By Eyal Fruchter, JNS
We must continue our daily lives as if there is no looming crisis, even as the security establishment prepares for every possibility.
The push notifications never stop. Phones light up at dinner tables and in classrooms. Television panels debate attack scenarios late into the night. On betting platforms such as Polymarket, strangers wager on timelines for a possible strike on Iran. In living rooms across Israel, people scroll and speculate, searching for certainty in a fog of rumors.
The State of Israel is once again on high alert, and the tension is palpable. Yet in moments like this, when no one truly knows what will happen, our most important task is not prediction but preservation of our routines, our judgment and our mental health.
No one outside a very small circle can say whether there will be an attack on Iran, when it might occur or what its consequences would be for Israel. Commentators speak confidently, former officials hint darkly, and social-media amplifies every whisper. Still, most of what we consume right now is conjecture. Even global leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, are unlikely to telegraph such decisions in advance. We are feeding on uncertainty and calling it information.
This constant exposure carries a cost. Prolonged vigilance generates anxiety. It can show up as restlessness, irritability and flashes of aggression. People report difficulty concentrating at work or school. Sleep suffers. When the mind is braced for impact day after day, the body follows suit. A society cannot function well in a permanent state of alarm.
So how do we cope?
First, limit news consumption. Turn off push notifications. Stop following every developing headline. Restrict updates to no more than twice a day, perhaps 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night. That is enough to stay informed without becoming overwhelmed. Additional scrolling rarely adds clarity. It mostly adds stress.
This is not denial; it is discipline. If there is information the public needs, authorities will communicate it clearly. Saturating ourselves in commentary does not increase our safety. It magnifies our fear.
Second, do not let the tension erode daily functioning. It is easy to fall into endless contingency planning. What if there is an attack? What if there is not? Should we cancel a trip or postpone a project? But life cannot be lived in parentheses.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin once said Israel must fight for peace as if there is no terrorism and fight terrorism as if there is no peace. The same logic applies here. We must continue our daily lives as if there is no looming crisis, even as the security establishment prepares for every possibility.
Functioning means maintaining leisure activities, social connections and professional responsibilities. Go to work. Attend classes. Meet friends. Do not cancel plans out of vague dread. Routine is stabilizing. It signals that life continues.
At the same time, reasonable preparation is appropriate. Ensure that protected spaces are clean and organized. Remove clutter. Check that stored water is fresh. Beyond that, avoid chasing rumors. If additional measures are required, the IDF Home Front Command will issue clear instructions. In the absence of such guidance, there is likely no need for extraordinary steps.
It is also important to remember that Israel is not defenseless. The country has invested heavily in multilayered defense systems and emergency preparedness. While no protection is perfect, any strike is unlikely to bring the country to its knees.
We have experienced enough abnormality in recent years. By limiting exposure to speculation, maintaining routines and preparing calmly, we strengthen our resilience and our national fabric. In a moment defined by uncertainty, the most responsible act is to protect what we can control, our attention, our daily functioning and our sense of continuity.
That is how a society remains strong.
