Please forgive me for not being more observant in sending updates, but actually being on the ground here in Israel makes the time difference even more confusing and challenging.
The last two days have seen more of the same between Iran and the United States, with both sides blustering and threatening, but with Iran successfully stalling day by day so it can rearm.
President Trump said the U.S. is prepared to completely dismantle Iran’s infrastructure “in a small part of an afternoon” if diplomacy fails. “We’re going to win one way or the other. We’re going to make a deal, or we’re going to finish the job, okay? And it won’t be tough to finish the job.”
“I’d rather make a deal, because I don’t want to affect 91 million people. We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply… We can knock out their electricity and power-generating plants. And, I would say, in a small part of an afternoon, every plant will be gone. And they know that.”
Trump claimed the Iranians “are begging to make a deal,” saying both sides agreed to pause talks until after former Leader Ali Khamenei’s funeral, and that neither side would fire on the other during that period, according to Axios. Also according to Axios, Trump said the U.S. could strike Iran’s leadership as it gathered for Khamenei’s funeral but would not do so in order to preserve nuclear negotiations: “They are all there. One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with.”
The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council responded, saying, “To the U.S. president who threatened 91 million Iranians, I say – you, leader of a nation without roots, you spoke in the past in similar terms about destroying Iran’s millennia-old civilization. The result for you was defeat, despair, and pleas for negotiations and a ceasefire. Iranians do not respond to the language of threats. Speak to the Iranian people with respect, or we will respond to you in another language.”
Iran then proceeded to launch three different missiles at tanker ships going through the Strait of Hormuz because the ships “ignored warnings.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on social media platform X that “Article 13 of the Memorandum of Understanding is clear: negotiations on the final agreement will not begin if threats continue.”
And while this drama keeps playing out, my being here in Israel is a very different experience. Although tired from the war and always under pressure, Israelis are celebrating life every day. The beaches are filled with thousands of young people playing volleyball, swimming, and relaxing in the sun during the day, and dancing and partying in cafes on the beach until well past two in the morning.
This is the psyche and consciousness of Israel: celebrating life even and especially while under threats every moment! It is not at all the country that is portrayed in our media, but rather a place of life and sustenance, passion and hope.
Related: Shabbat Shalom From Israel!
Last night, I was blessed to be invited to the Maccabi Honors Dinner, a recognition of pain and a celebration of joy. There were a number of speakers and performances as the leaders of Israeli culture and athletes were honored. One man had been a competitive track star for multiple Maccabi Games, but had been injured and lost a leg. But in true Israeli spirit, he looked forward. With a prosthetic leg, he has now climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice, and he will be participating this year in the world championship of the Iron Man competition.
Another young man, Daniel Wais, brought everyone to tears. He lost both his parents on Oct. 7 (his father murdered, his mother kidnapped and killed), although he survived the massacre on that terrible day. Knowing what this young man has gone through, it is worth seeing his attitude and strength in this excerpt from his performance last night:
On October 7, Daniel lost both of his parents.
Terror took his family.
It did not take his spirit.
Today, he honors their memory by bringing music, beauty, and hope into the world.
Some stories remind us that resilience isn’t just surviving—it’s choosing to create light after… pic.twitter.com/ZzWSQCUVTb
— Rabbi Michael Barclay (@TheRabbisTable) July 7, 2026
May we all have the fortitude and faith, the courage and passion for life that is found in Israel in so many ways.
Editor’s Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is working to eliminate the threat from Iran once and for all.
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