While celebrations worldwide marked the beginning of the new year on Tuesday, Israelis noted their difficulty in participating in such festivities a year and three months into the war and amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Shira, 29, from Ramat Gan, stated, with regard to the recent missile attacks launched by the Houthis in Yemen, "It feels like any moment could be an alarm, so I'm not really in the mood to celebrate."
Bars are also reporting a change. Instead of wild parties, Tel Aviv was offering a more laid-back evening this year – with live performances, stand-up comedy, and mellow DJ sets.
"We're going to a Dudu Tassa concert; it feels fitting," Tomer, 34, from Tel Aviv, stated. "You want to go out and feel a bit of normalcy."
Addressing the security situation, he said, as we've seen in recent weeks, there could be a siren at any moment, but that's become part of life."
Israelis opt for low-key outings
Yonatan, 31, from north Tel Aviv, also planned a more low-key outing to a "neighborhood bar with friends," but he noted that the outing "doesn't really feel festive."
The general feeling was of a delicate balance between the desire to unwind and the security reality.
Michal, 28, stated, "You can go out, but you can't forget. And perhaps because of that, this New Year's Eve might be more meaningful this year."