Kol Hakavod to the Jews of Israel

We are more than 15 million Jews worldwide, of whom nearly 7 million live in Israel. This article is a tribute to those 7 million.

In Israel, many people grow up hearing stories from parents or grandparents who served in one of the country’s wars. Military service is not an abstract concept; it is woven into family history, national memory, and everyday life. For those who were not born in Israel but chose to make Aliyah, the privilege of serving the Jewish state often carries an even deeper emotional meaning, not only as a civic duty, but as a mitzvah and a personal affirmation of belonging.

Of Israel’s roughly 7 million Jews, approximately 1.4 million are Haredi (ultra-Orthodox). The question of Haredi military service remains one of the most complex and sensitive debates within Israeli society. Many Israelis seek to balance the idea of shared national responsibility with respect for a way of life centered around Torah study and religious devotion. At the same time, many believe that the spiritual strength generated by tens of thousands engaged daily in prayer and study within the Land of Israel contributes to the nation in ways that cannot easily be measured.

Although this article focuses primarily on Israel’s Jewish population, it is also important to acknowledge the country’s approximately 2 million Arab citizens. Israeli Arabs serve as members of the Knesset, judges, doctors, professors, diplomats, and public servants, participating in every dimension of Israeli society. While military service among Arab citizens is comparatively limited, they nonetheless enjoy the rights, protections, and civic freedoms guaranteed under Israeli law.

That being said, I return to the main focus of this article: the Jews of Israel.

To begin understanding this extraordinary society, one must realize that since Israel’s independence in 1948, Israelis have lived through an almost uninterrupted series of wars, terror campaigns, and existential threats: the 1948 War of Independence, the 1956 Suez Crisis, the 1967 Six-Day War, the War of Attrition, the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Lebanon wars, the First and Second Intifadas, repeated conflicts with Hamas in Gaza, the October 7 massacre and ensuing war, and now direct confrontation with Iran.

Imagine that reality for a moment. Great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren have all lived under the shadow of war. Many neighboring countries and some of the world’s largest terrorist organizations openly seek your destruction. Jewish communities abroad, almost all relatives of more than one jewish israelí, are experiencing one of the harshest waves of antisemitism since World War II. And yet Israelis consistently rank among the happiest populations in the world.

That fact alone says something profound about the Israeli spirit.

And this story did not begin in 1948. The persecution, expulsions, massacres, discrimination, and assassinations endured by the Jewish people over thousands of years are almost impossible to quantify. Some demographic studies estimate that had Jews not suffered centuries of systematic persecution and mass murder, the global Jewish population today could easily exceed 200 million people instead of just 15 million.

Last year, we had the “privilege” of being in Israel during the 12-day war with Iran. Had we not lived through those days alongside Israeli Jews, we would never have fully grasped their inner spirit. Resilient warriors, forever determined to build a better future no matter the circumstances.

I have been involved in Jewish activism my entire life. I know Jews from many countries, and I have known many Israelis before. But this experience was different. Sharing those difficult days with them felt like earning a PhD in Israeli Jewish life.

Kol Hakavod and thank you for your service to the Jews of Israel.

May God bless you, protect you, and grant you safety, prosperity, strength, and peace for generations to come.