"I've heard that in your culture, one doesn't ask a lecturer questions, because it's seen as disrespectful and casting doubt on his professionalism," I told some 400 participants at a conference in one of the Asian countries I visited recently. The goal of the visit was to discuss what comprises excellence and the Wolf Foundation's methods of developing it. "In my culture, the opposite is true. I'd be hurt if no one asked, because it would be a sign I hadn't interested them," I said. I was the only foreign lecturer there, and three local experts spoke after me. At the end of the conference, all questions were directed at me. It wasn't because I was the only one who had interested them. It was because I was the only one who had given them permission to ask. "You Israelis are a smart people," I was told over and over by the Taiwanese, South Koreans, and Chinese I met. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement were of no interest to them. As far as they were concerned, Israel is a highly esteemed role model of creativity, excellence, and success. They are aware that Israelis question authority, that every one of us has not only a strong opinion but also the "chutzpah" to express it, and that in Israel there are more engineers and doctorates per capita than in any other country. In Asia, all these points are seen as a basis for success. "We need to send a lot more students to [Israel]," one molecular biology professor from Taiwan told me. She said that in Taiwan, they "learn to acquire knowledge, but there [in Israel], they discover creativity. They open up, dare to question, and learn to think outside the box." Many factors play a part in success. Some are internal, like genetic differences, curiosity, and a natural passion for knowledge; others are external: cultural norms, family and social surroundings, support systems. We demand that our children doubt, probe, and investigate. Every 3-year-old is asked to stand on a chair in front of all the adults in the room and ask, "Why is this night different-" Our sages said that "the shy will not learn," and therefore made it clear that one of the most important characteristics is the ability to ask questions. The ability to acquire knowledge or understanding is not enough. Daring is required. One of the recurring themes in the words of Wolf Prize recipients is their insistence on daring, even at the risk of endangering their personal careers and becoming outcasts. "I was lucky that I didn't always listen to those who wanted me to keep towing the familiar line. I preferred to push the boundaries and see what would happen," one winner said. Another told us that when she proposed a revolutionary solution to a problem, her supervisor suggested she switch professions. "Instead, I switched supervisors," she said. Prof. Dan Shectman insisted on the discovery of quasicrystals, an insistence that led to his dismissal from a research group on the grounds that he was "bringing shame to it" and exposed him to harsh criticism by many of his colleagues. We know what happened next: Shechtman wasn't deterred, proved his theory, and in the end won every award up for grabs, including the Wolf and Nobel prizes. In the next few days, seven new laureates will join the ranks of the 304 Wolf Prize winners -- scientists and artists from all over the world, who win the prize for one reason: They dared to ask, and succeeded. Dr. Liat Ben David is director general of the Wolf Foundation.
The secret: Israeli 'chutzpah'
מערכת היום
מערכת "היום“ מפיקה ומעדכנת תכנים חדשותיים, מבזקים ופרשנויות לאורך כל שעות היממה. התוכן נערך בקפדנות, נבדק עובדתית ומוגש לציבור מתוך האמונה שהקוראים ראויים לעיתונות טובה יותר - אמינה, אובייקטיבית ועניינית.
