What Israel’s ‘Greatest Generation’ could teach our kids

For decades, we in the West have wrung our hands over the state of our youngest generations. Are they too soft, too comfortable, too disengaged? Israel has not been immune to these concerns. Many worried that the rising generation, raised in relative peace, with fewer direct memories of the struggles of Israel’s formative years, might lack the resilience, drive, or sense of purpose of their grandparents. As journalist Yossi Klein Halevi observed, “For years, there was a worry that the next generation of Israelis might not have the same Zionist fire in their hearts.”

These fears were compounded by the generational divide between secular and Haredi Jews, with the latter largely exempt from military service, a fact that continues to strain the social fabric of the country.

Yet recent events reveal a more complex, inspiring picture: this generation of Israelis has proven that they care deeply about their country, their people, and the values of Zionism. Many Israeli teens and young adults have demonstrated a strong connection to their homeland through activism, social initiatives, and military service.

Take, for instance, the work of young leaders from the Leo Baeck School in Haifa, a Reform educational institution. Its students have been at the forefront of social representation, participating as Israeli ambassadors in the Shinshinim program. Similarly, members of movements such as Hechalutz, a modern take on the Zionist pioneering ethos, have organized community service projects and cultural programming to deepen their peers’ connection to Israel’s founding ideals, such as the settlement of the border regions.

The question of this generation’s potential might have remained hypothetical, but the horrific events of October 7, 2023, changed everything. The brutal terrorist attack by Hamas, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and shook the nation to its core, brought a moment of reckoning. Across Israel, young people mobilized in ways few could have anticipated. Thousands of reservists rushed to their units, volunteering even when they were not officially called up at rates over 100%. Civilian efforts led by youth groups organized aid for displaced families, as well as for soldiers, and supported grieving communities. In fact, young activists have played a key role in the campaign to bring Israeli hostages home, showing resilience and determination in the face of immense tragedy.

It became clear that this generation of Israelis possesses the same grit and commitment that earlier generations demonstrated in their own times of trial. As one soldier, a 21-year-old from Tel Aviv, put it in an interview with Haaretz, “We know what’s at stake. We know who we’re fighting for.”

This resilience stands in stark contrast to what we see among many of their American counterparts. Growing up in unparalleled comfort and safety, American Gen Z has been insulated from existential threats. This insulation, while a testament to the success of previous generations, has left many without a clear sense of purpose or identity.

Statistics show a troubling trend of disengagement among American youth. A Pew Research Center study found that only 24% of Americans aged 18–24 consider patriotism to be “very important.” Social critic David Brooks has argued that “in a culture where everything is made easy, the hard path of duty and sacrifice feels almost incomprehensible.”

Could this generation of American kids rise to the occasion if faced with a crisis like October 7? Perhaps, but they lack the frameworks and inciting incidents that have forged Israeli youth into a “greatest generation” in the making.

So how can we bridge this gap? One answer is to bring American teens to Israel – not just for a tour of historical sites, but for immersive, peer-to-peer programs that expose them to the values of duty, community, and collective responsibility. They don’t need to join the IDF to learn these lessons; they can see it in action through exposure to real challenges and direct conversations with Israeli teens like them who happen to have risen to the occasion.

This is not just a lesson for Jewish youth. Teens of all backgrounds can learn from Israel’s example that patriotism is not about blind loyalty or flag-waving, it’s about committing to something larger than oneself and acting on that commitment.

At the same time, we must challenge the prevailing norms of “helicopter parenting” in America. Sociologist Joseph Epstein notes that in most of human history, leadership has belonged to the young. Think of Alexander the Great, who led his armies at 20, or Golda Meir, who was deeply involved in the Zionist movement by her early 30s. Giving teens real responsibilities – and the space to succeed or fail – can rekindle the sense of agency they so often lack.

This generation of Israeli youth has shown that they are ready to lead, not because they are perfect, but because they have seized the tools and embraced responsibility out of necessity. When faced with the choice of falling down or standing tall they chose the latter. They have something to teach us all.

As Americans, we must stop underestimating our young people and start giving them opportunities to learn from history, from global peers, and from the evolving world around them. No generation passively inherits a legacy; it earns one by actively shaping the future.

This is the lesson of Israel’s “greatest generation”: Greatness is not born – it is forged.