The Poll – Do You Believe in Israel’s survival?

I often write about the Israeli spirit—this indefinable force that pulses through its people and land. It’s something I’ve admired deeply, again and again. But lately, as someone who has visited Israel more than 20 times since 2015, I’ve noticed something shifting. And I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t made me uneasy.

The warm, proud, and unified energy I used to feel in every corner seems dimmed. People feel less connected, more impatient. There’s growing division: protests, army strikes, and an undercurrent of anger toward elected leadership. The once close-knit kibbutzim—once symbols of collectivism and shared values—have morphed into more individualistic spaces.

Change, of course, isn’t inherently bad. It can mean growth. Evolution. But what hurts is when people forget just how special Israel truly is. There’s an energy in that land that can’t be described—something beyond words, beyond religion or politics.

I was only eleven years old when I first set foot on Israeli soil. I remember the exact moment. I’m not religious, and I’ve never believed in saviors or saints. But when I landed in Israel, I felt something I never felt anywhere else: I felt home. Instantly. Deep joy, a profound peace. That feeling stayed with me.

But now… the war, the global criticism, the way Israel is portrayed—it leaves me exhausted, anxious, and often heartbroken. I lose sleep. I worry constantly. What if the world turns its back? What if Israel, this tiny miracle of a country, doesn’t survive?

So I did something simple. I asked my friends—Jewish and Israeli alike—a single question:

“Do you think Israel will survive?”

And every single one of them answered with conviction:
“Of course we will. We have no other land. We have Hashem. Everything will be okay.”

Their unwavering belief brought me to tears. This is the Israeli spirit. This is what can never be broken. And in that moment, I remembered: optimism in Israel isn’t blind. It’s brave.

I still get angry—furious, even. Angry at the ignorance. At how the loudest critics often know the least. People who’ve never stepped foot in the Middle East. Never met an Israeli. Never lived among Arabs or Jews. And yet they scream the loudest, with unshakable opinions built on headlines and hashtags.

That ignorance scares me. It feels like a déjà vu of darker times. But then, I look to my friends. To that energy I felt as a little girl. To the heartbeat of a nation that has defied the odds over and over again.

And I realize:

Israel lives.

Israel will be there long after the voices of the ignorant are silenced.

That’s what the poll reminded me. That’s what my heart always knew.