The IDF was the Israeli left's God: That's why they were so devastated when it failed 

I’m crazy about the IDF. I mean it. Every soldier out there, sweating and bleeding for Israel, is a damn hero. My soldier comes home looking like he’s been through a war zone himself, eyes heavy, barely standing, choking down those questionable kabanos sausages that taste like plastic. These are real people, brave, brilliant, pouring their souls into keeping us safe. They’re why I can moan about the sweaty humid summer, grab gas at the Paz gas station, debate Bibi's many flaws and virtues (endlessly) and tuck my kids into bed without fear. But they’re not God. They’re not a religion. They’re just people. And when people screw up, it hurts like hell.

The truth is that Israelis had good reason to believe in the IDF: A 2014 Peace Index survey found 84% of Israelis believed the IDF could handle security threats. A 2018 Peace Index survey showed the IDF as the most trusted state institution.

The IDF, established on May 26, 1948, shortly after Israel’s Declaration of Independence, is nothing less than a symbol of the nation’s determination to exist.

When you go back to its early days, and read its origin story, you understand how pivotal it was and still. It was formed from pre-state paramilitary groups like the Haganah, Irgun, and Lehi, created to defend a fledgling state surrounded by hostile neighbors. This origin story, rooted in the need to protect Jewish sovereignty, gives the IDF a near-mythic status.

Britannica notes that the IDF’s doctrine is driven by the belief that Israel cannot afford to lose a single war, a mindset that shapes its defensive strategy and resonates deeply with Israelis who see their survival tied to its strength.

But it's more than that.

The IDF is quite literally the pulse of Israel. People call it “the people’s army” because it’s not some far-off institution: it’s our kids, our neighbors, us. Almost every Jewish and Druze citizen, men and women, plus Circassian men, has to serve, unless you’re ultra-Orthodox, a married woman, or a mom.

That draft is a shared journey, tying Israelis together across all kinds of backgrounds. It’s like a big, chaotic family going through the same rite of passage, and it creates this deep sense of unity. Lots of families throw parties or beam with pride when their kids enlist, seeing it as a badge of honor. The IDF’s mix of people, Jewish, Druze, Christian, even Muslim Arabs (606 drafted in 2020, up from 436 in 2018, makes it a true melting pot, blending everyone into something bigger.

But then came a knife to our hearts: October 7, 2023. Hamas stormed in, murdered over 1,200 of us, raped, burned, kidnapped 240, babies, grandparents, you name it. The pain of those losses still chokes me.

I think secular Israelis were hit hardest Many of them don't relate to the concept of G-d and don't believe in Him. What they do believe in, however, is the IDF. Firstly, don't forget that they have been raised on tales of our army’s untouchable might, Six-Day War miracles, Entebbe heroics. The IDF was their fortress, their everything. Second, the IDF is an exquisite army. The Shin Bet has eyes and ears everywhere and the Mossad is absolutely surgically devastating in its missions. When you put those three togther, you really do have a recipe for success. And their global success shines bright. What's not to trust, right?

So when it failed, when those border fences fell and our people were left defenseless, it wasn’t just a tragedy. It was nothing short of betrayal. The invincible shield cracked, and Israelis were gutted, asking, “How? How could the IDF let this happen? How could they let us down? Were was the airforce? Where was Unit 8200? Where were the commandos? How could this happen?” You can almost feel their panic and heartbreak, stuck in a cycle of questions without answers, as the ivory castle came crumbling down, if only for a while.

I get the meltdown. If you’re secular, the IDF’s often your higher power, the one thing you trust to never falter. When it did, it was like losing faith itself. The grief of the attacks, families slaughtered, hostages gone, was unbearable enough. But the shock that their superheroes weren’t bulletproof? That shattered them. So it became so much more than just mourning the dead; it became mourning the shattered myth we’d clung to since 1948.

Don’t get it twisted, I adore our soldiers. They’re out there turning kids into warriors, giving every ounce of themselves. My soldier’s drowning in exhaustion, pushing past his limits, and still showing up. He’s a giant in my eyes. Every one of them is. And please do not get me started on the injured and the fallen, who paid (and are still paying) with their arms and legs and lives, so we can get to call this blessed land our home.They’re the reason I can live here, raise my kids, and dream of a future. But I’m not confused, and neither should you be. They’re not divine. They’re human. And humans make mistakes.

That’s what October 7 taught us, and it stings. We can’t pretend the IDF is flawless, some sacred force above error. When we do, we set ourselves up to fall apart. Our soldiers deserve our love, our gratitude, our everything, but not our worship. They’re people, doing the impossible, sometimes stumbling. And when they do, we’ve got to hold them tight, mourn the losses, and keep going. Because Israel doesn’t stand on myths. It stands on the courage of those who fight for it, flaws and all.

And more than that, it stands because G-d loves it and He loves us. It really is the chosen land and He's got its back, and ours.