On October 7, 2023, Noa Hanuka was 38 weeks pregnant. That morning had been like any other. Just minutes earlier, she watched her husband, Noam, leave for work. Then the sirens began. And they didn’t stop.
Terrified, she called him. “Come home,” she pleaded. But near Sderot, Noam was ambushed and shot by Hamas terrorists.
Noam survived—miraculously. In the days that followed, our overseas partner, The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) was there, offering critical support and financial assistance.
And on October 18, Noa gave birth to their son.
“They tried to take our lives,” Noam said, “but we brought a new life to the world.”
Before joining JAFI, Noa was part of our Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ’s Israel office. She was a colleague. A friend. A member of our extended family. When tragedy struck her home, it struck our community too.
Today, 53 hostages remain in Gaza. Rocket sirens still blare across the country. Families are still grieving. Survivors grapple with deep scars. And around the world, antisemitism is surging.
But even in this darkness, the Jewish people endure.
Since October 7, the work we do with partners like JAFI has never been more important. Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ supports our network of local and overseas partners in many ways, including, for many, through funds raised by the UJA Annual Campaign.
Join us in caring for our global Jewish family. Your support today helps turn moments of darkness into hope, healing, and new life.
Donate today.