Stories worth telling.

I don't write stories about Israel because I think I'm going to change someone's mind.

I know that most of the antisemites who come across my posts get a thrill out of telling me how wrong I am, how evil I am, how I am the poster child of hasbara- as if that's the vilest thing one could be.

I'm mostly amused by the outrage at stories about my simple life.

My existence and the way I experience the world must be a lie.

According to antisemitic commenters, my life as I describe it is made up of falsehoods, and really, I am the underbelly of humanity, simply because I am Israeli.

Most of the time, I ignore those kinds of comments. Often, I scratch my head and wonder how they make any sense.

I wonder about the amount of hatred, brainwashing, and ignorance that needs to go into seeing Israelis the way they do.

But as I said, I'm not writing so I can convince them otherwise.

I write because I think our ordinary life is worth documenting.

I know that these moments will become history someday.

I think our memories are worth preserving.

Writing the truth can make a difference. A crack of light in the darkness.

I think people who love Israel or are curious about our reality deserve to know what's really happening on the ground.

Of the co-existence that already exists.

Of the meaning we make from suffering.

Of our hardiness and our joy.

Of the simple human moments.

They deserve more than caricatures. Or misleading headlines.

They want to know our fierce little country is committed to innovating, surviving, and thriving.

And whether or not you think "Israel has a right to exist,": (by the way- the most nonsensical sentence in the English language)

There are nearly 10 million people who wake up every morning here in Israel and live real lives.

Celebrating,

mourning,

building,

seeking,

striving,

learning,

yearning,

trying,

relaxing,

laughing,

crying,

hoping...

and I think those stories are worth telling.

**Beautiful pic by Tzipora Lifchitz at a recent family wedding of ours!