No conflict. Peace. Friendly relations. Can you imagine a world where not only all of this is possible, it is a reality? Visiting Israel, a Jewish state smack dab in the middle of unstable Muslim countries, it was hard to even imagine a place where peace could be possible. In the Middle East it is apparent that religion goes hand in hand with politics which goes hand in hand with violence. Before I bring my opinion into the mix, I have to acknowledge that going into this ceremony I was sleep deprived and did not have the most positive attitude. The ceremony was spoken in very formal Hebrew so it was a little difficult to understand. However, like any graduation, names were called up, honors were given and caps tossed up in the air. Afterwards, the air show began, and as I would later learn, the whole world would watch the ceremony and consequently the show. The show was straightforward enough, all kinds of planes used by the Air Force did cool tricks in the air, followed by a demonstration of water bombs and the like. When the show was over I was left with a feeling of disappointment and sadness. I was soon called over for a conversation with Amnon and Oren, the man who made our attendance possible, and I was asked for my opinion on the ceremony. Conflicted by my intense desire to please people and the uneasiness in the pit of my stomach, I looked over at my father who told me to not be afraid and share whatever opinion I may have, regardless of whether it would offend or not. I began to explain that I was uneasy about the casual display of violence (and the callous destruction of the environment) and that I wished that Israel wouldn’t automatically go to violence as an answer. I continued by talking about my wish for peace without violence and without compromising the integrity of the Jewish state, a Jewish homeland that we have waited so long for. Oren was quick to interject and said that he completely agreed about the wish for peace sans violence. He also confided in me that because the whole world would be watching, including the “enemy” regimes, Israel had to demonstrate its considerable power so they would be afraid of attacking. I understood fully but then Oren shared a story about the last battle they had fought at the base. His family lives on the base and his wife and children were evacuated when the base was under attack during Operation Protective Shield in the summer of 2014. For 51 days he did not see them, the situation was unstable and dangerous and once again Israel was being threatened. This story really brought the point home for me. Israel’s fight, our fight, is far from over. We are constantly under attack by people who do not believe we should be there. It’s this point exactly that explains why we have to keep fighting, both with warfare (although I am not a fan) and with words. They might have numbers on their side, but we have a reason to keep fighting, a reason to achieve peace and finally, a reason to win.