The essays here attempt to move beyond the question of Israel’s uniqueness to examine the pace and direction of change of Israel’s political, social and economic institutions. Using the tools of comparative analysis, scholars from Israel, the US and Europe describe the ways in which Israeli society is becoming more like other democratic industrialized societies and in what dimensions Israeli culture and institutions are slowing or resisting such convergence. The essays fall into four categories: political institutions and organizations; political economy; ethnicity and religion; and public policy.