> but this was a huge deal for me living in Israel.

I lived in Israel my whole life and I don't remember ever encountering the notion that 'speaking with your hands is lacking "class"' or that ' It's generally seen as "proper" to not use your hands.'. I just looked and easily found two videos with Israel's Prime Minister where he used hand gestures while talking.

> In the military, especially in basic training, that would probably send you doing pushups.

No, I don't think so, why would it?