Jewish Optimism

“To be a Jew is to be an optimist.”

“I’m always optimistic.  To be a Jew is to be hopeful and optimistic. "

"You must follow the command of the Tzemach Tzedek to “think optimistically, and things will turn out well.”

"Our faith encourages us to look to the future optimistically, to a time when we too will witness the tide turning for the good, and experience our former freedoms once again!"

"The Jewish spirit is optimism. We always believe that the impossible is possible. And then that’s what happens."

"In order to be a good leader, one must inspire by being a shining example of positivity and optimism. Particularly in times of adversity, this is the mark of true leadership."

“Contrary to the cynic and pessimist, the optimist has the truer perspective on Judaism. The “glass half full” shows us the power of that period from Rosh Chodesh Elul through the conclusion of the Days of Awe, Shmini Atzeret.

“When we open up our siddurim, we discover the most optimistic of all Psalms, selected specifically for this awesome period – Psalm 27. The Midrash teaches that the words L’Dovid HaShem Ori, the Lord is my life, refer to Rosh Hashanah while v’yishi, and aid, reflects on Yom Kippur. Ki yitzpeneni b’suko, He will hide me within His tabernacle, speaks of Sukkot.

“A quick glance through the psalm is enough to find all the words that conjure up hope, optimism, happiness and strength. Begin with the first posuk and go through the chapter: light, aid, stronghold, not fear, confident, desire, dwell in the house of the Lord, pleasantness, shelter, safe, high, sing, chant, gracious, seek you My presence, help, care, teach, guide, land of the living, hope, strong, brave.

“Fourteen short verses. Twenty – four optimistic words and phrases.”

Judaism "anticipates redemption, tikkun olam, a human reality that has no evil, just goodness.By anticipating redemption, we develop a tremendous drive to advance the process. This drive is what pushes humanity forward. It is what causes people to give of their time and of their money for the betterment of others whom they do not know and from whom they would not gain anything. This drive cannot grow in apathetic ground. It cannot exist in people who do not feel optimistic about a better future."

"I am an optimist because I'm an historian - and I compare all the good of today with all the bad of yesterday and know that tomorrow will be even better; and I'm an optimist because I am a Zionist, living the miracle of Jewish redemption after 2,000 years of wandering. Golda Meir supposedly said you can't be a Zionist and a pessimist, so I chose Zionism and optimism!"

"There's a lot to be optimistic about right now in this era of change. The more we do, the more we say we can harness the future, and we can actually drive the future. Part of the reason I moved to Israel is I wanted to be where the future of the Jewish people is. I wanted to be where the future of innovation is because that's the future, and we can drive this.

 "People should be more optimistic and reach out to other people and have conversations with people you disagree with without getting angry on social media. It gets things off our heart, but it's a real limitation doing stuff. Do more with more optimism and, we'll all be in a better place."

"For mine I am an optimist by nature. My reading of history is that the world has always stepped back from the edge of disaster. Against all odds, here we are, alive and kicking."

"Jews are optimists with worried faces."

Do you know the joke about the Jewish optimist?

The Jewish pessimist says, “Oh my God, things could not be worse.”

And the Jewish optimist says, “Of course they could!”

Laugh to Some Optimism Jokes and Humour

"Passover is not just about the here and now. It is not just about the long and deep history. It is hinged upon our vision for the future; our hopes, dreams, and optimism."

"Optimism dominates the legacy of Passover, demonstrating that crises are opportunities in disguise."

"Jews have always responded to moments of difficulty, strife, and depression, with optimism and hope. It’s a message at the core of the Passover holiday itself, a holiday that looks to the future with hope for redemption and freedom."

Our greatest contributions to the world summarized in five words: memory, optimism, faith, family, and responsibility....

To study the Passover story in depth is to recognize that the most difficult task Moses had to perform was not to get the Jews out of Egypt, but to get Egypt out of the Jews. They had become so habituated to their status as slaves, they lost all hope that they could ever improve their lot.

Without hope they would have been lost.

The true miracle of Passover and its relevance for the ages is the message that with God’s help, no difficulty is insurmountable. A tyrant like Pharaoh could be overthrown. A nation as powerful as Egypt could be defeated. Slaves could become freemen. The oppressed could break the shackles of their captivity. Anything is possible, if only we dare to dream the impossible dream.

In the story of America's Great Seal, a particularly relevant chapter is the imagery suggested by Benjamin Franklin in August 1776. He chose the dramatic scene described in Exodus, where people confronted a tyrant in order to gain their freedom.

"Pharaoh sitting in an open Chariot, a Crown on his head and a Sword in his hand, passing through the divided Waters of the Red Sea in Pursuit of the Israelites: Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Cloud, expressive of the Divine Presence and Command, beaming on Moses who stands on the shore and extending his hand over the Sea causes it to overwhelm Pharaoh."

The motto he suggested, words based on the Passover story, inspired George Washington and the founding fathers of the American colonies to rebel against their British oppressors: “Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God."

It was the biblical record of the Exodus that enabled the spirit of optimism to prevail for the followers of Martin Luther King in their quest for equal rights, because they were stirred by the vision of Moses leading his people to the Promised Land. It was the hope engendered by recalling how God redeemed our ancestors that allowed even Jews incarcerated in Auschwitz to furtively celebrate the Festival of Freedom and believe in the possibility of their own liberation.

That optimistic spirit, based on our own miraculous history, is the second great gift we have given to mankind and defines our identity.

The Importance of Faith

A pessimist, it's been said, is someone who has no invisible means of support.

Jewish optimism is rooted in a contrary notion, a firmly held belief that we are blessed with support from above by a caring God. And that faith in a personal God gives us faith in ourselves, in our future and in our ability to help change the world...

From earliest childhood every Jew identifies with these five powerful ideas that are at the heart of Passover and its message. And precisely because memory, optimism, faith, family and responsibility have become such vital characteristics of our people, we have been able to achieve far beyond what anyone might have considered possible.

"Mordechai, the hero of Purim and one of the deputies of Ezra the Scribe – who led a wave of Jewish ingathering from Babylon to the Land of Israel - was a role model of principle-driven optimism in defiance of colossal odds, in the face of a super power and in defiance of the Jewish establishment. The first three Hebrew letters of Mordechai (מרדכי) spell the Hebrew word “rebellion” (מרד).  Mordechai did not bow to Haman, the second most powerful person in the Persian Empire.  He was a member of the tribe of Benjamin, the only son of Jacob who did not bow to Esau. Mordechai was a descendant of King Saul, who defied a clear commandment to eradicate the Amalekites, sparing the life of Agag, the Amalekite king, thus precipitating further calamities upon the Jewish People. Mordechai learned from Saul’s crucial error and eliminated Haman, a descendant of Agag the Amalekite, thus sparing the Jewish People a major disaster."