Style & Living

Between the endless headlines, the political noise, and the heavy weight of the war, I am always searching for moments of good news. I find many such moments in an Israeli WhatsApp group called G-d’s Miracles and Might in the State of Israel, which is dedicated to sharing uplifting stories from around the country. My phone pings constantly with their messages. I rarely manage to keep up, but that incessant pinging is a comforting reminder that somewhere nearby, something good is happening.

I can’t possibly count how many times I’ve visited Yerushalayim; but whenever I go, surprises await me. Several weeks ago, within the space of an hour, I had several unexpected experiences.

Since opening last summer, the Knesset Museum has welcomed tens of thousands of visitors. Housed in Jerusalem’s historic Froumine House at 24 King George Street, it served as Israel’s parliament from 1950 until 1966, when the Knesset moved to its current home in Givat Ram. Today, cutting-edge technology allows visitors to become members of the Knesset (MKs) for a day, voting on historic issues and listening to famous speeches as they explore the early years of Israeli democracy.

Life continues here in Israel; however, bereaved families carry the weight of their grief forever. Gil Karsenty, a resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh, decided to help local families keep the memories of their sons alive.

Ditza Or recently visited Ramat Beit Shemesh to share her journey as the mother of a released hostage. Before October 7, she explained, she was simply Ditza Or. But from that catastrophic day, her own identity faded; she became, exclusively, Avinatan’s mother. Life as she knew it stopped. She left her job, abandoned her hobbies, paused her travels, and could barely function as a grandmother. She was entirely consumed with the fight for her son.

My husband and I have the travel bug. The moment we return home from a trip, we are already planning our next one. Our fridge is filled with souvenir magnets, bringing back happy memories every time I open the door. But except for a quick family visit to the US, we haven’t traveled abroad in four years. October 7 stripped me of the desire to go anywhere for a very long time. When the itch slowly returned, the time was never right. But recently, the stars seemed to align. The miluimnikim (reserve soldiers) were at home. Family members who were pregnant had safely given birth. The threat of war with Iran loomed, but in Israel, that is often the case. Most of the time, it remains just that: a threat. It was time to go.