Voices of Hope

Yesterday, I sent a WhatsApp message to several friends and family members, asking them to complete this sentence before today’s elections:

“I am casting my vote in the hope that…”

I wasn’t looking for political arguments, predictions or party allegiances – but to rise above bitterness and offer something more inclusive. But in truth, I simply wanted to hear what people hoped for – for themselves, their children and grandchildren, and the country we call home – and also to sort out my own turbulent emotions.

The responses were both moving and inspiring, and despite differences in wording and political emphasis, so many returned to the same themes: hope, healing, responsible leadership, unity, security, and the future of our children and grandchildren.

See Voices below.

My friends and family spoke of a country that can begin to heal. Of leaders who unite rather than divide, who speak the truth, act with integrity and take responsibility. Of a society that respects all its citizens, where we seek common ground rather than dwell on our differences.

The Voices spoke of peace and security, of empathy for our soldiers, of shared responsibility, and of an Israel where our children and grandchildren can flourish – and genuinely want to live.

There was a longing to restore the values that have sustained the Jewish people through generations, and for Israel once again to aspire to be a light unto the nations — אור לגויים.

One response expressed the hope that we might replace ego and baseless hatred with unity and a shared destiny.

Another hoped that we could leave our children a country and society that are responsible and guided by values.

The following contribution especially stands out for me:

“I am casting my vote in the hope that our chosen candidates will truly deserve the faith we place in them, and that we, in turn, will prove worthy of the privilege of voting. May this be an opportunity for us all to embrace our agency with integrity, responsibility and hope”

I am reminded here of William Wordsworth’s words:

“The Child is Father of the Man”

Wordsworth’s reflection on the relationship between childhood and adulthood segues into the deep respect of, and admiration and love we have for, young Israelis – who stepped into the breach – and literally saved our country – and this inter-generational dimension, is a direct link to the Israel we hope they will inherit and help create and shape. And a sober reminder that every generation has a responsibility to the next.

And in its essence, voting is not simply about choosing our leaders. It is also about recognizing our own responsibility for the future we wish to choreograph and curate. Hope is not simply something we ask of our leaders; it is something we have a responsibility to help create.

Of course, we don’t all agree on what tomorrow should bring. Nor should we expect to agree on everything. That is part of living in a vibrant democracy.

But perhaps we can find common ground in what we want for the future: a safe and secure Israel, a society that treats people with dignity, leadership that earns our trust, and a country whose best years may still lie ahead.

I began this thought process searching for words … and hope. I asked friends and family to complete one sentence, and what came back was a collective expression of hope for Israel’s future. Yes, there is disappointment and pain and anger in some of the responses, but there is something more enduring here:  a longing for a country that can heal, unite, lead responsibly, and give the next generation reasons to believe in its future.

Thanks to my friends and family, I have found words – and hope!

AM YISRAEL CHAI – עם ישראל חי

Voices of Hope

October 27th, 2026

I am casting my vote in the hope that…

*we will have a better future, and that the best years of our state are still ahead of us.

*Israel will have a government that takes responsibility for the past, leads us with optimism into a new era, and moves us towards our aspiration of being a light unto the nations (אור לגויים).

*our leaders will speak the truth, uphold morality, act with humility and integrity, and put the interests of the country above their own political ambitions.

*we will have a government committed to broad Israeli interests rather than narrow sectoral agendas, with accountability for its actions and consequences when it fails in its responsibilities.

*we will put the vitriol behind us, learn to work together and focus on our common ground rather than the issues that divide us.

*Israel will become more united, more accepting of differing views, and more conscious of our shared destiny as a people.

*our elected leaders will renew their pact with the Israeli public, allowing a process of national healing to begin and helping to bring together the many strands of our remarkable society.

*Israel will emerge stronger, with less hatred and greater empathy for all its citizens — including our soldiers, taxpayers, students and the many communities that make up our amazing, sometimes crazy, family of Zionists.

*questioning will always be with us but that fair and just answers return to the forefront of our lives in this country”

*our country will enjoy greater security and prosperity, while its leaders work towards a genuine vision of peace and security for Israel and our neighbours.

*Israel will remain a Jewish country that respects all its citizens, encourages their active participation and shared responsibility, and upholds the values that have sustained the Jewish people.

*our children and grandchildren will inherit a safe, prosperous and values-driven country in which they want to live, can flourish, and can take pride — a country that inspires pride among Jews throughout the world and commands respect among the nations.

*the Land of Israel will be stronger, and our lives will be positively transformed by meaningful change in our politics, our leadership and our society.

*we will see a return of sanity to public life and humanity, and emerge from these dark days with renewed confidence, compassion and hope. Dayenu!

*the changes we seek will be real and lasting, enabling Israel to get back on track and ensuring that the Israel of tomorrow is better than the Israel of today.

*every vote will count towards positive change, and we will teach our children by example, the value and impact of democratic participation.

*the religious youth will share the responsibility of military service, in the spirit of fairness and mutual obligation.

*the storm will pass, the bleeding will stop, and we will begin to heal — rediscovering the unity, common purpose and shared destiny that our country so desperately needs.

*that our children and grandchildren can flourish and prosper in a country we can all be proud of – here, across the Jewish world and among the Nations.

*above all, may our chosen candidates prove worthy of the faith we place in them, and may we, in turn, prove worthy of the privilege of voting. May this moment be an opportunity for us all to embrace our agency with integrity, responsibility and hope.

Conclusion:

The closing sentence moves beyond what we expect of our elected leaders and reminds us that democracy places responsibilities on us – the voters, as well as on those who are elected, and that beneath the political frustrations, there is a profound love of Israel and a determination not to give up on its future.

May the hopes expressed by all these voices become the beginning of a better chapter for Israel.