I decided to spend the summer of 2024 in Israel… not because I planned on enjoying myself, but because I hadn’t been back since October 7 and felt it was important to support the country by being there. 

I admit that I was a bit hesitant to return. Would the country be completely changed? 

I was based in Tel Aviv, and though there were clear reminders the country is at war (yellow ribbons and pictures of the hostages everywhere), the energy and vibe of the city still felt like the usual “bubble.” I suppose it’s a coping mechanism in order to deal with the everyday reality.

However, in general people are sadder and angrier. There’s a despondent vibe. So many Israelis are still displaced and dealing with unspeakable loss. They’ve gotten used to being in a pressure-cooker environment, but something is going to give.

Spending the summer in Israel wasn’t a “fun time” but it was deeply important to be there in person, and I felt that most people I encountered were grateful for the support.  

From inside the jar

It was very clear the second I arrived in Israel that the country needs some kind of closure. 

Israelis are in the midst of ongoing trauma. They need a pause to process what happened and move on, to start rebuilding. 

Freeing the hostages should be the first step. Beyond the political dimensions of this act, it will help heal the very soul of the country. As long as this current government and military leadership are in charge, I don’t think that is possible. 

However, I did meet a lot of agentic people who were pushing forward despite “not being able to read the label from inside the jar.” 

It’s tough right now, but I’m optimistic. I believe change will come. I see a lot of young leaders being developed now — people like Israeli Arab social media personality Yoseph Haddad, who could be a prime minister in the future. 

There is some truth about life happening for us, not to us. Israel will come out stronger from this period, while many parts of the world (particularly Western countries) seem to be in freefall. 

A good example of this is former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who has done a good job of being out in the field and connecting with people. There are capable leaders out there, and once the air clears from the current toxic environment, this new generation of leaders will reveal themselves.

Key moments 

Back in the United States, I’ve frequently been asked to name the highlights of my time in Israel. It wasn’t so much that I had highlights, but rather key moments and takeaway insights.

Among those key moments were visiting Hostages and Missing Square in Tel Aviv and going down south with my former IDF commander to pay tribute to the victims at the Supernova music festival massacre. 

I wrote about this on my LinkedIn, but it’s still hard to absorb (and describe) all the awfulness of the place. I still can’t comprehend the sheer horror of what transpired. 

It was always meaningful attending rallies for the hostages, and hearing the hostage families speak. 

I truly don’t understand how these incredibly brave families do it… that they are able to tap into such immense strength to continue on. They have left no stone unturned, and have refused to accept (as they should not) that their loved ones are not home yet.

My main takeaways

While it felt the country was climbing up a hill with a tremendous weight on its back, three themes I experienced in Israel left me hopeful about the day after.

• Rational optimism: Many people are not waiting around but are taking action. In conversations I had, there was an immediate pessimism (and even some despondent thinking), but still a general sense of optimism about what will be once this period ends.
• Resilience: The idea is that if you push through, better times or opportunities are on the other side of the pain. If you don’t believe the future will be better, you won’t take the action needed to create it. Just because you can bear something doesn’t mean that you should. Given the political situation, and the outrageous reality that there is no hostage deal yet, I don’t understand how more people are not out in the streets every day.
• Agency: A central aspect of resilience is not to dwell on the horror but to try and use that anxious energy toward building something positive, as the hostage families are doing. I can’t think of a more agentic group than Israelis. While I was not surprised that many enterprising people took matters into their own hands, what did surprise me was how much of a contrast it was compared to the US. 

They need Israel

I believe that the world is headed into an even more chaotic period, and Israel is well positioned, in terms of technology and talent, to deal with the challenges brought on by AI, climate change and political upheaval.

People really discount how these macro trends impact the Middle East and will cause even more political upheaval and violence. Every underdeveloped country in the region is going to struggle (look at Lebanon) due to these challenges. 

This is a controversial take, but I believe that they will eventually come to Israel for help.

If you want to see countries that understand the direction the world is headed toward, look at the UAE and the Saudis. They understand that they need Israel in order to tackle this next level of challenges, which the world is really in no way prepared for. At least in Israel, people will figure it out pretty quickly. 

That is why, not despite the current challenges, but because of them, people in Israel will look back at this awful period as the rocket fuel for the future growth of the country.

Jonathan “Yoni” Frenkel is a LinkedIn ghostwriter, content marketing strategist, creator and founder of YKC Media.