Happiness has a way of its own. The news that Israel was recently ranked 11th in the World Happiness Report of the Earth Institute at Columbia University was treated somewhat lightheartedly in the local media and immediately became fodder for black humor. Israelis, as reported, are not only happier than the Americans (who ranked 17th), the British (22nd) and the Germans (26th), but they improved their standing from the happiness report of 2012, when Israel was ranked 14th. In all, 156 countries were surveyed.

This week I recalled the cheerfulness that overcame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when the previous happiness report was published. It was on the first of the intermediate days of the Passover holiday, and Netanyahu jumped on the finding, quickly writing on his Facebook page, “It’s good to start the Passover holiday, when Israelis citizens rank themselves 14th on the World Happiness Report. We have room for improvement. Happy holiday.”

As it turns out, some dreams do come true. Here we have climbed three respectable spots upward toward ultimate happiness. This time, at least for now, Netanyahu is restraining himself, and as far as we know, he hasn’t responded to this achievement.  

The truth: It’s a good thing. If we are happier, however, it is no thanks to the third Netanyahu government’s economic policy, which continues with a financial approach that harms the increasingly weaker middle class. Indeed, happiness in Israel is a kind of paradox. On the one hand, the middle class is collapsing, on the other hand, our happiness, at least according to Columbia University, is on the rise.