Israel —the Dream of Jews for thousands of years. More than 40% of all Jews in the world now live in Israel where we are not a respected or persecuted minority but instead a solid majority. This is a place with great variety but also a common thread. This is the story of return—Teshuvah. In this story of return some express themselves in religious terminology and others in more humanistic terms, and yet the common thread of return . . . . You could say the scarlet thread that draws us is the hope for a better future for Jews than we experienced in the years of our dispersion in exile. There is a growing understanding among all parts of society that this future, like our past, is dependent on our relationship with Hashem. A key sign of our relationship with Hashem is found in our relationship with our fellow Jews.