I tutored English for an extended Arab Islamic family in Kfar Kana. I'll never forget what one of the fathers said: “You must relate to them with a strong hand.” As a father of four then boys, now young men, two soldiers among them, I can't say I ever had this thought in relation to my own children. There was the rare battle of wills: there must be limits, obviously.

The point is this statement reflects a world view. There is a respect for raw strength. And I think most (American) Jews shy away from this, to the great detriment of our place in the world.