Autumn in New England is impossible to ignore. The leaves blaze with color, signaling both beauty and transition, a reminder that time does not stand still. This year, as the region enters a new season, Israel is also moving forward, confronting challenges while pursuing new opportunities.
In my first year representing Israel in New England, I’ve come to see the breadth of this region — from the golden dome of the Massachusetts State House to the narrow streets of Beacon Hill, from the roar of Fenway Park to the quiet grandeur of the Boston Public Library, and from the rugged mountains of northern New Hampshire to the sandy shores of southern Connecticut. But more than the places, it is the people I’ve met who have defined this year.
In every state — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont — I’ve been struck by conversations marked by openness and curiosity. There is also a pride here that runs deep: pride in New England’s role as the birthplace of America, and in the revolutionary spirit that still shapes this region. That spirit is not only found in history books; it is alive in the classrooms, research labs, and startups where bold ideas continue to push the boundaries of medicine, science, and technology.
In many ways, New England reminds me of home. Israel too lives in the tension between past and future. We are a land of prophets and poets, but also of entrepreneurs and inventors. Both Israel and New England demonstrate that tradition and innovation can coexist and thrive side by side — and that we are stronger for it.
Over the past year, the bonds between Israel and New England have grown stronger. Together with Gov. Maura Healey, we celebrated the opening of Israel’s Sheba Medical Center’s first U.S. “soft landing pad” in Massachusetts, strengthening Boston’s global role in the life sciences. Universities expanded partnerships. Trade and investment flourished. Even soccer brought us closer, with Israeli players donning the red, white, and blue of the New England Revolution. These milestones are more than symbolic — they represent lives improved, knowledge shared, and futures built together.
But this year was also marked by hardship. Israel continues to fight Hamas in Gaza. Our goals remain clear: to bring the hostages home, to ensure October 7 is never repeated, and to prevent Hamas from terrorizing both Israelis and Gazans. Hamas’s refusal to release the hostages or to abandon its campaign of destruction ensures that civilians — both Israeli and Gazan — continue to suffer.
This struggle is not limited to Gaza. It is part of a wider regional challenge in which Iran and its proxies — from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in Yemen — continue to destabilize the Middle East. Iran’s strategy is to surround Israel with armed groups that disrupt not only our security, but also global shipping lanes and energy markets. The threat we face is therefore not only to Israel, but to the broader vision of a more stable and interconnected region.
Even in this difficult moment, opportunities for cooperation persist. The Abraham Accords showed that new partnerships in trade, technology, and security are possible. Israel continues to work with regional partners to build a future based on integration rather than isolation. These efforts are fragile but essential. They remind us that resisting extremism is inseparable from building pathways toward security and prosperity.
The United States, and New England in particular, play a crucial role in this vision. Shared research, investment, and innovation bind our societies together. But so too does a shared understanding of what is at stake: that cooperation is essential to meeting the challenges of our time. In this sense, the bridges built between Israel and New England are not only bilateral achievements — they are part of a global effort to resist extremism and strengthen the foundations of our free and democratic societies.
The Jewish High Holidays arrive at a moment that demands resilience and clarity. For Israel, they are a reminder to confront hardship while holding fast to the pursuit of security, prosperity, and cooperation.
As Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, begins, I wish the people of New England strength, health, and prosperity. May the hostages return swiftly to their families. And may we continue to walk together — strengthening ties between Israel, New England, and the wider world.
Shana Tova.
Benjamin Sharoni is the Consul General of Israel to New England.