We're a small nation, this country of Israel,

and we've been around for over 5000 years.

We're made up of all sorts of Jewish people.

Black, white, brown, religious, secular, liberal.

We're also home to many who aren't Jewish,

Christian, Muslim, Jews, Bedouin, Greek Orthodox and more.

But Jews have been on the land since biblical times.

Many of us came back in the last hundred years.

Some arrived just yesterday and

some are coming tomorrow.

We are men, women and children.

We love life.

We're human.

We might be a little different in some ways, like

all nations are, but we're people just like anyone else.

We're an assorted bunch.

We don't always agree on everything.

In fact, we argue a lot.

Some see things this way, some the other.

We don't always see eye to eye.

But in Israel, we are the Jewish nation.

Fractured and divided as it may seem, we are

one at our core and it's a strong core.

While sometimes we feel separate from each other,

we're bonded together through our heritage and values

that haven't really changed for thousands of years.

A lot of people out there don't like us.

Right now, it's a lot of Palestinians, the

Iranian government, any people led by fanatical jihadists

or remnants of Arab leaders who preached Jew

hatred and whose legacy of hate has continued.

Also assorted conspiracy theorists and

yes, bona fide antisemites.

Maybe it's because we're different.

Can't be put in a box or smart or

independent because we know exactly who we are.

Maybe it's because we've got a little bit of chutzpah.

Maybe because we know how to survive.

And despite so many murdered and persecuted for

thousands of years and 6 million of us

who were slaughtered by the Nazis in the

Second World War, we are still standing.

Not only standing, but thriving, changing the

world for the better, with technology, medicine,

art, science, sports, you name it.

Maybe people don't like us

because they envy our heritage.

Maybe because they think we run the world. We don't.

Remember conspiracy theorists.

Although there are only 16 million of us in the world.

Maybe they see our success as

a threat rather than an asset.

Who knows why?

We're too busy doing what we do

to give it too much attention.

But sometimes we have to give the hatred our

attention because we've got a lot of enemies.

Many are ruthless, barbaric, but we know how to defend

ourselves well and we know when to attack too well.

Despite unimaginable losses and devastating catastrophes

to this day, we survive.

And we always have.

As we always will, as our enemies who

wish us harm fade away in time.

One more thing, though we're a physical land of

Israel, we are also the people of Israel.

And we don't only live here,

we're scattered around the world.

Here, here and here, here and here and here.

No matter where we are, no matter what divides us in

the moment, no matter the internal squabbles we have, like all

people have, we are one, even when we can't see it,

we are one, and we have kind, compassionate people in the

world who truly see the good in us.

And when life is hard, impossible, incomprehensible,

confusing, scary and dark, somehow we reach

to the light and come together.

We're a small nation, this country

of Israel and the Jewish people.

But we will never apologize for surviving.

We will always strive for good,

and we shall remain as one.