The sleepy suburbs and the bustling cities

Here is what people don't understand about living in Israel:

Often people assume that living here is just the experience of living in a warzone: violence, fear, stress, and ugliness.

I'm not going to pretend that it never exists- we do contend with that from time to time, as you very well know.

Additionally, people think that Israeli resilience is just ignoring whats happening when things are not good.

But its not that we ignore it- its that we make other choices to focus on surviving and maybe even thriving.

I think the secret of how we do that and why, is that living here is so worth it.

Thats why Israelis make our difficult moments work.

Living with the unknown, uncertainty, and the potential for plenty of stress.

But spend a day in the Israeli sunshine.

In the artists colonies and the tech hubs of Tel Aviv.

In the ancient holy sites and the brand new skyline climbing into the Jerualem skies.

The wide green open fields of the Golan and the rolling sand dunes of the Negev.

The sandy beaches and cliffs overlooking the sea.

Come visit the parks filled with children, and the schoolyards at recess...

The sleepy suburbs and the bustling cities.

On a day like today- mid-ceasefire with Iran- I just keep thinking about how beautiful it is to live here when its peaceful, how important when its at war.

I'm reminded of what it feels like to experience the gentle warm wind on my face as I drive with the windows down,

The little bubble of hope that lies in my chest has returned,

a smile softly back on my face.

I needed this moment, as I slowly come back to my sense of quiet and routine.

A reminder of how much I love living here.

The good times are so so good.