Dayenu - The Moon

Tonight was a Dayenu moment for Israel - "if we had come so close to the moon but not landed, it would have been enough for us."

Enough for the world's tiniest pinprick of a state, just 70 years in existence and stretched to the limit of its resources just to live out each week surrounded by mortal enemies. What a stunning achievement to get within meters of a lunar landing.

We wouldn't be surprised if at this moment they were giving out candies in Ramallah just as they did with the death of shuttle astronaut Ilan Ramon. Alas, this is what our brothers and sisters have to live with.

But whether it's a World Cup qualifier, or Eurovision, or this moonshot - these are precious moments when the whole country huddles together in bars and town squares holding their breath in anticipation of a moment of national triumph. One big family, rooting for its own.

The sight of that white-bearded Charedi in the control room was really special. So many of them and their womenfolk serve in ways you don't hear about. When you wake up in the middle of the night in your Israeli hotel room and worry about being in the cross-hairs of Iran and our other enemies and wonder who is watching the skies, it's as likely as not that the girl watching the satellite feed is wearing a sheitel.

We are one big family with one unique history of 5,000 years. And our best years are still ahead.

Am Yisrael Chai - Lanetzach !