Life in Israel in 2025 is not so much “living” as it is “continuous emotional resistance training.” Every day begins with a small psychological negotiation: Do I check the news before or after coffee? Either way, you lose — you’re just choosing the flavour of loss.

But loving this country?
That part is insultingly easy. Even when everything else feels like a group assignment no one prepared you for.

People abroad think living in Israel is one sweeping act of resilience. It’s not. It’s keeping a straight face while your phone pings with a headline about a stabbing and a supermarket sale at the same time. It’s answering a work email while wondering if the thud you heard was construction or geopolitics. It’s functioning at a level that would qualify as a nervous breakdown anywhere else.

And still, you love this place with a loyalty that borders on unreasonable.

The threats around us aren’t theoretical. Hamas still treats civilians like currency; Hezbollah has the strategic imagination of a cornered rat; Iran behaves like a bored pyromaniac with a grudge; and the Houthis… well, the Houthis appear deeply committed to proving that you don’t need accuracy to be a threat, just enthusiasm. These aren’t opinions. They’re established behaviours with footnotes.

So yes:........

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