The Light in the World: A Roundup of the Positive News This Week

When two celebrations arrived at the shelter at the same time last Monday, Israel had already shifted to emergency mode. The Ministry of Education announced the cancellation of classes in all educational institutions, alerts and sirens sounded across the country, and events of all kinds were postponed, canceled, or held in a reduced format, in line with Home Front Command instructions. That same day, two major celebrations were planned in the north: the wedding of Tomer Oz (Haziza) and Lin Hodia, and the bar mitzvah celebration for Benaya Cohen. Both festivities were set to take place at the same event hall. When a series of sirens tore through the music, guests from both events, the families, and of course the celebrants, had to move to the shelter on the premises. Instead of panic, the shelter turned into one big celebration. Joy mixed with joy. Hundreds danced and celebrated, not only the guests, the families, and the celebrants, but also passersby who happened to be in the area, כולם together on the improvised dance floor in the protected space. When the men of the hour met, there was another emotional moment, when Haziza, the older groom, asked Benaya Cohen, the younger groom, to bless him.

"Dedicated to everyone who has lost faith in the goodness of human beings," when the taxi driver arrived with balloons and a multi-tier cake. Honestly, how many of us know the name of the taxi driver who takes us? How many of us know his hobbies? Or know his wife's name? About two weeks ago, Adi Carmeli ordered a taxi through a booking app. While we usually leave the app immediately and continue with our routine until the taxi beeps outside the house, Adi stayed on the screen for another moment and discovered that the driver, named Lior, was celebrating a birthday. Adi invested her time and money, and when she got into the taxi, she came in with balloons, chocolates, and a warm note. Lior, who was deeply moved, thanked her sincerely and said he had not expected such a surprise. A week later, Adi herself celebrated her birthday. Lior, who found out about it, waited for her under her home with a tiered cake, balloons, and a certificate of appreciation on behalf of the taxi company. "Today we're going to celebrate you back," he insisted. The two stories come together into a real chain of kindness.

When we imagine an IDF soldier in Lebanon, the first association is of course olive-green uniforms, rifles, and weapons. To that list of first reactions, add a sheet of paper, a pen, and a bag full of students' exams. This week, a Negev soldier was documented in southern Lebanon continuing to check his students' exams in Jewish Thought with full determination. In the lull between shell and shell, between briefings, while he was defending us, this teacher decided that no matter what, he would not stop the routine, even if it was from southern Lebanon. The footage once again shows our wonderful and unique fighters, their enormous strength, and the stark contrast between combat and education.