I am truly, unspeakably grateful to be a citizen of Israel.

In the early hours of Yom HaAtzmaut, I sat in a huge park in our community, eagerly anticipating the celebratory fireworks.

There were 15,000 people at the festival, live music, vendors selling all kinds of glow-in-the-dark chachkes and candies.

Sitting there, it was hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that this precious, special, now 63 year-old country is threatened. It all felt so festive, so joyful, so normal. If anything in Israel can be said to be normal.

All around the country are signs of national pride.

So many buildings decorated with flags.

Flags fly in roundabouts in Jerusalem.

Flags fly outside the grocery store.

Even the meat counter inside the grocery store displays its patriotism.

And at night, there are the lights that celebrate 63 years of a Jewish country.

It''s irrational, how much I love this country.

Happy 63rd Birthday to Israel and all the holy Jews who share this country with my family.

Ten months later, I still can''t believe I get to live here.

You turned my mourning into dancing (Psalms 30:12)

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