Walking on Broadway, a friend slapped me on the back and exclaimed Israel is getting its “mojo” back.
I understood the meaning from the context – that they were complimenting Israel.
Considering the gargantuan amount of criticism heaped on Israel on a regular basis, criticism nearly everywhere, I took this as a welcome and appreciated blessing.
Obviously, they were referring to the spectacular retaliatory strike on Iran.
They also must have been thinking about the remarkable multipronged targeting of Hezbollah leadership via pagers and then walkie-talkies.
They were probably also referencing the assassinations and targeting of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iranian leadership.
So, mojo must mean impressive successes. Yes, it does, but it is much more.
When a team gets back its mojo or loses its mojo, it is the magic that is back or lost. If that is the case, then my Broadway friend is 100% correct – Team Israel is getting its mojo back.
The word “mojo” has its roots in folk religion from the slave culture in the US. Slaves were brought to the US from Africa, where many practiced a folk religion known as hoodoo. It was prevalent in the slave culture.
The people who practiced it were called rootworkers and conjure doctors or root doctors. They cast spells using roots and honey.
The roots and other objects were given to people. They were talismans, amulets, and spells that were to protect people. The spells and the talismans, the objects, were mojos.
Mojo as seen in American history
The word has taken on an entirely different meaning today without the root or the object.
The abolitionist, former slave Frederick Douglass mentions the importance of his mojo in his autobiography. The story is powerful.
He sought help from a hoodoo root doctor named Sandy Jenkins. Douglass wanted protection from a cruel and brutal slave breaker named Mr. Covey whose job was to break slaves, forcing them into conformity.
The root doctor had Douglass follow him into the woods. They found a root, and Jenkins told Douglass to keep the root on his right side at all times and it would protect him from being whipped.
Douglass returned to his plantation, and the brutal Mr. Covey ordered him to do some work. Douglass, the freed slave, stood his ground as a free man and refused.
They fought, and Douglass prevailed. After the fight, Mr. Covey never bothered Douglass again. Douglass was convinced that it was the mojo root that protected him from the evil, brutal slave breaker.
Strength, especially perceived strength, is one of the most critical characteristics of defense in the Middle East.
Israel once had a reputation as being virtually superhuman and undefeatable: the Six Day War, the raid on Entebbe, the bombing of the Iraqi nuclear plant, the Stuxnet virus, and the IDF’s array of hi-tech and computer weapons.
This reputation was an essential part of Israel’s defense. It was a disincentive for Israel’s enemies to attack.
The brutal, gut-wrenching massacre of October 7 diminished Israel’s reputation.
Its deterrence took a serious hit. The newly weakened perception of the Jewish state put Israel’s safety at high risk.
After the October 7 massacre the Arabic and Iranian media were full of leaders, commentators, and analysts shouting that Israel is no longer the country it once was. Israel is weak – a house of cards – easy to destroy.
They preached that Israel can be defeated. Arab commentators repeatedly broadcast messages saying how easy it was to inflict deep and serious damage to Israel. And look at how much damage was inflicted by low-tech weapons. Look how the Jews cower in fear.
Israel gets back on its feet
Yes, Israel is getting its mojo back.
It is not just about power and prowess. It is about restoring deterrence.
That is why these operations and their miraculous successes are so important to broadcast in the world media. That the enemies of Israel should be quaking at the lengths to which Israel can and will go to achieve its objectives.
Even in Iran, where leadership and the official media downplayed the success of Israel’s attack, local Iranians learned the truth. They learned how devastating the attacks were, how precise Israel’s retaliation was.
A mission so successful that 150 or so fighter jets, flying 1,500 kilometers each direction, launched hundreds if not 1,000 rockets, and only five Iranians were killed – four soldiers and one civilian.
That is called mojo.
The writer is a columnist and a social and political commentator. Watch his TV show, Thinking Out Loud, on JBS.