Sunny…with a chance of missiles

It is a new day in Israel.

After a week of heavy rain and unusually cold temperatures, the sun is shining, the weather has warmed up and the mood in Israel has been uplifted.

The forecast is brighter than it was just yesterday morning. Hope is in the air.

After 843 days, the last hostage stolen by Hamas on October 7th has finally returned home.

And for the first time in over 4,000 days, Israelis are able to exhale and breathe a little lighter, knowing that none of their brothers and sisters is being held in Gaza.

I was sitting in a large gathering of students and teachers when I saw the headline that Ran Gvili’s body had been positively identified. My heart skipped a beat. Not wanting to interrupt the important discussion we were having, I quietly showed my phone to a colleague sitting next to me. She gasped. We then sat tight for the next half-hour until the meeting ended and someone shared the news with the group.

All around me, young women erupted in cheers and gave each other hugs. The head of our beit midrash made a blessing with God’s name. There was a burst of spontaneous singing and dancing. The rabbi of our town wrote a special prayer of thanks. Videos circulated of soldiers crying at the scene where the body was found. My own eyes filled with tears.

In this small country, national news often feels personal.

One friend knows some of the soldiers who were involved in the search; another works with the dentist who identified Ran’s teeth against his dental records; my niece’s friend’s father helped lead the operation; and my husband gave Itzik Gvili, Ran’s father, a big hug just a few weeks ago when they flew back to Israel on the same flight from Miami.

To outsiders, the joy that we are experiencing may seem strange. The story of Ran Gvili is not a happy one. This is not an ideal ending.

And yet, upon hearing that Ran’s body had been recovered and returned, many recited the blessing of hatov v’hameitiv — “the One who is good and does good for others.” It is a blessing said when one receives good news. Its language is similar to the fourth blessing recited as part of Birkat HaMazon, Grace after Meals, recited after eating bread.

The rabbis instituted that blessing as a way of thanking God for preserving the corpses of those killed by the Romans in Beitar and for the fact that their bodies were brought to burial. Perhaps their intent was that specifically at the moment when we feel full and satisfied after eating and we turn to God and bless Him, we also remind ourselves that there is reason to bless God for acts of kindness even when they occur against the backdrop of the most awful circumstances. When we are not entirely fulfilled. When the picture is far from perfect.

The fact that Ran’s body was found at all, that it was found preserved and fully intact, that he was found in the same uniform he donned on October 7th two and a half years ago…. The fact that we have an army and soldiers who prioritized this search…. The fact that this country fulfilled its promise to bring home every hostage…. And the fact that Ran’s family can now give him a proper burial and have a grave they can visit and pay respects to… they are all reasons to be grateful.

These past few years in Israel have taught us a lesson or two about gratitude. We have learned to live lives where we notice and give thanks for the little things that matter and make a difference, even as we hold them alongside the challenges, frustrations, sadness, losses, and tensions of these difficult times. Because of what we have experienced, we try our best to live lives that are more intentional, to savor moments, to grab opportunities, and to not take anything for granted.

So while it is true that every night for the last two weeks, we have gone to sleep wondering if “tonight will be the night” that we are woken yet again by sirens and the fear of imminent attacks from Iran, we wake up every morning both surprised and grateful that we slept through the night and ready to face another day. We feel blessed by the opportunity to live in these historic and meaningful times, surrounded by the incredible people of Israel, who march on with resilience, deep faith, and ongoing optimism.

I woke up this particular morning to light streaming through the windows. On my phone were a few texts from friends in America wanting to know what the mood is right now in Israel.

The mood is a bit brighter than it was yesterday. Tu b’Shvat is around the corner. The almond trees are budding. The weather is getting warmer. Soon the flowers will start to blossom.

The mood is sunny. At least today it is. And for that we are grateful.

Sunny… with a chance of missiles.