Steve Jobs and the Timeless Secret of Jewish Immortality

Some of history’s greatest leaders and pioneers possessed a rare and remarkable ability: they could change minds and hearts by reshaping prevailing perceptions of reality. This phenomenon is often called “reality distortion.” Like any powerful trait, it can be wielded for great good—or great harm.

The term was famously coined at Apple to describe Steve Jobs’s extraordinary charisma and persuasive power. Through a blend of vision and sheer force of will, Jobs could make others believe in seemingly impossible ideas—convincing his team to pursue goals that once seemed out of reach.

In his extraordinary essay Concerning the Jews, Mark Twain reflects on the enduring survival of the Jewish people. The essay concludes with its most famous line:

“All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?”

Perhaps the answer lies in the ability to challenge and transcend surface-level perceptions of reality.

Despite deep engagement with host nations throughout the millennia, the Jewish people have consistently preserved their identity, values, and way of life—remaining distinct while never fully assimilating into the cultures that surrounded them.

They have done so because, at their core, they are guided by a utopian vision: the realization of humanity’s collective inner potential.

As George Bernard Shaw famously wrote:

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”

The Zohar echoes this very spirit when it describes the mystic sage:

“Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai and his circle are not affected by the reality of exile.”

They say you can take the Jew out of exile - but it is far more difficult to take the exile out of the Jew.

Like everything in life, it comes down to a choice.

As Jews, we must ask ourselves:

Do we submit to the false narratives imposed on us and our role in history?

Do we defend our people- timidly, or with conviction and courage?

Do we bend to the shifting whims of nations that serve only their own interests?

Or do we rise to challenge distortion itself—restoring reality to its timeless, enduring truth, the only path to lasting peace for all of humanity?