For many of my friends in the United States, Israel has become an increasingly contested subject. Some see it as a democratic society struggling to survive in a hostile region. Others see a country gradually losing its moral character. The images emerging from Israel – settler violence, racist incitement, extremist politicians, and attacks on democratic institutions – make it difficult for many American Jews to distinguish between the government and the state, between violent actors and Israeli society as a whole.

Yet one essential truth is often lost in this conversation: millions of Israelis are looking at those same images and experiencing a profound sense of alienation. Not merely concern, and not merely criticism, but deep shame. At times, it feels as though they are living in a country they still love, yet increasingly struggle to recognize as their own.

The title Stranger in My Own Country is borrowed from the German writer Hans Fallada, who described the sense of estrangement he experienced as Germany changed before his eyes. There is, of course, no place for simplistic historical comparisons. Yet the underlying idea remains relevant: a person may continue to live in their homeland, speak its language, and love its landscapes, while feeling that something essential in its spirit and character is being transformed before their eyes. This feeling is familiar to many Israelis........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)