Yael Yechieli with her partner, Tomer Persico. "When the World Happiness Index came out a few months ago and people were surprised that Israel ranked so high, I wasn't. Belonging creates happiness." Credit: Noam Revkin-Fenton
War, political chaos and a soaring cost of living aren't stopping some Israelis from returning. For many, the pull of family, language and belonging outweighs the push to leave. Since early 2023, 13,000 Israelis have come back. These are five of their stories
11:32 AM • May 10 2026 IDT









