(JNS) During the Jewish month of Kislev, the month of miracles, the world is witnessing a miracle unfold in real time. Israel is accomplishing what far larger nations cannot and doing it while surrounded by enemies and drowning in global hate. With Hanukkah starting, Jews will light candles to remember a moment when a small, outnumbered nation refused to bow to tyranny.

That story is not ancient. It is happening again right now.

While activists chant for Israel’s destruction in American streets and politicians pander to mobs instead of moral clarity, the Jewish state is carrying out historic military and intelligence achievements that protect not only its own citizens, but millions across the free world. The loudest critics keep shouting, but they ignore the truth that Israel has struck directly at the heart of Iran and succeeded. Iran funds nearly every terror network destabilizing the planet, yet Israel—a country the size of New Jersey—has executed precision strikes deep inside Iranian military infrastructure.

These operations have damaged weapons systems and slowed nuclear ambitions that threaten the entire Western world. They were not symbolic. They were strategic victories that American and European intelligence agencies quietly depend on far more than they admit.

Israel is also removing some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists and doing it with decisive precision. High-value killers responsible for the murder of Israelis, Americans and Europeans have been eliminated in operations that major global powers study with admiration. Each one of these actions prevents future attacks, kidnappings and bombings. These are not just Israeli security achievements. They are victories for anyone who values human life and global stability.

Just as remarkable is the way Israel fights. No modern nation conducts warfare with the level of restraint, caution and humanitarian concern that Israel shows in the middle of a brutal conflict. While Hamas and Iran hide behind civilians, Israel uses advance warnings, evacuation routes, humanitarian corridors and targeted strikes that often cost strategic advantage. There is simply no comparison anywhere in the world. The accusations that fill the internet cannot change the moral reality on the ground.

Despite all the lies, one truth remains unmoved: Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians and Catholics are not only safe, but thriving.

The Christian population in Israel is growing, a reality that does not exist anywhere else in the region. Churches are protected and secured—not bombed, burned or shuttered. The holiest Christian sites in the world, from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to Nazareth to Bethlehem, survive because Israel safeguards them. Christians serve openly in every part of Israeli society, including schools, hospitals, the courts and even the military. This stands in stark contrast to Gaza under Hamas, where Christians have been persecuted, forced out and nearly erased.

So when American elected officials question whether the United States should stand with Israel, they should start with a simple reality. If Israel falls, the last safe place for Christians in the Middle East falls with it. Support for Israel is not a niche Jewish issue. It is a civilizational issue.

Israel sits on the frontline of the fight for democracy, religious freedom, human rights and American security. The Iron Dome, built through US and Israeli cooperation, has saved millions of lives. Israeli intelligence has prevented terror attacks across multiple continents. Israeli innovation powers American medicine, cybersecurity, agriculture, artificial intelligence and missile defense. America needs Israel just as much as Israel needs America.

There is something deeper happening, too. It is spiritual. In this month of Kislev, Israel continues to defy its enemies with the same resilience that defined the Maccabees thousands of years ago. A small nation, surrounded by darkness, chooses courage over fear, life over death and freedom over tyranny.

As Hanukkah approaches, the message becomes unmistakable: Israel itself is the modern miracle. The greatest gift the Jewish people and all people of faith have in today’s world is a strong, moral, democratic State of Israel.

And as the Hanukkah lights prepare to shine, may they remind us that miracles still happen. Israel is living proof.

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