Signs of Hope: Israel Rebounds as Optimism Grows

If I know anything about Israel, I know the rhythms of normal life are growing stronger every day. Optimism, fueled by hope for the future, is alive and well. School playgrounds echo with laughter, shoppers dutifully follow the arrows on the floors of the country’s five IKEA stores, reserve military personnel are returning to home life and work, and the nation’s airports are humming back to life.

I hear that optimism in the voices of people my wife Anita and I know and work with in Israel. An Israeli friend shared that the day after the ceasefire with Iran went into effect, she and her husband headed to the beach to celebrate their anniversary.

Just a few weeks ago, kids on the beach were running for bomb shelters. Now they’re running after kite strings that escaped their grip.

But it’s not just the end of the conflict with Iran. After two years of conflict brought on by the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel by Hamas, hope survives. That’s who Israelis are.

“The city wants to come back to life,” a university lecturer and mother of two teenagers told news agency Reuters, echoing signs of a visible, practical optimism.

I’m happy to hear those stories as we’re leading a tour to the Holy Land in November. Anita and I have found Israelis to be the most resilient in the world. “Am Yisrael Chai” is heard often. Simply translated, “The people of Israel live.” What a simple anthem they proclaim!

That feeling abounds this month, just weeks after the end of the 12-day war with Iran.

“Hope is in the Air” — and in the Skies

Nowhere is this change clearer than in Israel’s skies. This week the European Aviation Authority lifted all flight restrictions on Israel, opening the floodgates for both business and tourism. El Al, Israel’s national airline, just announced it is expanding service to the United States to meet what it calls “growing demand from the business sector, Jewish and Israeli communities.”

Starting in late October, El Al will offer a whopping 42 direct weekly flights to four major U.S. destinations: 27 weekly flights to New York, six to Florida, six to Los Angeles, and three to Boston. “This is a response to growing demand,” the airline said in a statement, underscoring the renewed enthusiasm for transatlantic travel.

But most tourists are flying U.S. carriers because they serve smaller markets like Kansas City.  Those airlines are following suit with United Airlines revealing it will resume daily nonstop service from its Newark hub to Tel Aviv on July 21, becoming the first American airline to restore the route since the war with Iran. “The resumption is in line with United’s longstanding commitment to serving Tel Aviv,” United stated. The airline will increase to two daily flights beginning July 22. United resumed its reservation process and began selling tickets this week. Delta Air Lines is slated to restart its New York–Tel Aviv service on September 1—and with United’s early return, Delta may speed up its own relaunch. American Airlines, always the last to resume service, has yet to announce any plans, having stopped all flights for nearly two years, according to JNS.

In the meantime, El Al and the country’s second-largest air carrier Arkia, have been operating completely oversold flights, as pent-up demand from both Israelis and visitors sent summer airfares soaring since the ceasefire. The reopening of the skies is being greeted with relief and excitement across Israel.

Ceasefire and Peace Talks: Optimism in the Region

The ceasefire between Israel and Iran, brokered in late June by the Trump administration, looks like it could become permanent with even talks of a more formal peace deal with the Islamic State.

That’s fueling much of the optimism, as some previously feared normalcy might never return according to the New York Times. Yet, Gulf airlines and investment networks, sensing stability, are re-engaging.

News reports say that peace talks—while still delicate—are continuing with the support of both American and Gulf mediators, including Saudi Arabia. Officials remain publicly optimistic, emphasizing that the current stability is laying the groundwork for “expanded economic cooperation and travel for the entire region,” as one tourism executive explained.

Tourism and Normalcy Surge

Tourism is roaring back and our Heartland to Holyland tour in November is not the exception.

“Tourism to Israel will always come back, because we are like a monopoly for the Holy Land,”  one industry insider told the Jerusalem Post. With El Al’s expanded service, United’s early return, and Delta’s plans in motion, the Ministry of Tourism forecasts up to 1.3 million visitors by the end of 2025. “The ministry calls on the Israeli public and tourists from abroad to come, travel and enjoy the wide cultural, historical and culinary diversity,” the official statement reads.

The Media Line describes “a bullish attitude in the market, with many believing that the worst is behind us and the opportunities ahead are enormous”. And the Jerusalem Post reports, “Israel’s economic indicators are outperforming expectations, as both foreign and domestic investors signal renewed confidence for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026”.

With Israeli and Gulf airlines ramping up flights, and both business and leisure travelers returning, the country is not just recovering—it’s surging ahead. From the open gates at Ben Gurion to the return of tourists on the narrow streets of the Old City in Jerusalem, Israel is sending a clear signal: hope is not only in the air, it’s landing every hour.