This Independence Day, as the sun sets above Mount Herzl and the flag of Israel waves proudly in the wind, the nation will once again pause to honor its finest.
But this year, the honorees chosen to light the ceremonial torches at the official state ceremony do more than represent personal excellence – they embody the spirit, strength, and sacrifice of Israel.
They are the true face of Israel. And what a beautiful face it is.
From the judo mat to the battlefield, from the rubble of Kibbutz Re’im to the media battlefield of social networks, the stories of the torch lighters selected this year offer a glimpse into the soul of a country that refuses to break, even after nearly 600 days of war.
National treasure, heroes, and voices
Oren Smadja is a national treasure. The Olympic medalist turned his personal tragedy – the loss of his son, Omri, in Gaza – into a renewed mission to inspire Israeli youth through sports, resilience, and love of the homeland. His decision to carry on, to continue training and leading Israel’s judo team to new heights, reminds us that the pain of loss can also fuel a deeper sense of purpose.
Then there is Emily Damari. Shot and kidnapped from her home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, she spent 471 agonizing days in Hamas captivity in Gaza
Her return – wounded, traumatized, but unshaken – brought a nation to tears. “Emily is a symbol of strength and victory,” said Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who oversees the torch lighting ceremony. Emily’s voice, now a powerful call to bring the 59 hostages still held in Gaza home, is a testament to the unbreakable Israeli spirit.
Emily, like many of the released hostages, has refused to retreat into silence. Instead, she’s marched forward – on prosthetics, on damaged limbs, with trauma still raw – to demand justice, truth, and action. Her flame is not just a tribute to the past but a call for hope.
Joining them is conservative Jewish-American media personality Ben Shapiro. Love him or hate him, Shapiro is one of the most articulate and passionate defenders of Israel on the global stage.
“He brings the voice of Israel to millions,” said Regev, citing his unwavering support since October 7. His inclusion among the torch lighters is a recognition that Israel’s defenders today come not only from its own ranks but also from allies around the world who fight the propaganda war online and off.
And then there are the soldiers: Lt.-Col. Faiz Fares, a Druze commander who ran headfirst into battle at Re’im on October 7, saving lives alongside elite units, and Lt.-Col. (res.) Hagit Alon-Elharar, who lost her son, Amichai, to a Hezbollah drone strike – and still returned to serve in the reserves.
These two officers, chosen by the IDF chief of staff to light a torch on behalf of Israel’s fighting forces, are not only warriors; they are bridges – between Jews and Druze, men and women, mourning and duty.
Their lives tell the story of this nation: of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, of pain turned into courage, and of a society still held together by the quiet, determined sacrifices of its citizens.
This year, there will be no celebrity singer making headlines for refusing to show up, no viral moment of protest. There will just be Israel, raw and real, standing tall in the face of unimaginable loss, and choosing – again and again – to live, to fight, to hope.
We salute these six torch lighters. But more than that, we salute what they represent: the 848 fallen soldiers and civilians of this war; the 59 still held in Gaza; the parents who rise each day without their child; the commanders who still report for duty while carrying unbearable grief; the survivors who raise their voices on behalf of the silenced.
This is the Israel we believe in. This is the Israel that inspires.
In a year marked by anguish, political division, and questions about what kind of country we want to be – these heroes offer clarity. Their stories are the answer to cynicism. Their presence at the center of Israel’s most sacred national ceremony is not symbolic. It’s essential.
As we mark 77 years of independence, let us remember: The true face of Israel is not on the billboards or in the Knesset. It is found in the fire of a torch held high by a mother who buried her son, by a fighter who shielded civilians under fire, by a survivor who refuses to give up.
It is a beautiful face. Let the world see it. Let us honor it.
