In recent days, as Israel celebrated the emotional return of the hostages, the air was filled with words of gratitude. We thanked the soldiers, the intelligence officers, the negotiators, the medics, and the families who endured the unbearable. Yet amid all those heartfelt speeches, one group was left unmentioned – the Jews of the Diaspora.
For nearly two years of war, they were the quiet force that kept Israel’s resilience alive. When the engines of Israeli society began to tire, the global Jewish community became the unofficial engine that sustained the fight – emotionally, morally, and financially.
Hundreds of millions of dollars, perhaps even more, were raised by Jews around the world. It wasn’t just wealthy philanthropists – it was entire communities. Synagogues, schools, and families who felt instinctively that this war was their war too.
I have to give until it hurts
I’ll never forget one conversation I had with a Jewish donor from the United States. He looked me in the eye and said, “I know my children are safe, but yours are fighting for all of us. I have to give until it hurts.”
That sentence stayed with me. It captured the essence of what so many Jews abroad felt – a deep, almost physical sense of shared responsibility.
They weren’t donating out of charity; they were standing shoulder to shoulder with us, sharing the burden in the only way they could.
As a reservist who has served more than 700 days since October 7, I can say without hesitation: much of what we had in the field came from them. Even months into the fighting, a significant share of our equipment – from protective gear to advanced drones – was supplied thanks to their donations.
By my own estimate, roughly half of the drones used by IDF combat units during the war, and still in use today, were funded by Jews abroad.
And yet, despite this enormous contribution, the only public acknowledgment came not from Israel, but from US President Donald Trump, who thanked Dr. Miriam Adelson for her support. Beyond that, there has been silence – from Israel’s leaders, from its institutions, and from its people.
This silence dishonors a sacred partnership. The Jewish world stood with us at our lowest moment; now, as the war winds down, we must stand with them. Antisemitism is rising across the globe. Jewish students are being harassed on campuses, Jewish businesses are being boycotted, and Jewish identity is being questioned.
It is time for Israel not only to thank the Diaspora but to see it – to acknowledge its sacrifices, to listen to its fears, and to offer the same moral support it offered us.
Having witnessed the power of their solidarity up close, I feel a personal duty to speak this truth aloud: Israel’s war effort was not sustained by Israel alone. The Jewish people fought this war together – one in uniform, the other in spirit and generosity. And as we rebuild, our gratitude must be just as united.
The writer is the founder of IS-RESILIENT and an IDF reservist who served over 700 days in reserve duty during the Israel-Hamas war.