There has been labor unrest in Israel of late. Just recently, there was a general strike over the plight of contract workers employed by manpower agencies, as well as an out-of-control train strike that caused suffering for thousands of daily commuters. These strikes are the continuation of last summers tent protests when hundreds of thousands took to the streets to protest the high cost of living and growing social inequality. It was the protest of a middle class that feels stuck with most of societys financial burden. Israels economic boom and rapid growth have caused a thin layer of society to grow very rich. This layer made most of its money through financial sophistication and massive leverage of the publics savings and pension funds. This financial elite joined those entrepreneurs who struck it rich during the heyday of Israels high-tech boom. Yet most of the Israeli public has not enjoyed the fruits of this economic prosperity. The rapidly growing bank accounts of this minority have created an intolerable income gap in Israeli society, as many Israeli families dropped below the poverty line. The social gaps in Israel are especially problematic in light of Israels unique sociology. There are many talented people in this country. I dont know of another place on earth that boasts such a concentration of talent in such a small area. We can also mention the number of Nobel Prize recipients, the number of patents registered yearly in Israel and, of course, Israeli innovations that are changing the world. But the wealth and success of Israels elites are due not to special talents, but to our socio-economic circumstances. Those immigrants who came to Israel in the 1950s and settled in development towns are no less talented than Israelis who hail from Tel Avivs fanciest neighborhoods. The only difference between them is in their ability to provide a better education for their children and push them into higher education. If the people of Dimona, Yeruham and Kiryat Shmona had been given the same opportunities as Israels old elite, they would have succeeded to the same degree. When economic inequality derives from a lack of equal opportunity, the oppression and frustration are felt that much more keenly. In recent years, Israeli governments have made efforts to promote Israels periphery, but it is hard to catch up after so many years of neglect. There is a single conclusion from all this. If Israel wants to survive and thrive, it must make every effort to preserve its social cohesion. Rising inequality threatens to crumble society from within. The government must invest a fortune in education and enable every Israeli young person to receive the best possible education, which is the key to success in a modern, competitive and achievement-oriented society. Only education can reduce social inequality, resulting in greater social cohesion, which is especially vital now as Israel faces external threats. The sooner this happens, the better.