They will not define our destiny

Since I decided to cross oceans and make Israel my home six years ago, I realized I had inserted myself into a plot more complex than any fiction I could have imagined. Here, in the intertwining of ancient Jerusalem stones with the pulsing innovation of Tel Aviv, I discovered that being a Jewish Israeli is to carry within oneself a living paradox, a narrative in constant tension between the internal struggle against extremists and the clash with the blurred gaze of the world.

I live in this land of promises and memories, where every step on this sacred soil is also a step over lines of untold stories, of voices silenced by cognitive dissonance and the hypocrisy of those who, from afar, judge without seeking to understand. This dissonance is a shadow that accompanies my days, a fog that not only clouds the vision of those looking from the outside but sometimes infiltrates the crevices of our collectivity, fueling extremists who wield their truths as weapons, forgetting that Israel’s true strength lies in its diversity, in its ability to harbor multiple dreams under the same sky.

I speak in the first person, but I echo the voices of many, those who, like me, feel the rough texture of misunderstanding on their skin. They ask us for peace but leave us on the sidelines when darkness approaches. They demand moderation from us, while extremes provoke us. And so, we dance an awkward waltz with our internal ghosts while the global chorus is out of tune in criticism and condemnation.

The extremists, both those who walk among us and those who observe us from afar, ready to paint everyone with the same brush of reprimand, fail to see the nuances of our struggle. They don’t see that, in fighting extremism within our borders, we seek to preserve the core of who we are, a nation forged in adversity but dreaming of peace. In the international arena, we desperately try to clear the fogged mirror through which the world sees us, fighting against a narrative that often reduces us to mere stereotypes.

But here I am, making words my shield and my voice, a bridge. Because, in the end, what unites us is more potent than the forces that seek to divide us. Extremism and hypocrisy, whether internal or worldwide, are just another chapter in our long history. They will not define our destiny, for we are made of sterner stuff — we are made of the same substance as dreams and hope.

Therefore, as I walk the streets of this nation of contrasts, I carry with me the conviction that the untold truths are the ones that most need to be heard. And on my journey, on our journey, we will persist until the day comes when our stories are understood in all their complexity. The dissonance and hypocrisy finally dissolve under the weight of our unwavering determination to be simply who we are: a people united by diversity, resilience, and, above all, by love for this land we call home.