Those Who Stand Guard To Protect Our Home

Yesterday, we went out with family and had breakfast at Aroma Café. Many of you who have been to Israel probably know it—it’s such a familiar, very Israeli place.

While we were ordering, I noticed the soldiers around us. Some looked so young, some were reservists, and some were ordinary citizens—carrying a gun and taking on the responsibility to protect wherever they go.

Here, at 18, teenagers are called to serve in the army. It’s hard to explain unless you see it.

Young people here grow up differently. At an age when many are still discovering life, they are already learning how to protect it. They are shaped to be strong, to carry responsibility, to stand as a shield for their home—not because they chose this path, but because they want a safer, quieter life for the people they love.

And those soldiers I saw?

They are someone’s daughter, someone’s son, a brother, a sister, a father, a friend.

Each one has a story, a family waiting for them, dreams they’ve put on hold. They laugh, they worry, they get tired—just like all of us.

They are human before anything else.

It’s heartbreaking to read some of the things said about our Israeli soldiers by those who hate Israel or the anti-Israel crowd—words like “child killers” and “murderers,” directed even at those who are just 18, barely out of childhood themselves.

Imagine carrying that kind of blame at an age when most are only beginning to dream, to hope, to plan for their future.

These young men and women are our heroes.

They stand on the front lines to safeguard our homes, our families, our lives.

They are not perfect—no one is—and yes, they sometimes make mistakes, because they are human. But the courage and the sacrifice they show every single day are extraordinary.

The Israeli army is one of the most moral armies in the world, guided by principles that value life, uphold humanity, and strive to protect the innocent—even in the darkest and most impossible moments.

To dismiss or attack them without understanding is to overlook the heavy burden they carry—and the heart it takes to bear it.

Since October 7th, so many of our soldiers have given their lives. So much pain, so much sacrifice—just so people here can live, breathe, and have a place to call home.

So yes, I will say it—

Israel is here to stay.

Israel is here because of our brave soldiers fighting out there: the Air Force pilots flying into the sky, carrying the weight of their mission to defend our country; the soldiers on foot in Lebanon doing all they can to confront Hezbollah; and those still in Gaza working to maintain security and protect lives.

These are our people, all our soldiers, standing strong on many fronts.

I always keep them in my prayers.

And for those of you who stand with Israel, please don’t forget to pray for them too—for their safety, their strength, and that they all come home to their families.

May this war end soon.

May light always overcome darkness.

And may a new, more peaceful Middle East come.

Above all, may we never forget the humanity in each other—even in times like this.

Because peace begins there.