Letting in the Light

Last week was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. We had originally planned to share a message about light, presence, and connection to nature. But before we speak of light, we must acknowledge the shadows.

This is a painful and unsettling time for Israel, and for all who care about her. The attacks from Iran and the ongoing war have brought fresh heartbreak and fear. Our hearts are with the people of Israel, enduring these pressures with courage and grace. And as always, Israelis continue to show extraordinary resilience, even amidst the unknown.

At Nature Israel and SPNI, we are stepping up. Field schools are once again providing wartime housing, and we’ve launched daily eco-therapy webinars to soothe families in bomb shelters. Your donation today can help us continue providing care and hope to both people and nature during this ongoing crisis.

In dark times like these, it may feel difficult to focus on anything else. But it’s with intention that we return to this moment of light. The recent solstice reminds us that seeking out light, and choosing to cultivate it, is a quiet but powerful form of strength and hope. The reflections below were written before this latest wave of crisis, but they feel no less relevant now. Perhaps even more so.

So now, we’re offered an invitation: to reflect, recharge, and reconnect with what we love after a day overflowing with sunlight.

Ella at the beach, photo by Rachel Canar

When I lived in Tel Aviv, the solstice was a special time for my daughter Ella and me. We went to the beach almost daily during those long, hot summers, usually Banana Beach or Alma, but on this day, Ella was allowed to stay up late. It became our tradition to stay at the beach until the end of sunset, toes in the sand, watching the sun slide into the Mediterranean. That act—staying present until the very last light—became sacred. A ritual of love and presence.

But any parent who’s brought a toddler to the beach knows there’s more going on to protect that magic. For example, I would clean our area thoroughly of cigarette butts before letting Ella play in the sand. Those small acts of care were acts of loving protection.

You may not know this, but over half of Israel’s open natural space is marine. Yes, 50% of Israel’s wildness is in its seas. And yet the beaches and underwater ecosystems are vulnerable: to overdevelopment, to warming waters, to pollution and plastic, to neglect. SPNI’s “Blue Half” Department works to protect Israel’s beaches, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. From creating new marine sanctuaries to cleaning up our coastlines, SPNI is leading the way in ensuring that Israel’s beaches, coral reefs, and marine life don’t just survive, but thrive.

Beach of Rishon LeZion, photo by Dov Greenblat

The work is challenging. The Mediterranean is warming. Jellyfish bloom earlier each year, in greater numbers, a stinging symptom of climate change. I’ll never forget the time I reached into the surf to remove what looked like a plastic bag and realized I’d palmed a jellyfish head. Let’s just say I ran out of the water like a cartoon character, all limbs and panic. Anyone who’s been to Tel Aviv in the summer probably has their own story, those jellyfish have become a hallmark of Israeli summers.

Sunset at Achziv Beach National Park in Nahariya, photo by Paer Luei‎‎

And still, we go to the water. As Israel heats up, the sea becomes more than a playground, it becomes a refuge. That’s why public beach access matters.

SPNI’s successfully protected my favorite beach in Israel, Palmachim Beach—a public haven that was seriously threatened by development. Thanks to SPNI’s support of the local community advocacy, that stretch of coast is still beautiful and natural, still open to the public, and still safe.

My experiences there fuel my hope. And hope is what these days of light are really about. At Nature Israel, we’re working every day to amplify the light: through awareness, action, and tikkun olam.  Our work—protecting marine sanctuaries, restoring wetlands, and more—is how we care for nature in Israel and all the life that depends on it.

As the sun stretches high above us these days, I invite you to embrace the light. Go outside if you are able to. Pick up one piece of trash. Protect something fragile. Celebrate something beautiful. And remember that by supporting Nature Israel and SPNI, you are part of this movement too. Hold your loved ones close. Know that your support of Nature Israel helps bring more light into the world, especially when we need it most.

With deep gratitude,

Rachel Canar