What a mess they are inheriting

I’m sitting on the beach right now and it’s flooded with Israeli teenage boys.

I mean hundreds of them.

School let out for the day and it seems like every teen in the mercaz migrated to the shore for the afternoon. I’ve never seen it like this.

There’s 30 soccer balls flying through the air as different crews circle up and pass them back and forth.

The air smells like cigarettes and sea brine and an occasional fruity vape. It’s balmy and warm and the sun is high- you would never know we are on the brink of war again.

I’m sitting here as my dog is digging under my chair, sand is everywhere - his happiest place. But I am feeling emotional.

Because when I look at these kids, I think about how their entire adolescence has been plague and terrorism and war- and soon they will be old enough to be called up.

Called up to leave their childhoods behind and shift their friendships to brotherhood and spend what’s left of their youth defending our country.

I wish we could end all this violence and danger so that they can just age peacefully.

What a mess they are inheriting.

These kids are unlike any other teenagers in the world.

They know what’s coming. And they choose to live every second as if it counts.

It does.

So I watch them, tanned and hardy- carefree for now, caterwauling to their favorite songs, smoke in their faces, able and agile.

Let’s bless them with an endless supply of happy sunny afternoons by the sea.

May they know only sweetness.