Issue No 3

Dear reader,

The Association for Prosperity and Security in the Middle East is happy to share with you a new issue in the series “Happiness and Wealth in the Middle East”. As in the last two issues, we will review the state of the country which seems to be better than ever, despite what vested interests would have you think!

As you may know, we are a group of volunteers, with no political agenda.  We began working vigorously, after the events of October 2000 (the beginning of the Second Intifada), distributing the booklet, “The Way To Happiness” ^®, a common-sense guide to better living.  We wanted life in this country to be better and less dangerous.

We are disseminating through this booklet moral values, friendship, mutual respect, honesty, religious tolerance, safeguarding the planet and more - in Hebrew, Arabic and Russian.

During 2003, we increased our activity by delivering workshops and lectures to get these values absorbed and to reduce violence.  We have been unrelenting ever since and each year, we complete more workshops and activities.  The volume of free workshops we have delivered to the population of Israel surpasses all those delivered by consultants and companies operating under the Center of the Entrepreneur of Israel.

And why are we telling you all this?

Because we realized that positive activities, on a small or large scale, change conditions and penetrate the society.  They have snow-balled over time to create an avalanche of good feeling.

In the previous magazine, we presented graphs of our statistics, comparing the number of workshops we delivered through the years (workshops on values and against violence) with the reduction in terror attacks and victims. We found these figures on the formal site of the Israeli General Security Services.

When there is a decrease in terror attacks and violence, and simultaneously, a strengthening of positive values and love for mankind – very good things happen in the society.

One of the indicators of prosperity and security in the country is the increase in tourism.

Photos by D.R.A

In February 2008, the Ministry for Tourism announce that this year recorded the highest ever number of tourists visiting Israel. The previous peak was in 2000, the millennium year in which the country was filled with pilgrims in addition to other tourists.  Then came the Second Intifada and tourism suffered badly.

Now, 8 years later, the country has experienced a new high. Many people are working hard to make things go right - people in various governmental ministries, military and security people and some visionary men who get up every morning to work toward the purpose of having a great country - sometimes against all odds.

We checked and found again a correlation between official statistics (as published by the Bureau of Statistics) and the production statistics of our Association.

For demonstration purposes, let’s do a little drill. Think for a moment: to which country would you like to travel?

Is the place you chose a place where people are murdered in the streets or where human life is respected? Are the residents of the place lazy or industrious? Is the place full of thieves or people who respect your property? Are they going to hurt you because of your religious beliefs or are they tolerant?

Although we don’t need to go to extremes, this makes the position clear.

The chances are you would rather holiday in, and tour, a country in which life is good, where people are treat each other well (including you); the place is well-maintained and it’s simply fun to be there. The experience is enhanced by beautiful views but mainly created by the people themselves: their hospitality, friendliness, compassion, honesty, manners and all the rest of virtues they express.

We believe we have influenced tourism and the flow of visitors to the state of Israel on a scale which has never been seen before.  Three percent of the Israeli population has participated in our workshops on The Way to Happiness in which they assimilate positive values on one hand and improve their understanding on the other hand.

Photos by mikehedge

It seems that happy people are attracting visitors like a magnet.

Here are some graphs which show the uptrend in tourism as published by the Bureau of Statistics and the Israeli Police Bureau, and alongside are graphs showing the uptrend of workshops against violence that the Association delivered.

The right graph measures the number of workshops through the years 2003 and 2007, and the left graph measures the number of incoming tourists to Israel between the years 2002 and 2007.

And here is another example:

On the right side the graph measures the number of people who participated in our workshops per month from May 2003 to December 2007. On the left, the graph of the country shows incoming tourism to Israel per month through that period. We found that they align and show identical trends.

The improvement and many successes in Israel were achieved by people who work to get the country to new heights, to statesmen, public figures, artists and volunteers who are working all over the country and amongst them, the members of the Association for Prosperity and Security in the Middle East. Most probably, this includes you.

”The violent criminal, the propagandist, the sensation-seeking media all tend to distract one’s attention from the solid, everyday fact that the society would not run at all were it not for the individuals of good will. As they guard the streets, counsel the children, take the temperatures, put out the fires and speak good sense in quiet voices, one is apt to overlook the fact that people of good will are the ones that keep the world going and Man alive upon this earth.”

Taken from chapter 11 of The Way to Happiness

This is what Mahatma Gandhi, a man of good heart and one of the greatest leaders in man's history, who developed the "Truth Force" philosophy as part of his activity against violence, has said about the subject:

”A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”

Gandhi fought a non-violent war toward peace and human rights. You don’t necessarily need to be part of a big organization in order to have your voice heard and in order to change the course of history.

If you feel things are far from being perfect in our society – you are right!

Don’t wait for the government - the police, mayor of the city, the boss, the neighbors, parents or any other authority, to handle the situation for you. You are important; you can change things for the better yourself. We, a bunch of volunteers decided not to wait with the thought, “one day it will all come right” but decided to take responsibility for our environment – so too can you, and anybody else, do it.

As the words of an Israeli song say: “Don’t say a day will come - bring that day”

There is still a lot of work ahead of us. We would be happy to receive your help.

Sincerely,

The members of the Association for Prosperity and Security in the Middle East.

© 2008 The Association for Prosperity and Security in the Middle East. All Rights Reserved. Grateful acknowledgement is made to L. Ron Hubbard Library for permission to reproduce selections from the copyrighted works of L. Ron Hubbard. THE WAY TO HAPPINESS and the "Road & Sun" design are trademarks and service marks owned by L. Ron Hubbard Library in the USA and in other countries (trademark registrations issued and other registrations pending) and are used with permission.