Before I begin, let me tell you a little bit about myself.

I am the mother of three sons who serve as combat soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces. In my daily life, I also serve as President of Braude College of Engineering in Karmiel, in the Galilee.

But the truth is, the story I want to share with you is not only my story. It is the story of many mothers in Israel— The Moment When It All Begins

There is a moment when this story begins. The moment when you hold your baby for the very first time. He is wrapped in a blanket, his eyes still half closed, and he seems as though he belongs only to you. But for a mother in Israel, another thought quietly sneaks into the heart: One day, this child will wear a uniform and be asked to defend our collective homes.

I am the mother of three sons. Three soldiers. Three children I once held in my arms as tiny babies — today serve on the borders of Gaza and Lebanon.

The journey between teaching a child to walk and knowing he may one day walk into enemy territory is very hard to explain.

The Years When Life Looks Normal

Childhood in Israel is like that of every other kid in the world: Kindergarten. Soccer games. School trips.

But even childhood lives in the shadow of the future. At 15 they already talk about military units. At 18 they stand at the induction base. And when they put on their uniforms — something in a mother’s heart changes forever. There is tremendous pride. But also a worry that never truly leaves.

Israel’s Wars Through a Mother’s Eyes

My sons have served in Gaza and along the Lebanese border. And every time the same unspoken ritual returns. The phone is always nearby. The news is always on. You learn to hear in your son’s voice whether he is safe.

And then come the nights. The nights when you don’t really sleep. Every car that slows near the house makes your heart jump. Every knock on the door freezes a gasp in your throat. In Israel, there is one fear no mother can ever fully silence: the dread of that knock.

The Small Moments That Carry You Forward

Within all of this, there are also small moments. Short phone calls. Messages that say only: “I’m okay.”

I remember one moment that will stay with me forever. My son Guy was about to enter an armored personnel carrier. He called me briefly and said: “I trust you.” And then he went into Gaza to help retrieve 13 soldiers from the Golani Brigade who had been killed.

Israeli soldiers know they will never be abandoned. They know that if they fall, are wounded, or are taken captive, the country will do all that it takes to bring them home.

This commitment was evident in the national effort — together with the enormous help of Jewish communities in America and around the world — to bring home every soldier and every civilian.

October 7th — A Moment of Truth

Then came the Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023. Soldiers and reservists came back from all over the world. No orders. No questions. They came because they knew there was a home here. And things worth fighting for. עם ישראל חי

That same day my son Guy left for reserve duty on the northern border. Behind him remained his girlfriend, Laia. She asked me a simple question: “Will he come back?” It is a question every mother in Israel asks herself — even if it is never spoken out loud. I answered with the only words a mother here can offer: “With God’s help — he will come back.”

Living Between Pride and Fear

People often praise soldiers’ bravery. But seldom the quiet bravery of parents. The bravery of continuing to live. Going to work. Smiling at people. While inside your mind one thought repeats: Just let this night pass.

What It Means to Be an Israeli Mother Today

An Israeli mother is not only someone who raises children. She is someone willing to let them go in order to defend all of our homes. Not because she is not afraid. But despite the fear. This country stands on the shoulders of very young soldiers and on the hearts of their mothers.

A Story That Never Truly Ends

This story never really ends. The fear always remains somewhere in the heart. But beside it, there is also pride. We do not send them to fight. We send them to defend our home.

I am the mother of three sons. Three soldiers.

Even within the challenging reality we face, it is essential to remember that we are part of something greater—the story of the Jewish people. A nation that has endured hardship and loss yet has never given up hope for a better world. Despite wars and the need for self-defense, our collective vision has always been one of peace, not revenge.

“Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

לא ישא גוי אל גוי חרב ולא ילמדו עוד מלחמה עושה שלום במרומיו הוא יעשה שלום עלינו ועל כל ישראל ואימרו אמן.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)