A Life for Israel: More Than a Dream, a Calling

Can love be genetic?

That question has lived in me for as long as I can remember. Is devotion to a country something you’re born with, or is it something that grows with every heartbeat, every memory, and every fight for truth? In my case, the love for Israel is rooted in my DNA, passed down from my grandparents, nurtured by my parents, and cultivated every day in my own soul.

My grandparents on my mother’s side adored Israel. My mother too. Our home was filled with stories, pride, and a sense of connection to the land and people of Israel. When we lived in Israel, my parents did everything in their power to support the country and their efforts were honored by then-Mayor Teddy Kollek with the Yad Vashem Knesset medal. That kind of love is not a passing thing. It’s a mission, a legacy.

When we returned to the Netherlands, I was plagued by homesickness. The ache I felt made me even more determined to stand up for Israel. I couldn’t bear to hear a single lie or insult about the country I love. But time passed. Life moved on. I never returned. Perhaps I was afraid the Israel of my memories wouldn’t match reality. I got married, had children, got divorced… but that love? It never left me.

Then came 2014, Operation Protective Edge, and the Har Nof terror attack. The pain I felt was so deep, I couldn’t stay silent. I founded the group “Time To Stand Up For Israel.” That was the turning point. I asked myself: How can I give so much of my time, my passion, my energy for a country I haven’t even visited in decades? So in 2015, I booked my first return trip. And it felt like coming home. My memories had not betrayed me. Israel still gave me that overwhelming sense of purpose and belonging.

From then on, I went as often as I could. I knew: this is my place. This is where I want to live, and one day, die.

In 2018, my kids had grown up and left the house. My relationship ended. I was uninspired at work. I had been doing 70+ hours a week of unpaid Israel advocacy, building an online presence, educating, supporting, and uplifting Israel’s image in the world. I realized: this isn’t just a passion. This is my calling.

So I made it my new goal: work for Israel. Not just emotionally, but practically and professionally.

I started networking, sending letters, building connections. But Israel works differently. Meritocracy is often less important than who knows who. Emails go unanswered. Promises fade into silence. It’s difficult. It’s discouraging. But I refuse to give up.

Why? Because I know what I offer. I have no fear, endless energy, deep knowledge of the region, and decades of advocacy experience. I’ve built a LinkedIn company page with over 85,000 followers, I write for Times of Israel and The Algemeiner, and across all platforms, I speak daily to over 200,000 people. I know how to tell the truth about Israel, not with slogans, but with facts, heart, and clarity.

Since October 7th, life in Europe has changed. I’ve faced cancel culture, discrimination, and hatred, not because of anything I did, but because I openly support Israel. My paid job has become a battleground. Meanwhile, my unpaid work for Israel continues stronger than ever. And I ask myself more and more: Why am I not doing this full-time?

We are living in historic times. Europe is collapsing into a familiar darkness. History is repeating itself. But one thing is different now: we have Israel. And Israel needs all the warriors of light it can find, online, on the ground, in advocacy, in intelligence, in innovation, in strategy.

So if I’m called, I will raise my hand. Without hesitation.

Skills That Matter

Whether you’re aiming to work in Israeli intelligence  or in public diplomacy and marketing, Israel needs people with:

• Loyalty and discretion
• Critical thinking and cultural awareness
• Fearless communication
• Adaptability
• Fluent digital literacy
• The ability to cut through lies with truth

These are the tools of the modern Zionist soldier. Not every warrior wears a uniform, some carry a pen, a camera, or a smartphone.

But no matter your role, one thing is vital: never hide your support.

Wear your Magen David necklace, your kippa, your IDF t-shirt with pride. Speak up when others lie. Raise your voice, raise the blue and white flag, and raise awareness.

Israel is the only beacon of democracy, innovation, and Jewish continuity in the Middle East. A country that turns deserts into farms, trauma into growth, grief into strength. I will forever be proud to fight for her.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Let this not be a story of wanting to work for Israel. Let it become a story of serving her with every breath, every post, every word.

And maybe… one day, with a nameplate on a desk in Jerusalem.