A lot of people have been asking me what it has been like living in Israel during a time like this.
Things seem to be getting worse and worse. Harder and harder to bear. The pain for our brothers and sisters is indescribable.
Palpable.
Insurmountable.
How do we continue?
How do we go on?
Where does our strength come from?
Here is the truth.
The truth is my heart breaks for each and every one of you who is not here, who doesn’t get to witness firsthand what Israel has become during this unbelievably difficult and exceptionally beautiful time.
Israel is a different country. It is a country overflowing with love, with unity, with acceptance, with bravery, with sacrifice, and, most importantly, with an undying belief in Hashem (God).
Yes, there is a never-ending feeling of grave fear and desperation in the air. Fear for the safety of our soldiers, and fear for the safety of our precious hostages. Desperation to bring our brothers and sisters home now!
There is a fear of the war escalating and getting worse as things intensify in both the North and the South as Israel and our hero soldiers prepare for any challenges that we may need to face. The consistent feeling of dread and terror of losing more of our brothers and sisters who are so selflessly and bravely fighting for the safety of our nation.
There is a heart-wrenching feeling of sadness for those who have lost so much and those who have suffered so terribly already. Our hearts are quite literally breaking for one another.
However, there is also a tremendous feeling of unity.
One would think that after half a year, things would slow down, that people would lose the initial desire or ability to do whatever they can to help. One would think people would run out of money to give or run out of space to host total strangers who have been evacuated.
One would think that people from overseas would slowly stop sending suitcases full of gear, clothes, and aid and stop making trips to help and get back to their regular lives.
But no. Not the Jewish nation.
Our innate desire to help one another, the unity among our nation, and the desperate need to lift each other’s spirits and inspire one another to get through every single day is as strong as it was on Oct. 7.
In Israel, it still is the 7th of October. We are still feeling the rawness of what took place and the desire to hold one another as strongly as ever before.
THERE IS a feeling of undeniable love for one another. We have washed away the outer judgments and have truly felt what it means to be like “one person with one heart.”
There is an overwhelming feeling of support and a longing to try to get through this together, as a nation. Nothing has changed. While we have had to face the travesties of what happened and what continues to happen every day, we as a nation are holding each other up.
And not letting go.
Yearning to connect
The intense desire and yearning to connect to Hashem is stronger than ever before.
The incredible bravery of those who have lost loved ones, and their unbelievable and intense belief in Hashem, are what is keeping us going.
So yes, it’s terrifying, and we want to it end. But the insane beauty of our nation far outweighs the evil of those trying to destroy us.
It’s how we know, without a question, that once again the Jewish nation will prevail. We will come out more united and stronger than ever before.
So to answer the question “Where does our strength come from?”
Our strength comes from accepting that we don’t and never will understand. Our strength comes from surrendering to Hashem and begging for Him to hold us as we try to get through this insanely painful and tremendously difficult time.
Our strength is in our deep, deep, undying faith that there is a bigger picture and that Hashem knows what He’s doing. It’s in the knowledge that He loves us. It’s the knowledge that He is all good.
Our strength comes from our love, our deep love for one another. Our strength comes from our immense desire to ease the pain of our brothers and sisters. Our strength is in showing up, even when the showing up is for a person we have never met. Our strength is in the relationships we have formed within our nation, and a unity we now possess that we never knew existed before.
Without these strengths, the pain is too great to bear. It’s why we need to, now more than ever, hold on to them, tighter than we have ever held on to anything before.
So, what’s it like to live in Israel during a time like this?
It’s the most incredible honor. It’s the most incredible honor to be here and to witness this nation come together and fight with every ounce of our strength to protect, love, and support one another.
I would not trade being here and raising my children in Israel for anything.
Being a Jew and being an Israeli are two of the greatest gifts of life.
May we all merit to witness and dance in celebration of the safe return of our hostages and soldiers and the coming of Moshiach (the Messiah). ■
The writer is the moderator of The Beauty of the Jewish Nation social media groups, where she shares inspiring stories of life in Israel during war. She lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with her husband and five children.