Steve Ornstein – Chaos or Stillness: The Choice Is Ours
In Israel today, the noise is constant. Rockets, sirens, political storms, international criticism, and the heavy weight of uncertainty touch almost every family. It is natural to feel concern; the threats and challenges are real.
Yet when we allow fear, anger, and frustration to become our permanent home, something dangerous happens. We feed a spiral of darkness that can pull individuals, families, and even entire communities into deeper chaos. Social media amplifies it. Conversations around the Shabbat table become battlegrounds. Hope grows dim. There is another path.
Step back for a moment. Breathe. Stand in the center of the storm and simply witness it: the heated arguments, the endless news cycle, the outrage from both sides. At first it feels almost shocking to remain still. But if you stay there, something beautiful emerges: clarity. A quiet strength. From this place you can still care deeply about Israel’s safety and future. You can still act, volunteer, pray, speak out, support soldiers or families in need, but without being swept away by the madness.
Clarity is born in stillness. When the mind grows quiet, wisdom returns. Right action becomes possible. We stop needing to hate the other side, to declare ourselves the only ones who understand, or to prove our righteousness by demonizing fellow Jews or Israelis who see things differently. That kind of superiority is usually just fear in disguise.
In its place we find something far more powerful:
- Gratitude for simply being alive in the Land of Israel.
- Deep appreciation for our soldiers, our people, and the miracle of this country’s existence.
- Heartfelt connection with family and community, where love flows freely instead of being poisoned by politics.
- A quiet knowing that Am Yisrael Chai is not just a slogan; it is a living truth we carry inside.
It is not easy. In Israel, the external pressure never really stops. Yet many of our greatest sages and modern heroes found their strength in moments of inner silence, in tefillah, in nature, in the simple act of choosing peace within.
The world around us will keep shouting for us to join the chaos. The real question each of us must answer is this: Will I add to the darkness, or will I become a source of light?
Choose stillness.
Choose clarity.
Choose peace.
For the sake of our children, our soldiers, and the soul of this precious country, choose peace.
