A Generation Reshaped

During my trip to Israel this past summer, I had the privilege of forming friendships with several young adults, people my age, living lives shaped by an entirely different reality. They were warm, funny, curious, and deeply thoughtful, yet beneath their casual conversations was a heaviness that only surfaces when talking about the war. Listening to their stories was not only touching; it reshaped the way I understood responsibility, selflessness, and what it truly means to be a hero.

Since October 7th, every person living in Israel has experienced some form of profound change. For many, this meant the loss of a loved one. For others, it meant injury, displacement, or the sudden upheaval of daily life. The entire country, regardless of age, has navigated grief and uncertainty. But for young adults, the burden carries a particular weight since Israel has a long-standing legal requirement of mandatory military service.

One friend put it in a way that has stayed with me: “There is nobody in Israel who does not know someone who died.” It wasn’t said dramatically. It was said plainly, as if he were reciting an unavoidable fact. The grief is not abstract, it is personal, immediate, and shared by everyone. This grief seems to be even stronger for the young adults who have close personal relationships with their friends who are dying or getting injured alongside them in battle.

He also told me something that reveals how deeply the war has reshaped the cultural fabric of the Israeli population. Before the war, he explained, many older Israelis looked at his generation as lazy and good for nothing. Like young people everywhere, they were sometimes seen as glued to their phones, detached, or self-focused. But the war forced Israel’s youth into roles of immense responsibility, and their response has shifted the national perception of them. Another friend who was exempt from serving in the IDF but lost his best friend said, “Hearing stories from friends in the army showed us all that this generation has some serious heroes hidden within it”.

That shift is visible everywhere. The sight of an IDF uniform now carries an unmistakable gravity and an enormous sense of respect. Soldiers are constantly thanked by strangers. Restaurants offer free meals without hesitation. People hold doors, insist on paying bills, and treat soldiers as though they are their own children. Even a simple “thank you” from a passerby carries emotional weight. Respect is not just spoken; it is shown through everyday acts of generosity that acknowledge the sacrifices these young adults make.

Since the start of the war, 922 soldiers and 70 police officers have been killed protecting their homeland. Over 18,500 soldiers have been physically injured, and over 10,000 soldiers now suffer from mental health ailments. So while it may seem like the war is coming to an end, and everyone is just going back to their normal lives, there will still be a deep level of anger, grief, and loss that will affect Israelis for years to come. Let this serve as a harsh reminder that the cost of war is paid not in numbers but in lives, and that every fallen or wounded soldier represents an entire world lost or altered forever. These are young people with dreams, families, and futures that were cut short or permanently changed. Israel’s safety rests on the shoulders of its youth, and we owe them not only gratitude, but unwavering support in life, loss, and recovery