering happiness, but not in reducing despair. Israel is exceptional in both. It is among the happiest and most optimistic countries in the world, while also having the lowest rate of deaths of despair among OECD members. At the same time, Israel’s life expectancy is high, and a high birth rate ensures that Israel would remain young and keep growing, while the rest of the wealthy democracies are aging and shrinking. Something extraordinary is happening in Israeli society.
