(Mendy Hechtman/Flash90)
Ski Mount Hermon

The unique Israeli spirit proves that it is possible to build a successful, vibrant society even when surrounded by life-threatening danger.

By Daniel Krygier, United with Israel

Alongside the vaunted IDF, the unique Israeli spirit is one of the Jewish state’s most precious assets. While the modern Jewish state has enjoyed not one day of peace since its founding in 1948, Israelis stubbornly and proudly embrace life while facing danger. The Israeli spirit refuses to let anyone or anything get in its way.

Nowhere was this spirit more evident than at Israel’s only ski resort, located on Mount Hermon on the Syrian border. Not even a recently fired rocket by nearby Iranian forces managed to deter Israeli holidaymakers from having a great time in the beautiful snow-covered slopes.

The Iranian rocket was intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system.

The resort was temporarily closed for 24 hours, but Israeli snow enthusiasts were back on the slopes as soon as it reopened. Despite the conflict in neighboring Syria, the Israeli spirit simply refuses to give up on everything that life has to offer. Quite the opposite. Israelis are flocking to the Mount Hermon area, as the region is enjoying three times as much snowfall this season as during a regular winter.

In Europe and in much of the free world, a resort facing similar threats would simply be closed permanently. The unique Israeli spirit, however, is sending a powerful message of defiance to Iran’s Islamist regime, which openly seeks the destruction of the Jewish state and is building a terrorist base on its northern border.

The Golan Heights is more than a strategically important region for the Jewish state. It is also a strikingly beautiful area with an almost surreal pastoral feel despite nearby potential danger across the border. While hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in war-torn neighboring Syria, the Golan Heights remains a popular destination for Israeli tourists throughout the year.

In close proximity to former ISIS areas in Syria where strict sharia law was enforced, the Israeli Golan Heights are producing some of the best wines in the world.

Located in the most combustible region in the world – the Middle East – Israel has more experience than any other Western democracy when it comes to dealing with terrorism. However, as far as the Israeli spirit is concerned, that does not stand in the way of life’s pleasures and success.