Yom Ha’atzmaut 2026: Celebrating Prouder Than Ever

For some reason — maybe because of the war, maybe because of the significant rise in antisemitism — Israel’s birthday this year feels heavier.

Seventy-eight years of miracles — of survival, of love, of unity, of a vibrant religion, of balagan, and the revival of a culture.

I think it is especially remarkable because there may have been a time when many people — particularly in America — took Israel’s existence for granted. When we believed that the world’s hatred of us was a relic, not an ongoing reality. But for many of us, over the past three years, being Jewish has become even more central to our identity.

This year, we don’t just celebrate the miracle of the declaration of the State of Israel — something as shocking then as it is now — but we also celebrate the miracle of what exists within it: the dangerous and beautiful coexistence, the wisdom and innovation, the geniuses that made it the Start-up Nation, the bravery, the aesthetic beauty, the holy energy, and the sense of belonging.

Personally, I have never felt a part of anything — not the culture I grew up in, nor the one I live in now. But if there is something I do feel a part of, it is that (perhaps small) group of people around the world, who share a deep appreciation and an unexplainable love for the holy land, Eretz Israel.

If you don’t believe in miracles or G-d, just read the history of Israel and that solves that.

With so much hate and tyranny, so many lies and deliberate misinformation campaigns, and so many attempts to isolate Jews and Israel from the world, the effect has been the opposite for many Jews. We show up louder than ever, proving just how much pride we have in our history and heritage.

Happy birthday to the country that not only survives but thrives. The country that holds — however opinionated, aggressive, blunt, or different — my extended family. The country where I have made lifelong friends and unbeatable memories. My favorite thing about myself is how much I love you.

As I wrote in the early days of what we now consider “normal” (December 2023):

I’m a proud Zionist.

You turned it into an insult. But it is one of my favorite characteristics.

You use it as the label that supports your “genocide” and “apartheid” narrative. But we use it as the label that celebrates the love for our homeland, religion, freedom, and safety.

So, the more you try to insult us with it, the more you prove just how much we need it.

May only better days lie ahead.

Alma Bengio is Chief Growth Officer at The Algemeiner and founder and writer for @lets.talk.conflict.