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Hi Reader,
Sunday night the alerts started. Schools closed Monday morning. The safe room got reset โ windows shut, chairs moved, snacks, water, chargers, tissues. You know the drill. We've done this before.
And yet. Monday night, a close friend of mine got married.
The wedding went off perfectly. Music, dancing, joy โ all of it. Because that's what we do here. We don't cancel the life. We hold both things at once and we choose to show up for the good ones.
By Tuesday, a new ceasefire. Life back to normal within 24 hours. But that Monday โ sitting at a wedding while the country was holding its breath โ reminded me exactly why this community exists. We are not naive about what's hard. We just refuse to let it have the last word.
Which is exactly why we're here. Let's get into this week. ๐
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From The Ground
Monday morning I sent our WhatsApp community a note. I want to share part of it here because it's the most honest thing I wrote all week.
"Always catches us off guard when all of a sudden โ schools are closed, everyone's home, skies are noisy. We recalibrate. Reset the mamad. Send sarcastic jokes and annoyed emojis. Move on with the day. Hoping for an end to it all. Grateful to be in it, so we can experience the victory."
That night I went to a wedding. And I danced. ๐ฎ๐ฑ
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The Kibbutz Be'eri Delegation Marched Down Fifth Avenue
For the first time since October 7, the Kibbutz Be'eri delegation marched in the Israel Day Parade in New York โ the first parade with no hostages being held in Gaza. Instead of "Bring Them Home," the chant was "Am Yisrael Chai." We've been standing with the Be'eri community since 10/7. Seeing them march โ standing tall, stronger than before โ is everything. ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐บ๐ธ
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60,000 Canadians Showed Up for Israel
The same week as the New York parade, over 60,000 people marched through Toronto in the Walk with Israel March. Canadian Jewish communities have faced wave after wave of antisemitism and hate crimes. But this week they showed up โ loud, proud, and impossible to ignore. They marched for Israel. They marched for themselves. ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฑ
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A Baby Boy Named Manor Aner
When Uzi and Amela Masasha found out they were expecting a son, Uzi knew immediately what his name would be. Aner โ after Aner Elyakim Shapira hy"d, the hero of October 7th, who threw back ten grenades into a bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re'im before being killed on the tenth. He saved dozens of lives with his bare hands. Uzi had a personal connection โ Shira Shapira, Aner's mother, had been his youth group counselor, and they'd stayed in touch ever since.
Last week, Amela gave birth in Jerusalem. The brit milah was held days later. Shira Shapira came โ not knowing the baby would carry her son's name. When she found out, she was overwhelmed.
His full name: Manor Aner. In Amharic, Manor means "the circle of life." Aner โ for the hero who is an example to us all.
Shira's words: "There is no more moving gesture than this. I wish little Manor Aner a life of joy, health, meaning, and creation." ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ
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A Shoah Survivor, a Hostage, and a Nova Survivor Walk Into a Room
99-year-old Shoah survivor Menachem Berman welcomed former hostage Yosef Chaim Ohana and Nova survivor Daniel Sharabi to his senior residence. The three put on tefillin together, celebrated, and sat in the kind of silence that only happens when three different chapters of Jewish history are in the same room at the same time. This is the Kesher LaChaim project โ creating connections between Holocaust survivors and October 7 survivors. The Jewish people taking care of the Jewish people. ๐
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Only Faith and a Smile Kept Him Alive
Former hostage Eliya Cohen was held by Hamas for 505 days โ much of that time underground in terror tunnels. His message this week: "Hamas terrorists beat me and I still had a smile. There was no victory for them."
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23 Sivan - The Day the Decree Was Annulled
This week was the 23rd of Sivan on the Hebrew calendar โ the very day described in Megillat Esther when the king's scribes were called and the decree against the Jews was reversed. Written over 2,000 years ago. And here we are, living another chapter of the same story. It's no wonder ten people messaged me about it in one day. When you live in Israel right now, the Tanach doesn't feel like ancient history. It feels like a mirror. โก๏ธ
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Good News from Around the World
Two small but meaningful pieces of news this week: ๐ซ๐ฏ Fiji opened a new Israeli embassy, and ๐ธ๐ฎ Slovenia's new leader has already reached out to Israel to begin rebuilding relations. The world, piece by piece, coming back. ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ
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Sam in the News - Featured on The Moral Edge Podcast
 โI had the best time recording with my good friend and neighbor Jen Airley on The Moral Edge podcast. We talked about our move across the world, how that wild journey led me here, and how I ended up building something called Israel Good News Only. Honestly one of my favorite conversations. Listen here ๐
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โจ A Note from Sam โจ
Something a little different this week.
For almost three years, showing up every day with only the good news has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. I genuinely love doing this.
One of the ways I'm able to keep doing it is through incredible partners who advertise here. This week for the first time I opened up the opportunity to advertise in the WhatsApp community โ or to dedicate a day of good news in honor or memory of someone you love. And we already have our first dedication today.
If you want to be part of the good news โ reply to this email and I'd love to hear from you. ๐
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Thank you for being part of this light.
Each story you read, share, or forward keeps that light moving.
Thatโs what Israel Good News Only is all about โ connection, courage, and a little more hope in everyoneโs inbox.
See you next week,โ
Sam Kramer
โFounder, Israel Good News Only
P.S. Share good news or photos with me directly โ just REPLY with a "Hi ๐๐ป" and tell me where in the world you're reading this. I'd love to hear from you.
P.P.S. Something new is on the horizon โ I'm building an experience for people who want to see Israel the way I see it. Not a standard tour. Something more personal, more meaningful, more us. Over 30 people are already on the waitlist! Want to be one of them? Fill in your details here โ I want to be first to know! ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑโ
๐ NEW: CHECK OUT PAST NEWSLETTERS HEREโ
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๐ Send good news my way by clicking Reply, or just to say hi!
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โ