Years ago I noticed a strange dichotomy.
I live here in Israel, and I used to be a news junkie (in recent months I’ve made a conscious decision to limit my exposure), so I was constantly reading about how divided Israeli society ostensibly was. But one day it hit me that most of the real people I meet in everyday life don’t seem to reflect what I see on the news. Of course, there are disagreements and at times I really will meet someone who matches the angry and intolerant stereotypes I see portrayed in the media. But these people are not the majority by any means. Most real Israelis I interact with, though often opinionated, are much more tolerant and reasonable.
There have also been periods of genuine controversy that definitely did divide Israelis, such as the Oslo years and the months before the Disengagement from Gaza, as well as last year’s protests around the Judicial Reform. Even then, though, things I saw in real life weren’t anywhere near as bad as what I was reading about and seeing on my screens.
Simply put, the picture we get from the media doesn’t accurately reflect reality. I don’t know if this is because of some sort of agenda-driven policy or simply because controversy is good for ratings, but I do know that the press usually presents a very skewed picture.
Since the current war began, this contrast between perception and reality has continued in even greater measure. If one were to believe the current media portrayals, he or she would conclude that most Israelis are deeply pessimistic about the country’s future (some reports even claim multitudes are considering leaving the country), and that they have also returned to their pre-October 7 reality of being at each other’s throats, this time over disagreements regarding the possibility of a hostage deal with Hamas.
But once again, what I see on the street belies the media narrative. Contrary to the depressing picture painted by the press, the real Israelis I interact with – while undeniably sad and stressed because of the situation – are nevertheless upbeat and determined, patriotic, and confident that we will prevail. This is equally true of my friends, family, and neighbors, as well as random strangers I get into conversations with.
And this time, actual data (also thankfully reported by the media) backs up my anecdotal impressions. For example, in June, the Times of Israel reported that Israel’s birth rate remains by far the highest among the OECD group of developed countries at 2.9 children per woman – making us the only country in the Western world with a positive birth rate (according to the article, Israel’s birthrate is almost twice (!!) the OECD average of 1.5, and more than a full child per woman ahead of the second and third place countries – Mexico and France – who each have around 1.8). This is significant; the decision to bring children into the world is a statement of confidence in the future, while those who decide to go through life without leaving progeny after them demonstrate clearly that they have no such confidence.
Apparently, then, Israel is the only country in the Western world that really believes in itself and its children.
More directly related to the current situation, Jerusalem Post journalist Herb Keinon recently reported on a survey by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) indicating firm resoluteness among Israeli Jews. Among the survey’s findings: 76% are solidly convinced that Israel will triumph in Gaza, 67% believe Israel will bounce back and flourish after the war, and only 25% said they feel personally insecure.
In the Diaspora as well, the situation is better – or at least more complex – than meets the eye based on media reports. On the surface, life for Diaspora Jews seems bleak: antisemitism is surging everywhere, and anti-Israel sentiments and actions are on the rise among the various governments of countries with large Jewish populations (Great Britain, Australia, and Canada have all placed limits on arms exports to Israel, Spain is hosting a conference pushing for a Palestinian state even as the war and terrorism against Israel continue, and even in the United States, while both of the presidential candidates profess support for Israel, neither is even willing to identify as a “Zionist” as outgoing President Joe Biden does).
Things look so bad that several months ago, The Atlantic published a piece declaring that the “Golden Age of American Jews” is ending. I don’t know if that’s accurate or not. But either way, the reality on the ground is more complex.
While many Diaspora Jews do acknowledge feeling insecure or threatened, their reactions to this feeling are often not what one might expect. Instead of lowering their profile, hiding or denying their Jewishness, large numbers are actually asserting their Jewish identity more strongly and seeking to reconnect with it. In May, the Jewish Federations of North America published the results of a survey depicting what some are calling “The Surge”: a huge uptick in Jewish communal involvement that started immediately after Simhat Torah/October 7. According to the survey, fully 40% of American Jews who were “only somewhat,” “not very” or “not at all engaged” with the Jewish community before October 7 are now expressing interest in reconnecting with Jewish communities and organizations, with their fellow Jews and with their Jewish heritage, and many have already taken concrete steps to do so.
When examining all these data points together, an encouraging picture emerges. Things are nowhere near as bleak as they seem. In fact, if one ignores the media and examines the actual reality, there is much cause for optimism.
I’m not suggesting we don rose-colored glasses and pretend that we’re living in an idyllic paradise. Israel, and the Jewish people as a whole, are going through some very hard times right now, and all indications are that the difficulties will continue for at least the immediate future. But hard times are not unusual for Jews and Israelis. We’ve been down this road many times before, and Israelis seem to understand that very well – much better than our reporters are telling us on our screens.
So, don’t believe what you read in the news. Maybe also consider doing what I – and many others I know – have done and limit your exposure to all this negativity by simply minimizing the amount of time you spend on news sites.
The challenges are great but we have what it takes to succeed. We will get through this, together, and ultimately emerge as a stronger and better nation.
